Clearfield, PA – At a ceremony in Harrisburg today, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll today recognized 31 PennDOT employees for their outstanding performance with the Star of Excellence Award, PennDOT's highest recognition. Two employees from PennDOT's District 2, which represents Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties, were among the honorees.
"I'm continually impressed by the hard work and dedication of the PennDOT team," Secretary Carroll said. "These folks work tirelessly each day to provide safe and efficient transportation for Pennsylvania's residents."
Carroll and other department executives honored winners Brent Lykens and Eric Murnyack during an event held at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
"Brent and Eric draw upon their breadth of experience and creativity to challenge the status quo and continually improve upon our processes here at District 2," said Tom Prestash, PennDOT District Executive. "Because of their efforts and leadership, we will continue to be good stewards of taxpayer money while delivering a safe and efficient highway system far into the future."
Lykens serves as District 2's Construction Services Engineer. By continuously engaging with his staff, they adapted to numerous traffic safety challenges encountered during the Interstate 80/local interchange project, the first of three projects necessary to complete the I-80/I-99 high-speed interchange. In doing so, they delivered a product safe for all stakeholders. Lykens wants PennDOT to lead our industry and provide excellence for the citizens of Pennsylvania. As such, he helps enhance the skills of our construction staff by maintaining the training schedule and ensuring staff are developing the skills and attaining the necessary certifications needed to achieve that goal.
As District 2's Portfolio Manager, Murnyack has developed multiple tracking mechanisms that monitor projects fiscally and enable the District's Executive Staff to know a project's status at a glance. As a Civil Engineer Trainee Supervisor, he mentors newer staff and develops training to help grow their knowledge. The intrinsic value of his investment in staff development is immeasurable, but his efforts also reduce district costs by encouraging more timely delivery. In 2022, the district reduced the number of construction work orders and realized savings of nearly $900,000.
The Star of Excellence Awards are presented annually to employees who represent the department's values of service, performance, and integrity. The recipients represent a variety of organizational positions, spanning from highway maintenance and driver and vehicle services workers to traffic control specialists, communications staff, and design and engineering specialists.
For more information on PennDOT activities in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties, visit www.penndot.pa.gov/District2.
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