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 5, which represents Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill 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 Kevin Matthews and Albert Gino during an event held at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
“Kevin and Albert are outstanding employees dedicated to providing the best transportation system possible,” District 5 Executive Christopher Kufro said. “This is a well-deserved recognition, and I congratulate both of them.”
Kevin Matthews - District Maintenance Manager
Kevin Matthews’ ability to adapt to various situations is extraordinary. From coordinating emergency bridge and pipe repairs to being a key player in the Incident Command Center during major incidents, Kevin is the person who knows what to do and gets things done safely and in a timely manner.
Kevin is an integral part of the bridge/pipe replacement program set up by the District Bridge Unit. This includes implementing aluminum box culverts, superstructure replacements, bonded deck overlays, and traditional box culverts combining county maintenance and TIP funds. This approach saves the state 50% on average when compared to a contractor.
Kevin conducted a seminar on aluminum box culverts at the 2019 Regional Innovation Day at the State Farm Show Complex. The seminar showed other districts how they too may benefit from similar cost savings.
Kevin is regularly praised by residents and local governments for his work. As a result of his outstanding work ethic, he was promoted from District Planning Chief to District Maintenance Manager in April 2023.
Albert Gino - Roadway Programs Technician 2
Albert Gino was hired approximately 18 months ago.
With no prior Department experience he quickly learned the Strategic Environmental Management Program, how to do Reimbursable Accident Reports, perform inventory management, and many other tasks.
Through his diligence and analytical skills, he was able to decrease the amount of items on the zero usage reports resulting in lower costs and improved productivity.
Albert is a trusted branch manager during winter call-out situations and provides leadership when other managers are on leave. His coworkers value him as a trusted source of information and guidance.
He has quickly established great relationships with vendors, allowing him to easily make time-sensitive purchases during emergencies.
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 Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties at www.penndot.govDistrict5
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