OPTA Excellence Awards 2021
OPTA Celebrates Excellence in Public Transit!
OPTA’s Excellence Awards 2021 will honor individuals and organizations who have exemplified leadership and advocacy for public transit in Ohio. Transit employees, board members and community stakeholders who, by their commitment, work, actions and passion, deserve to be celebrated. Nominations may be submitted by associate and mobility manager members of OPTA, the 60 + transit systems in the state of Ohio and transit stakeholders.
Awards will be presented during the Ohio Needs Transit Conference & OPTA EXPO Awards Luncheon scheduled for Friday, September 17, 2021. REGISTER NOW!
The past year provided unprecedented challenges to all who work within public transit as well as those stakeholders that support the industry and the riders whose lives depend on reliable transportation service.
We encourage the leadership of Ohio’s transit systems to take the time to honor individuals who have demonstrated themselves to be role models and leaders in public transit.
EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021 CATEGORIES
Leonard Ronis Award | Mobility Manager | Legislator of the Year | Lifetime Achievement
Four Under Forty | Milestone Award | Associate Engagement
Collaborative Excellence Award | Community Impact Award
Thank you to our OPTA Excellence Awards Committee!
Julia Schick, Laketran | Committee Chair
Ben Capelle, Laketran | Katherine Conrad, Ohio Transit Risk Pool | Jose Feliciano, Greater Cleveland RTA
Laura Koprowski, Toledo Area RTA | Barbara Rhoades, Ohio Transit Risk Pool
Judy Rodriguez, Western Reserve Transit Authority | Blair Taseff, TESCO
Shannon Webster, Greene CATS Public Transit | Carrie Woody, Lancaster-Fairfield RTA
CONGRATULATIONS!
to the OPTA Excellence Award 2020 Recipients
OPTA Lifetime Achievement
Jim Ryan, GILLIG, Regional Sales Director
Curtis Stitt, OPTA Executive Director, Retired
OPTA Leonard Ronis Award
Carrie Woody, Director, Lancaster-Fairfield Public Transit System
OPTA FOUR Under FORTY
Scott Lammers, Hancock Area Transportation Service, Director of Transportation
Matt Dutkevicz, Butler County Regional Transit Authority, Executive Director
Jeff Mundstock, Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Director, Fleet and Facilities
Valerie Shea, METRO Regional Transit Authority, Director of Strategic Planning & Development
OPTA Community Impact Awards
Antonio McClendon, Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Operator
Lydia Carroll, Southeast Area Transit District, Transit Center Supervisor
Sandra Guess, METRO Regional Transit Authority, Operator
Amanda Jones, METRO Regional Transit Authority, Operator
TAC Industries
OPTA Associate Engagement
Ohio Transit Risk Pool, Barbara Rhoades
OPTA MILESTONES
Awarded to individuals or transit agencies reaching significant milestones in the transit industry.
Thirty Years of Service
Reginald Brown, Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Transit Operator (view video)
Steven Rolfes, Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Transit Operator (view video)
Cheryl Brady, Laketran, Transit Operator (view video)
Jodi Zilke, Laketran, Lead Dispatcher (view video)
Fifty Years of Service
METRO Regional Transit Authority
50 Years on the Road, 100 Years of Experience (view video)