Latest News

Looking back at the past 30+ years of APWA awards, locally and nationally, APWA-MN has thrived with recognition of excellence. Our chapter continues to recognize outstanding public works personnel and projects which encourages future young professionals to strive for greatness. A handful of past award winners have written in about their experiences in the public works industry and advice for students – see below!
 

 

 

Employer: St. Paul Department of Public Works

Position: Operations Manager – City Engineer

APWA Award:

When I realized in my first year of university that I would be a very mediocre architect, I explored other academic majors and found my way to civil engineering which fit my interests and skills much better.  I pursued a position upon graduation within MnDOT’s Graduate Engineer Program.  Through that opportunity I discovered the myriad ways that I enjoy transportation engineering and public works. 

 

Too many great projects, operations, and experiences come to mind to list.  I would simply note that most great accomplishments are achieved through the work of a team that connects well and respects each other.  My highlights run across a broad range of activities including emergency responses, introducing new infrastructure designs, deploying new materials or equipment, developing staff into new positions, holding people accountable to respect the hard work of their coworkers, addressing facility needs, innovating operations, pursuing new funding sources, and more.

 

I began my career in public works with a very introverted and intense way of being.  Early in my career I received a long-delayed diagnosis of ADHD (which explained much regarding challenges in my childhood).  Through watching engineers, technicians, and field employees whom I admired, I realized that I needed to interact with people better and more, and I had to listen better and temper my intensity to recognize the challenges that other people/units/agencies, etc. had that affected achieving complex goals.  The technical side of my engineering career has always been satisfyingly challenging and becoming a supervisor and then a manager has felt similar, but they do not encompass the hardest work I had to accomplish.  What I consider my most important long-term learning (still in progress) has been to learn how to better listen to, connect with, focus on, and understand other people and their thoughts and needs.  Leveraging technical knowledge, organizational and funding knowledge, years of experience, and the intent to get good things done can result in amazing and creative projects, operations, and more, but it cannot happen without the ability to work effectively and respectfully with other people.

 

 

Employer: City of Burnsville

Position: Director of Public Works

APWA Award: 2022 Director/Manager of the Year

 

I knew I wanted to be in the public works sector involved with infrastructure in high school. I worked for a consultant during the summer for two years during college and then went full time into the private sector before transitioning to the public sector.

 

I know I am not unique in this, but I really enjoy it when I drive through old project areas that I was a part of. I equate it to seeing my fingerprints on a community and I take pride in that.

 

Building a professional network is essential personally and professionally. Do not be hesitant to reach out to that network for advice, help, or just be honest that you are struggling with something. The public works profession is all about supporting community, including the mental health of our professional community.

 

First, invest in your own development. Understand that this will take work, must be intentional, and is a lifetime commitment. Second, develop the skills and abilities to take ideas and concepts and turn them into reality. Put another way, actually produce stuff, move the dial, and make things happen. This capability will set you apart from others.
 

 

Employer: City of Richfield

Position: Director of Public Works

Nearing completion of my BS in Civil Engineering I interned with Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) working on plans and counting rebar, then I moved to Rochester when I was hired on at the MnDOT District 6 location where I completed the Graduate Engineer program and eventually became the Assistant District Traffic Engineer. It was with MnDOT that I learned how much I appreciate a dynamic workflow; In the traffic office you had to be ready for anything to redirect where you would focus your attention any given day. When I moved back to Minneapolis, I had accepted a bridge designer position with PB and after a couple years of bridge design I was really missing the connection to people I loved so much in the MnDOT traffic office, so I started looking for a new opportunity. I only applied at local governments because I wanted to be as close to the people I was serving as I could get. Richfield was that opportunity, and thanks to Mike Eastling I learned a lot and I was immediately encouraged to get involved in APWA-MN which has added so much value over the past 20 years.

 

Working with the residents in the community to redefine the spaces that touch their lives every single day has been the biggest highlight for me. I really enjoy serving the community, getting to know the residents, and reshaping the public spaces in Richfield through the city’s infrastructure investments. I’ve really been fortunate to have found a way to serve a community the way I have with Richfield.

 

How to manage and lead people. This has been both a big personal challenge and the most rewarding aspect of my growth over the years. My passion is now about serving my staff and developing young managers, in fact I’m just starting a leadership coaching venture (www.DoLeadership.coach)!

 

Be authentic in everything you do, build connections, hold yourself and others accountable, have fun, and prioritize making time to be an active APWA-MN member.

 

 

Employer: TKDA

Position: Program Direct – Strategic and Community Partnerships

I developed my interest in public works as a young girl.  My dad was the Mayor of my hometown in Iowa, and I loved to listen in on conversations about snow plowing, street sweeping, water main breaks, upgrades to the water treatment plant, and more!  I went to school to be a planner because at the time, few women were encouraged to become engineers.  I am thrilled that planners are increasingly becoming part of the public works industry as our skills complement the traditional skills of engineers in so many ways resulting in great public works projects and services.

 

The highlight of my career was being selected as one of APWA’s Top Ten Public Works Leaders in 2021.  This national award is selected based on career service achievements.  I was nominated by the Minnesota Chapter for the award which elevates the significance to me. I keep a few voicemails on my phone that I cherish, and they are mostly from my family.  However, I have saved a voicemail from Richard McCoy telling me that the Minnesota Chapter Awards Committee wanted to nominate me for the award.  I also saved the voicemail from then APWA President Mary Joyce Ivers telling me that I had been selected to receive the award.

 

Because my background is in planning, I had to learn ways to consume technical information quickly to develop a high-level understanding of the field of public works.  I’ve also learned that what we do as public works professionals is incredibly tough work, and that our best intentions are not always well received. 

 

Seek advice from those that may have different backgrounds than what you do.  When I joined APWA in 1995, there were very few women members.  In fact, at my first Fall Conference, there was one other woman in the room.  My mentors early in my career were all men, and I am forever grateful for the support and wisdom that they shared with me.  So, on that note, I would also ask our young professionals to get involved in APWA and foster inclusion which will make our organization more robust and richer with ideas and strategies to solve complex problems.  We have come a long way since my first conference, but I know that we have more to do to ensure that our profession represents people from a wide background of skills and perspectives.