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Ness named WTS Transportation Leader of the Year

ITD Director Brian Ness was in good company Thursday night. He was honored as Transportation Leader of the Year, one of the elite awards presented at the annual Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) banquet in Boise. In accepting the award, Ness recognized the contributions of ITD’s 1,800 employees for helping to transform the department and generating support among elected officials and the public. While ITD has made remarkable strides in its drive to become the best transportation department in the country, the work is not finished, he emphasized.

“Every month I go in front of the Transportation Board and list (examples of national recognition for the department). I keep thinking ‘when are these going to run out?’ They haven’t run out yet. I think they’re going to keep coming …

“But you know, we’re not done yet. We have a long way to go.”

Director Ness also encouraged transportation professionals attending the banquet to begin focusing on ITD’s revenue needs and to reach out to policymakers and business partners to generate support.

One of ITD’s successes in 2012 was completion of the Sand Creek Byway in Sandpoint. The largest single project in ITD history was selected for the WTS Innovative Transportation Solutions award based on its level of public involvement, the complexity of design and construction, environmental sensitivity, and impact on the community.

WTS also presented awards to HDR Inc. for employer of the year; WTS Lifetime Achievement Award to Clair Bowman, city of Nampa; and Tracy Olsen of WHPacific as member of the year.

See a video clip of Director Ness's remarks.

Photos: Director Ness shares the WTS limelight with colleagues (left to right) Monica Crider, Sue Sullivan, Scott Stokes, Greg Laragan and Jeff Stratten (back row). Members of the Fools Squald, banquet emcees, joined Ness and his wife Jackie for a light moment after the banquet (right photo).