2004 Award Committee Selections

The NEITE Awards Committee selected the following recipients for the 2004 NEITE awards:

• Arthur W. Gruhn, P.E. Chief Engineer of CONNDOT: Transportation Leadership Award
• William R.Bent, P.E. Massachusetts State Traffic Engineer: Transportation Engineer of the Year Award
• Diane W. Morabito, P.E. P.T.O.E of Casey and Godfrey: Distinguished Service Award
• Michael W. Wasielewski of HDR: Young Professional Group Award

These awards were presented at the New England Section's annual meeting in Warwick, Rhode Island on December 6, 2004 by the NEITE President, Kevin G. Hooper, P.E., with the exception of the The Transportation Leadership Award, which will be presented at the spring Section meeting in Connecticut. The introductions and plaque texts of the 2004 Awards are presented below.

Arthur W. Gruhn, P.E.

Chief Engineer
Connecticut Department of Transportation

Arthur Gruhn earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of New Haven. He has pursued continuing education courses in Project Management, Construction Management, Construction Law, Construction Contract Claims Analysis and Defense, OSHA Safety, and Construction of Asphalt Pavement. Mr. Gruhn is a registered Professional Engineer in Connecticut and Vermont.

Arthur Gruhn has served as Transportation Chief Engineer and Bureau Chief, Bureau of Engineering and Highway Operations for the Connecticut Department of Transportation since February 2002. Prior service as ConnDOT Construction Administrator involved organizing, directing and implementing the construction program for the Department of Transportation including highway, bridge, incident management, rail, marine, airport, and facility projects. This work has included establishing goals and policies for the Office of Construction; program development and implementation; construction contract administration; administering construction claims management programs; developing quality assurance programs; assisting in the development and implementation of departmental policies; representing the Department in public hearings, legislative hearings, national committees; staff development and training; office and Departmental organizational activities; overseeing the Department's research and material testing activities; Departmental budgeting activities; and personnel management; During this period the Department underwent a major downsizing and reorganization while maintaining an aggressive $600 million to $800 million-construction program.

As Transportation Construction Division Chief, Mr. Gruhn directed the staff and operations of the Department's Office of Construction. He coordinated and managed the activities of the unit; formulated goals and procedures for the construction engineering and inspection program of the Department; interpreted and administered contract specifications and pertinent laws. Mr Gruhn directed the development and implementation of construction plan revisions; directed, coordinated and controlled development of computerized record keeping and management system; organized training programs for staff; directed preparation of claims analysis and recommended claims resolution and settlements; and directed implementation of DBE programs. Projects included major expressway expansions, major river crossings including a precast segmental concrete bridge, pavement and bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Mr. Gruhn has also served as a ConnDOT Transportation District Engineer. During this period, was responsible for more than 50 concurrent construction and rehabilitation projects with a value in excess of $300 million. For eleven years prior to joining ConnDOT Arthur Gruhn worked as a director of a construction department, construction manager, and resident engineer in the private sector.

TRANSPORTATION LEADERSHIP AWARD
2004
Presented To

Arthur W. Gruhn, P.E.

For

His Vision and Leadership in
Responding to a Catastrophic bridge Accident and
Effecting Emergency repairs to maintain the
Integrity of Connecticut's transportation System

Wiliam R. Bent, P.E.

State Traffic Engineer
Massachusetts Highway Department

William Robert Bent, P.E. has over 30 years experience in the transportation field. His present position is the State Traffic Engineer for the Massachusetts Highway Department where he has worked for over ten years. Bill previously has had management responsibility for the Traffic Operations and Safety Unit and most recently for the Traffic Signals Unit. Prior to joining Masshighway, Bill served as the Chief Transportation Engineer within the Central Transportation Planning Staff. Bill has worked for the private consultants and for planning agencies in the State of Maine. This yearÕs efforts regarding the Democratic National Convention may have been BillÕs greatest challenge. It started in early January when the Chief Engineer called Bill and asked that he put together some rough numbers regarding truck traffic if Interstate 93 were to be shutdown during the DNC. From that point there were meetings with the State Police, City of Boston, Mass Turnpike, DCR, and most importantly the United States Secret Service.

Masshighway and Bill in particular spearhead the traffic management effort. Bill worked hard to convince everyone concerned that this would be a no-win situation without a significant reduction in traffic. This Traffic Management Plan also required Bill to call on various civic groups, local politicians, police and fire officials and State Legislature to educate the public about the response plan that was developed. The end result of the countless hours of planning, extensive media campaigning and several high Ðlevel meetings / briefings with Governor Romney and the Cabinet Secretaries was an incident-free week for travel in and out of Boston.

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
2004
Presented To
William R. Bent, P.E.

For
Spearheading the Planning and Implementation
Of the Traffic Management Plan for the
2004 Democratic national Convention

Diane W. Morabito, P.E. , P.T.O.E.

Principal
Casey & Godfrey Engineering

Diane W. Morabito is a registered Professional Engineer in Maine and New Hampshire and a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer. Diane earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Civil Engineering at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Mrs. Morabito is a partner and co founder of Casey & Godfrey Engineers in Gardiner, Maine. Prior to the establishment of the firm in 1986, Mrs. Morabito worked for the Maine Department of Transportation. Diane's responsibilities include the technical and administrative management of the firm's transportation planning projects including traffic impact and corridor analysis, parking and pavement management studies.

Diane is a longstanding member of ITE who is active in the Maine Chapter and the New England Section. Diane has served the full complement of NEITE officer positions and continues to be active. She was president of the Section in 2002. Diane was co-chair of the ITE District One Annual Meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Currently Diane chairs the New England Section's By-Laws committee.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
2004
Presented To

Diane W. Morabito, P.E., P.T.O.E.

For Many Years Of Outstanding
Service to the Transpotrtation and
Traffic Engineering Profession
Resulting In a Lasting Contribution
To the Section and the profession

Michael W. Wasielewski, E.I.T.

Engineer
HDR Engineering, Inc

Michael W. Wasielewski, E.I.T. is a graduate of the University ofMassachusetts at Amherst where he earned his Bachelor and Master degrees in Civil Engineering in 2000. He is employed by HDR in Boston and has been working on civil/traffic projects for New England and New York state agencies. Mr. Wasielewski has been involved over the past few years with many computer-programming projects.

Mike has been active in ITE from the beginning of his career, starting as a student chapter member at UMASS, and eventually acting as president. He is a member of the New England Section Technical Committee, and is Chair of the Young Professionals Group. As a member he has been a consistent contributor. He has revived the Young Professional Group as it has begun to reschedule activities again. These include:

• cosponsored technical tour of the Central Artery/ Tunnel Traffic Operations Center
• sponsored technical session at the Connecticut Chapter meeting
• sponsored a roundtable discussion at the District 1 meeting in Burlington, Vermont
• submitted articles for two issues of the Chronicle

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GROUP AWARD
2004
Presented To

Michael W. Wasielewski

For
Outsatnding Contributions to
the New England Section as an
Emerging Transportation Professional