Community Transit

Awards Honor Committed Commuters, Businesses

 

Community Transit today announced the winners of the 16th annual Smart Commuter Awards. These awards honor individuals and businesses in Snohomish County and Bothell that represent, through their actions and incentives to employees, the goals of the state’s Commute Trip Reduction law.

Community Transit works with businesses that have 100 or more employees to develop alternatives to driving alone. These Commute Trip Reduction efforts are funded by the state, Snohomish County and nine local cities.

The awards are selected by a group of Employee Transportation Coordinators representating various participating companies who volunteer on a Peer Advisory Board. The awards were presented by Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor and Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Director Bob Drewel.

 

 

Smart Commuter of the Year, Astrella Norell, Brooks Sports

 

As an Apparel & Product Developer for Brooks Sports in Bothell, Astrella Norell’s schedulekeeps her running. She commutes by bus but also adds a water taxi ride on some days to volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium. A former solo driver, Norell has done more than change her commute; she decided 4 years ago to live without a car. She lives in an urban village where there are many services available to her and uses the money she saves on gas, insurance and car loans to travel. Now that’s being smart.

Pictured: Astrella Norell with Joyce Eleanor, CEO of Community Transit. 

Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC) of the Year, David Kemp, Brooks Sports

 

David Kemp recognized the importance of providing incentives for employees participating in trip reduction activities, which is why he launched the Commute Happy campaign at Brooks Sports in Bothell. The Commute Happy campaign uses the RideshareOnline.com system to track employees’ shared trips and overall progress. In the three months prior to the launch of the campaign, Brooks’ employees logged a total of 80 trips and reduced 2,145 lbs. of CO2. After the campaign launched, the total shared trips logged by Brooks’ employees jumped to 4,900 and reduced more than 41,000 lbs. of CO2.

Pictured: David Kemp with Bob Drewel, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council

Employer of the Year, Crane Aerospace & Electronics

Crane Aerospace is located off of the 164th Street corridor in unincorporated Snohomish County and utilizes the Curb the Congestion program that encourages drivers along 164th to use commute alternatives. Crane’s management strongly supported the work of their Employee Transportation Coordinator in promoting Curb the Congestion, which resulted in 2,117 employee trips taken off of 164th Street in 2012.

This award is given to a CTR-affected business in Snohomish County or Bothell for its outstanding efforts in reducing employee commute trips.

Pictured: Crane Aerospace & Electronics with Bob Drewel, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council

Past Smart Commuter Award Winners

2011

Smart Commuter of the Year: Steve McAdams, Bayer Healthcare

Employer of the Year: Puget Sound Energy, Bothell

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Cyndi Gyselinck, AT&T

Read more about the 2011 winners.

2010

Smart Commuter of the Year: Arnie Berger, University of Washington Bothell

Smart Commuter of the Year Non-CTR: Nick and Marian Arment

Employer of the Year: Esterline Control Systems' Korry Electronics

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Simone Leblon, Bayer HealthCare

Read more about the 2010 winners.

2009

Smart Commuter of the Year: LeeAnn McMillen, AT&T

Smart Commuter of the Year: Carrie Merkley, ADP

Smart Commuter of the Year Non-CTR: Marjorie Blaine

Employer of the Year: Cypress Semiconductor

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Sara Poirot, Trade Products & Specialty Manufacturing

Read more about the 2009 winners.
 

2008

Smart Commuter of the Year: Deborah Conley-Staerk, UWB

Smart Commuter of the Year Non-CTR: Sione Phillips

Employer of the Year: Fiserv Health

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Sabrina Combs, City of Bothell

Read more about the 2008 winners.

 

2007

Smart Commuter of the Year: Steve Moody, Philips Healthcare

Smart Commuter of the Year Non-CTR: Coco Counts

Employer of the Year: Amgen

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: KC McNeil, Romac Industries

Read more about the 2007 winners.

 

2006

Smart Commuter of the Year: Dave Michel, Stevens Hospital

Smart Commuter of the Year Non-CTR: Justin Thompson

Employer of the Year: Comcast Cable Everett

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Kathy James, State Farm

Read more about the 2006 winners.

 

2005

Smart Commuter of the Year: Eldec Vanpool (Larry Monson, Linda Monzel, Joyce Stearns, Colleen Durham, Debra Byrd, Marlene Douglas, James Cundy, Cathy Dishman and Mike McClellan)

Smart Commuter of the Year Non-CTR: John Carl Smith and Lynden Kimbrough

Employer of the Year: Monroe Correctional Complex

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Grace Giorgio, NW Composites

Read more about the 2005 winners.

 

2004

Smart Commuter of the Year: Carol Davis and Stan Kosick, City of Bothell

Employer of the Year: Stevens Healthcare

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Ron Gihlstrom, Matsushita Avionics

Read more about the 2004 winners.

 

2003

Smart Commuter of the Year: Matt Kozleski, Tetra Tech FW

Employer of the Year: Tetra Tech FW

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Christine Abbey, Goodrich Aviation Technology Services

 

2002

Smart Commuter of the Year: Radford Hembree, Goodrich Aviation Technology Services

Employer of the Year: Premera Blue Cross

Employee Transportation Coordinator of the Year: Chris Stein, AT&T Broadband