“His commitment to safety has set the bar high,” Jay Ruegner, regional sales manager of Wanco Inc., Arvida, Colo., said in nominating him. “He is a great ambassador for UDOT and his influence has national reach. He has always been a forward thinker trying to improve what can be improved to make the roads safer.”

The American Traffic Safety Services Association recently announced the winners of the Industry Achievement Award, the Mark of Excellence Award and the National Safety Award.

The awards were given as part of the 51st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, held online from Feb. 8 to 12; and Feb. 16 to 18.

National Safety Award:

John Leonard, Traffic Management Division Operations Engineer, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)

This award recognizes an employee or recent retiree of a government agency who made a significant contribution to the safety of the nation's highways.

"John Leonard has been in the traffic industry for three decades, is always willing to share his knowledge with others and has been involved with national committees and conventions, including serving in a leadership role with the Temporary Traffic Control Subcommittee for the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD)," Jay Ruegner, regional sales manager of Wanco Inc. (Arvida, Colo.), said in nominating him.

He noted that Leonard also has been working on a wrong way driving initiative in Utah, incident management efforts and is a proponent of driver awareness about vehicle handling for all situations.

"If the motorist understands what they need to do in any driving situation, it reduces driver stress and helps them make better decisions and that saves lives," Ruegner said. "Google John's name and you will see dozens of articles where he is quoted discussing local traffic issues …. You don't need to look long before you realize the impact he has had on the drivers of Utah and the influence he has had nationally.

"His commitment to safety has set the bar high," Ruegner added. "He is a great ambassador for UDOT and his influence has national reach. He has always been a forward thinker trying to improve what can be improved to make the roads safer."

Paul Carlson, chief technology officer of Road Infrastructure Inc., received the Industry Achievement Award, while David Kuniega, chief chemist of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), received the Mark of Excellence Award.

For more information about ATSSA's 51st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, visit Expo.ATSSA.com.

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