Annual Awards – Outstanding Leadership

Winners include:

2016 – 6th Annual Transit Event Award Winner

• Outstanding Graduate – Tom Tobiassen, Graduate of the Spring 2007 Academy and Chairman of the RTD Board of Directors

RTD Director Tom Tobiassen is a graduate of the 2007 inaugural Citizens’ Academy. On his application to the Academy, Tom listed ‘consensus building’ and ‘a positive can-do attitude’ under his skills and strengths. At that time, he was already a champion for his community, serving on the Aurora Planning Commission and water advisory board, and founding Bicycle Aurora.

Director Tobiassen began his term on the elected RTD Board of Directors in 2008, when the future of FasTracks was uncertain. During his term, Tom helped ensure that progress could be made on the FasTracks corridors. His vision and action helped to broker the Eagle public-private partnership that allow portions of FasTracks to get back on track. As the current chairman of the Board, he has already overseen the opening of three new transit lines, with two more opening by the end of this year.

It is a testament to his character that Tom considers one of his greatest accomplishments on the Board to be putting people back to work on the FasTracks build-out during the recession. His strong sense of regionalism, patient leadership, and that positive can-do attitude have helped to make this region one of the best in the nation for public transit. We are honored to name Tom Tobiassen as the 2016 Outstanding Graduate of the Citizens’ Academy.

 

2015 – 5th Annual Transit Event Award Winners

• Carla Madison Award  for outstanding leadership by an Individual – Diane Barrett, City & County of Denver
• Outstanding Leadership by an Organization – Mile High Connects
• Outstanding Graduate – Gosia Kung, Graduate of the Spring 2010 Academy and Founder of WalkDenver

2014 – 4th Annual Transit Event Award Winners

• Carla Madison Award  for outstanding leadership by an Individual – Mayor Jim Gunning, City of Lone Tree
• Outstanding Leadership by an Organization – Urban Land Conservancy
• Outstanding Graduate – State Senator Rachel Zenzinger, Graduate of the Fall 2008 Academy

2013 – 3rd Annual Transit Event Award Winners

• The Peoria Crossing Project (Denver, Aurora, DRCOG and RTD)
• Denver Transit Partners
• Chris Waggett, D4 Urban, Graduate of the Fall 2011 Citizens’ Academy

2012 – 2nd Annual Transit Event Award Winners

• The RTD Board of Directors
• Kiewit Colorado
• Claudia Folska, RTD Board Director, Graduate of the Fall 2010 Citizens’ Academy

2011 – 1st Annual Transit Event  Award Winners

• Mayor Bob Murphy, City of Lakewood and Chair of the Metro Mayors Caucus
• Buz Koelbel, Koelbel & Company, & George Thorn, Mile High Development for the Evan Station Development
• Bill Spriggs, BackFence Newsletter, Graduate of the Spring 2009 Citizens’ Academy