Bureau Chief of Operations Amy Eller was awarded the Secretary’s Pin for exceptional work during a national pandemic during a small ceremony in January. The event was held outside the offices of Acting Secretary Omer Osman.
“The work Amy and her team did saved lives. They are heroes. This pin isn’t just for her, but it’s for all of her team and the highway maintainers in all of our districts,” Osman said. “The best part of my job is getting to recognize people for their good work. While last year was not easy, these people really made us shine.”
Operations was deemed to be a critical function and an essential activity. Staff throughout the agency, from traffic engineers and dispatch workers to highway maintainers, continued to report to their workplaces throughout 2020. To do their jobs safely, employees had to learn new ways of completing their work to maintain the appropriate distance from each other, keep facilities as clean as possible and slow the spread of the virus.
Where outbreaks occurred, even more adjustments were made to keep infrastructure in safe and good condition. Operations staff kept rest areas open and disinfected. They also planned and coordinated food drives for truckers at weigh stations.
Osman said he is especially proud of the work Eller and her team did in delivering PPE throughout the state to health care facilities, testing sites, local emergency management agencies, veterans homes, hospitals, regional healthcare coalitions, long-term care sites and other state agencies. Operations helped deliver nearly 3,000 packages and pallets of PPE between March and July 2020.
