Employee of the Year winners Andy Flores, left, Angela Bonfiglio Allen, right, and VCPWA Director Jeff Pratt. Courtesy photo.
County agency announces 2013 winners at official Public Works Week resolution
VENTURA COUNTY – Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) awarded two veteran personnel with “Employee of the Year” accolades at the Public Works Week resolution on Tuesday, May 21, the agency reported Thursday in a media release.
Angela Bonfiglio Allen, an environmental planner who works with the Watershed Protection District, and Andy Flores, a Water Service Worker IV with the Water & Sanitation Department, were honored as the two Employees of the Year among five other nominees also in the running from all five Public Works divisions.
“It came as a complete surprise to be nominated for Employee of the Year. I never thought I would be recognized out of all of the other great workers,” Flores, a six-year employee of the county agency, stated in the release. “It’s a great feeling to know my hard work has been appreciated by my colleagues and director.”
Upon receiving the honor, Bonfiglio Allen, who has worked with VCPWA for eight years, expressed her gratitude to be able to work for an institution that makes a positive impact on the lives of her fellow citizens.
“Public works is what allows us to progress as a society by laying down the basic groundwork so the community can focus on other things in life,” Bonfiglio Allen said. “Without the services public works has to offer, we probably wouldn’t accomplish as much as a society.”
Nominees for the annual award were chose by peers who had to select an office employee and a field crew worker in their respective departments. Department directors were then tasked with choosing the top office employee and field crew worker. Bonfiglio Allen and Flores’ fellow nominees included: Pam Landrio (Central Services), Dan Walsh (Engineering Services), Howard De Leon (Transportation), Mike Zaffina (Transportation) and Deanna Keller (Water & Sanitation).
“It is important that we honor this group as a whole because public works is the core foundation of our County,” said Peter Foy, chairman of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. “They are truly the unsung heroes of the community, as they are always standing by to make sure all of the services needed for our society work efficiently.”
VCPWA is distributed among five divisions: Central Services, Engineering, Transportation, Water and Sanitation, as well as Watershed Protection.
“We appreciate the time our Board of Supervisors and the community has taken to recognize the ubiquitous and vital role public works has in our society,” said Jeff Pratt, VCPWA director. “It is because of our highly skilled employees, such as Andy and Angela, who work tirelessly to provide the best services possible, that we are able to excel as a team.”