Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) secretary Mike Carroll recognized 31 PennDOT employees for their outstanding performance with the Star of Excellence Award, PennDOT's highest recognition during a ceremony held in Harrisburg on Sept. 26.

Two employees from PennDOT's District 8, which represents Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties, plus nine employees from PennDOT's Central Office in Harrisburg, were among the honorees.

A local award recipient was Michael Ferguson of Mountville, who was honored by Carroll and other department executives during an event held at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

Ferguson, transportation construction manager 2, was honored for leading by example. He is described as "ethical professional, dedicated, safety-minded, patient and helpful, promoting teamwork and inclusion." Ferguson has embraced technology, resulting in high quality work and efficiently managed construction projects.

As part of his responsibilities in the district, he tests construction apps for inspections and piloted the use of those apps on multiple projects, also providing feedback to app designers based on practical use and real-world construction experience.

Ferguson has been a committee member for the Project Development Workshop, which provides training to design and construction managers on topics that impact the project delivery process. In addition to that, he is preparing a formal mentoring and training program for new inspectors which District 8 hopes to roll out soon.