New England APWA Member of the Year Award

June 24, 2015

A Dedication to Excellence in Public Works – BETA Vice President, Anthony Garro, Receives New England APWA Member of the Year Award

New England APWA Member of the Year AwardLincoln, Rhode Island – The New England Chapter of the American Public Works Association (NEAPWA) supports the people, agencies, and organizations that plan, build, maintain, and improve our communities. Each year, the NEAPWA honors a member who has greatly contributed their time and effort to benefit the Chapter and public works profession. The John Kiley Member of the Year Award is given to an individual who has gone out of their way to serve their fellow members and the public works profession.  We are proud to announce that of the Chapter’s 1,000 members, BETA Vice President Anthony Garro (Tony) was selected as the 2015 award recipient.

Tony started working at BETA in 1989 and has worked diligently over the past 26 years to develop and expand BETA’s asset management group. Now serving as Vice President, he specializes in the fields of GIS, Asset Management, and Transportation Planning.  Tony has a passion for working with New England communities to manage and protect their assets in preparation for the future.

Tony was encouraged to participate in APWA by his mentor and NE Chapter Past President, Jim Coppola, and has now been involved for over 12 years.  Tony officially became a member in 2008 when he attended his first APWA Congress and has been actively involved ever since, taking advantage of the many benefits the Chapter has to offer. He currently serves on the executive board and has taken a committed role on several NEAPWA sub-committees including the Membership Committee, Chapter Newsletter Committee and Public Works Awareness Committee.  Working with the Awards Committee, he has also been responsible for compiling the PACE award for the past 5 years.

Rich Benevento, President of WorldTech Engineering, Awards Committee Chairman and Chapter Past President, stated that “John Kiley, whom the award is named after, always reminded us that it only takes a little bit more to be better. Tony Garro has helped make the New England Chapter strong and successful. He is dedicated and hardworking. He doesn’t look for fanfare but has a genuine passion for helping make the Chapter great.”

Perhaps the most important role Tony plays in the NEAPWA is that of an advocate to young professionals in the industry, mirroring the mentorship that he was fortunate to receive early in his career.  He has encouraged many young coworkers and colleagues to get involved with NEAPWA for the same support and networking opportunities that he has received throughout the years.

NEAPWA Young Professional Frank Marinaccio works as the Assistant City Engineer for the City of Newport, Rhode Island.  Having worked closely with Tony, he was happy to hear of his award.  “I met Tony at the very start of my career and he has truly come to be a model inspiration of the principles and ethics that this profession stands for. Tony is more than deserving of this award due to his intrinsic dedication to his profession, colleagues, and family.”

Tony will represent BETA and the NEAPWA at the American Public Works Association’s National Conference, being held in Phoenix, Arizona this summer, where the Chapter will receive three National Awards.