TTC Recognizes Employees for Customer Service, Safety, Leadership

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) CEO Andy Byford joined members of the TTC's Executive team at a ceremony to honour 46 TTC employees, recipients of the TTC's quarterly Rewards and Recognition awards.

The new Rewards and Recognition Program, which will present quarterly awards to both staff and unionized employees, aligns with the TTC's Five-Year Corporate Plan and the People Objective of creating an empowered, customer-focused workforce that values teamwork, pride in a job well done, and an organization that actively develops its employees.

At the end of the year, one employee will be recognized as the "TTC Employee of the Year" for outstanding achievement in one, or more, of the award categories.

This quarter's Rewards and Recognition recipients:

Customer Service Award Winners

• David Hoy, operator: Epitomizes customer service, creates a human experience for customers and proudly represents the TTC.
• Neil Hermes, operator: Impresses customers with his humour and drive to provide the best customer service possible.
• Christina Atkinson, operator: Diligent in ensuring safety, has great sense of humour and makes it a priority to keep customers informed about delays.
• Bill Couch, operator: Greets customers with enthusiasm, recognizes children as important customers and engages them with jokes and high fives.
• David Elrick, operator: Received more than 150 commendations from customers, announces every stop with humour.
• Lina Quaresma, operator: Provides exceptional service to elderly customers and customers with disabilities.
• Giuseppe Rizza, operator: Takes special attention to remember specific needs of customers on his route.
• Fedele Isabella, operator: Knows no other way" than to help others and be cheerful and compassionate.
• Lisa Mattocks, operator: Shows patience, caring and willingness to help others - she's a customer service superstar.
• Joe Mackie, subway janitor: Helped customers attain safe passage during Queen's Park flood in Feb. 2015 and received several commendations for being helpful in demanding situations.
• Roger Caramanico, customer service supervisor: Maintains focus during stressful circumstances to resolve customer concerns quickly and effectively.

Safety Award Winners

• Richard Ahern, construction safety officer: Developed a Constructor Safety Management plan. His leadership inspires teamwork and reduced accident and injury in his workplace.
• Ian Farguson and Kevin Radeska, cable and telephone technicians: Devised ice removal plan at Broadview station and acted quickly to organize a "Stop-and-Stay" to ensure safety of customers and equipment.
• Myra Tingey, engineering office assistant: Proudly fosters a culture of health and safety and petitions staff to identify hazards in the workplace.
• John Carberry, general millwright: Made recommendations to improve lifting procedures for 5F3 Trucks as well as procedures making Sefac inspections safer.
• Maria Holmes, safety advisor: Respected for her commitment to safety, fosters new methods to remove workplace hazards.
• John Heath, structure maintenance: Goes above and beyond his duties to make his work environment safe.
• John Taylor, overhead streetcar: Skillfully executed a plan of action for a live overhead wire that severed and crashed onto the roadway, avoiding injury to passengers, pedestrians, motorists and crew.
• Jim De Vries, operator: Promotes good work ethic and is a positive role model to his co-workers. He provided a refresher training on articulated buses for all operators.
• Francesco De Rosa, Ricardo Gonsalez Aguilar, Marc Ramsammy, Thomas Rotscholl, Gregory Shepherd, David Sutton, Alleyne Telemaque, Mario Trejos Torres, Andrew Tuck, Jose Valle Despaigne, Sean Colquhoun, Sal DiPietro, Kenrick Simon, Dino Garagozzo, John Iaboni, Stephen McGregor, Lou Narduzzo, Asbestos Abatement and Structure Maintenance, Subway Infrastructure: Created a mobile decontamination unit for asbestos removal. The plan led to increased productivity, improved employee morale and a safer decontamination process for staff and customers.

Leadership Award Winners

• Richard Brettell, engineering technologist: Strong communications skills and promotes learning among team. He takes ownership and has helped to improve service delay mitigation.
• Tim Baubie, manager: Promoted safe working commitment resulting in a 35 per cent reduction of preventable collisions in 2013-2014.
• Sidney Henderson, station supervisor: Ensures collectors and janitors feel included as part of the team. He is attentive, patient, caring and professional at all times.
• Gary Juhasz, route supervisor: Inspires commitment from teams. He demonstrates professionalism, ethics and integrity.
• Mathew Kerr, route supervisor: Preserves TTC's reputation of transparency and honesty. He demonstrates professionalism in dealing with distressed employees and customers.
• Michael Atlas, senior solicitor: Fully committed to the TTC and protecting its best interests. He is a team player who leads by example.
• Harrison, co-ordinator wayfinding and signage: Acted quickly and prevented a serious customer injury at track level.