The Greater Boston Federal Executive Board (GBFEB) gave top honors to Volpe during its annual Excellence in Government Awards, held in May at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.  

Celebrated annually during National Public Service Recognition Week, the Excellence in Government Awards honor federal employees who go above and beyond the call of duty and have achieved extraordinary success.

Among Volpe’s distinctions was a nod to its leader, Director Robert Johns, who received the ceremony’s highest award: Distinguished Federal Executive of the Year. This award recognizes an official who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the principles of public service, exceptional performance, integrity, and devotion to duty. 

Johns was nominated by Volpe staff to acknowledge his leadership, which has dramatically improved employee satisfaction and has created a participatory organizational culture since his arrival in 2009.

As an organization, Volpe won the Chair’s Award for Leadership for developing exemplary telework and continuity programs, as well as for its interagency sharing.

This award is presented to an agency or individual that has consistently worked to advance the Chair’s platform and to support GBFEB’s mission of facilitating effective cooperation, coordination, and communication among federal agencies in the New England area.

In addition, GBFEB gave its Outstanding Creativity and Innovation Award to the Moving Volpe Forward team.

Moving Volpe Forward is a strategic planning effort designed and led by Volpe staff to improve the organization. This initiative’s planning team—which includes Andrew Breck, Susan Connors, Aaron Jette, Steven Popkin, and Rachel Winkeller—distinguished itself by developing a robust strategic planning process, including communications strategies and events for the Volpe community, to prioritize investments and ensure continued high-quality research.

“I am proud to be part of Volpe’s team of dedicated public servants who every day prove their commitment to advancing transportation innovation for the public good,” said Director Johns. “It is their dedication, their desire to share knowledge, and the practical application of their work that helped Volpe win these awards."