Ray L. Lappegaard Distinguished Service Award

Each year the Ray L. Lappegaard Distinguished Service Award is presented to a transportation professional who displays outstanding leadership, mentorship and support to the profession. The award is named in honor of Ray L. Lappegaard, chair of the CTS Executive Committee from its creation in 1989 until his death in April 1993. Lappegaard held numerous high-level positions in state government and the private sector, and was a mentor to many in the transportation field.

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2013 Recipient

Julie Skallman is director of the State Aid Division at the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Skallman provides statewide leadership and managerial direction in the development and implementation of the Minnesota secondary highway system. She also chairs the steering committee of the Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Program and is a member of the U of M Department of Civil Engineering advisory board. She has worked for MnDOT for more than 35 years in various positions.

"It is wonderful to be recognized for doing the things you think are the most fun in your world," Skallman said. Her work with the Department of Civil Engineering's advisory board gives her an opportunity to interact with professionals and students. "It reminds you that our profession will be in really good hands even after we retire," she said. She also noted a recent meeting with a student mentee who had just gotten a job. "That's the kind of thing you couldn't buy."

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Past Recipients

2012

Charles Zelle, President and CEO, Jefferson Lines; Chair, Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Co-Chair, Transportation Task Force of the Itasca Project

2011

Ann Johnson, faculty director of the Construction Management degree program and outreach coordinator, Department of Civil Engineering

2010

Ferroll Robinson, Part-time Fellow, Humphrey School of Public Affairs

2009

Doug Weiszhaar, Vice President for special projects at WSB & Associates

2008

Connie Kozlak, Systems Planning and Programming Manager, Metropolitan Council

2007

Donna Allen, Director, MnDOT Office of Transit

2006

Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director, Metropolitan Airports Commission

2005

Michael Sheehan, County Engineer, Olmsted County

2004

Natalio Diaz, Director, Metropolitan Transportation Services

2003

Peter Fausch, Principal engineer, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.

2002

Richard Hansen, Public works director/highway engineer, St. Louis County’s Public Works Department

2001

Gene Ofstead, Assistant commissioner, MnDOT (retired)

2000

Darryl Durgin, Former deputy commissioner, MnDOT

1999

Douglas Differt, Vice president/director of transportation engineering, BRW, Inc.

1998

Charleen Zimmer, President, Zan Associates

1997

Chuck Siggerud, Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc.

1996

Ernest Olson

1995

Robert J. McDonald

1994

Jim Newland, CTS Interim Advising Committee

1993

William Smith, CTS committee member