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ANAHEIM PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR NATALIE MEEKS NAMED APWA 2015 TOP TEN PUBLIC WORKS LEADER
ANAHEIM, Calif. (May 19, 2015) Anaheim Public Works Director Natalie Meeks was recently named as a 2015 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year by the American Public Works Association, and at tonight’s City Council meeting was presented with her award by APWA Board Director for Region VIII, Ron Calkins, P.E.,
The APWA Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year program honors excellence and dedication in public service by recognizing career service achievements of individual public works professionals and officials, from both the public and private sectors. As one of the most prestigious awards presented by the association, the Top Ten Public Works Leader award is given to honor the public works professional’s career, in which he or she demonstrated excellence in public works, services and infrastructure in his or her community through advancement of public works services and technology.
As the Public Works Director for the City of Anaheim, Meeks directs and oversees the operations of the department and its six divisions that provide a broad scope of municipal services, including engineering, design and development services, transit planning, contract administration and inspection, streets and sanitation operations, and fleet and facility maintenance. She provides administrative support to the City Manager and City Council, and communicates directly with City Council regarding transportation initiatives and infrastructure investment. She also provides support to City Council members for their participation in regional boards and commissions.
Meeks has accomplished many significant projects in Anaheim, including the LEED Platinum-designed Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), transformation of the Anaheim Resort District, the Anaheim Convention Center Grand Plaza, and has advanced a proposal to construct a streetcar connecting Anaheim’s destination centers. The innovative and progressive planning and design of these projects provide a foundation for Anaheim’s world-class destinations.
Meeks is also a strong supporter of APWA’s efforts to share information, educate and mentor on the local and national levels. She has also been an instructor with the APWA Southern California Chapter’s Public Works Institute, and was instrumental in bringing the 2012 APWA International Public Works Congress & Exposition to Anaheim. She also ensured that the team of dedicated committee members and hundreds of event volunteers succeeded. Her efforts helped to raise more than $250,000 in event funding and engaged more than 400 volunteers for APWA’s annual conference.
Each national Top Ten Public Works Leader will be honored during the Awards Ceremony of the APWA 2015 International Public Works Congress & Exposition taking place in Phoenix, Arizona August 30 – September 2 at the Phoenix Convention Center.
For more information on APWA’s 2015 Top Ten Public Works Leaders, visit APWA National Awards Program web page at www.apwa.net/awards.
For more information on the City of Anaheim, please visit www.anaheim.net.
ABOUT APWA – The American Public Works Association (www.apwa.net) is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 28,500 members involved in the field of public works. APWA serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, MO, has an office in Washington, D.C. and 63 chapters in North America.
ABOUT ANAHEIM –The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation’s premier municipalities and is one of California’s most populous cities. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 348,000 residents and more than 2,900 City employees. The municipal corporation’s annual budget is $1.6 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as: Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc.; L-3 Communications; Pacific Sunwear; and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including: Angels Baseball; Anaheim Ducks; the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team, and the 2012 Olympic Games Silver Medal winning U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with: The Anaheim Convention Center, LEED-certified and the largest on the west coast; Honda Center; City National Grove of Anaheim; Anaheim GardenWalk; Angel Stadium of Anaheim; and ARTIC (Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center). In addition, Anaheim embraces its vibrant cultural arts community, including the world-renowned Anaheim Ballet. Annually, Anaheim welcomes more than 20 million visitors to the City, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net.