Williams Lake’s manager of municipal services Gary Muraca is the recipient of the 2017 Manager of the Year Award from the Public Works Association of B.C.
Greg Wightman, PWABC president elect, said each year the association receives multiple nominations for the awards and this year Muraca’s nomination stood out among all the others.
“It was unique in that it was made by a team,” he told city council during its regular meeting Tuesday where he presented the award. “It was somebody Gary works for, somebody Gary works with and somebody that works for Gary.”
The team’s nomination cited Muraca’s skills of empowering staff, promoting succession planning, maintaining a level of respect for public works in the community, which Wightman said can be a challenge, and finding team work at times when most needed.
“All these things culminated in what we felt was definitely deserving of a recipient for the award,” he added.
Receiving the award was a great honour, Muraca responded.
“I could have never imagined that I’d be in a position like this — being recognized by my peers, supported by my employer as well as my co-manager, and most importantly nominated by my employees. I don’t think it gets any better than that.”
