Sharon Banks Award for Humanitarian Leadership in Transportation
The Award is intended to recognize individuals whose accomplishments exemplify Sharon’s caring nature and depth of character by making a significant difference in the lives of those who use, deliver, or support transportation services. Sharon Banks led by example, and this award is intended to honor others who typify her ideals of humanity and service. The award is designed recognize individuals from the broad spectrum of the transportation community, including all transportation modes, government, industry, and academia. This award goes beyond general managerial excellence.
Established in 2002, the award honors Sharon D. Banks. She was the General Manager of AC Transit, Oakland, California, from 1991 to 1999 and served as Chair of the TRB Executive Committee in 1998. She was nationally known for her personal integrity, for nurturing and mentoring young transportation professionals, and for bringing together people of diverse backgrounds and commitments in the pursuit of organizational excellence. She insisted that transportation agencies treat their customers and their employees with utmost respect.
Who Can Nominate
Anyone in the transportation research or research implementation fields
Nomination Process
Nominations may be submitted beginning in June and must be submitted no later than July 31 every odd year to the TRB Executive Director in the form of a letter summarizing how the candidate’s innovative and successful leadership in people-oriented initiatives has made a difference in the lives of those who use, deliver, or support transportation services. The letter of nomination may be signed by any number of nominators; submission of separate, additional letters of support is strongly discouraged. The letter of nomination should be no longer than three pages and should be accompanied by the candidate’s resume or bio.
The award recipient will be an individual who exemplifies Sharon Banks’ ideals and who has a documented record of innovative and successful leadership in areas such as the education, training, and mentoring of transportation professionals; community-sensitive transportation facilities and services; and other people-oriented initiatives that bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds in the pursuit of excellence.
The award recipient will be notified in October and a formal announcement is released later in the Fall. The award is dated for the year it is presented and it is awarded biannually in even numbered years. It is presented during the Chair’s Plenary Session at the TRB Annual Meeting.
Selection Committee
Selection Committee is appointed by the Chair of the TRB Executive Committee. It may include some past award recipients and others necessary to reflect the multimodal nature of the award.
Award recipients: