Rewards and Recognition Fall 2023

Customer Service Award Winners

Jackson Mylvaganam, Collector – Stations
​During a service disruption, Jackson took charge and informed customers about why there was a disruption and shared alternate ways to get to their destination. Jackson went above and beyond to help customers as he directed them to the correct shuttle buses, which led to decreased stress and a seamless flow of customers.

Denise Stogianou, Operator – Bus Transportation
​Denise takes the time to listen to her passengers while also recognizing the different ways she can improve services. Denise serves as a clear role model for customer service initiatives and consistently advocates for improvements that enhance customer satisfaction and experience.

Safety Award Winners

Anthony Braico, Truck Driver/Utility Painter – Plant Maintenance
​On July 27, 2023, Anthony was pulling into the Dundas West Station when he witnessed a young passenger bleeding uncontrollably after getting randomly attacked and stabbed in the arm. Anthony acted quickly as he abruptly stopped his work vehicle and went to retrieve his first aid kit to treat the victim.

Steve Kirou, Operator – Bus Transportation
​As an Operator, Steve is trained to observe and report safety incidents. While operating his bus, he noticed a three-year-old running onto a high-traffic road. Steve followed procedures and safely secured his bus, exited and ran onto the street to save the three-year-old from harm’s way.

Neil Moorhead, Leadhand Coach Technician – Bus Maintenance and Shops
​In accordance with heightened safety awareness on bus hoisting procedures, Neil went beyond his regular duties and made it a habit to check every bus in a repair bay to ensure that they are properly set up and lowered at the end of every shift. Neil also went out of his way to instruct newer employees on safe hoist practices, demonstrating leadership in health and safety.

Shane Tetlock, Operator – Subway Transportation
​On December 8, 2022, Shane was on the train at High Park Station when tragically a passenger was fatally stabbed. Shane stayed by the victim’s side and provided pressure to the stab wound while comforting the passenger and reassuring them that help was on the way. He also provided kind and caring words in an attempt to keep the passenger in high spirits. Unfortunately, the passenger did not survive this altercation and passed away due to the wounds.

Innovation and Sustainability Award Winners

John Engeldinger, Engineering Technologist – Streetcar Maintenance
​John is always eager and available to assist in issues that arrive with hard-to-find parts, tooling and special items that are required to be fabricated to help get vehicles back on the road and into revenue service. With regards to our aging bus fleet, John is always there to lend a hand to and look out for used parts off decommissioned units that will be able to be reused to lower costs and wait times on hard-to-get parts that are sometimes obsolete.

Christina Whitfield, Design and Wayfinding Assistant Manager – Marketing and Customer Experience
​Christina consistently takes on a multitude of different graphic design projects and always completes them with excellence. She never turns down a request to help someone at the TTC by using her skills to help those around her and the TTC’s goals. Her work is modernizing the TTC’s operating practices in the Marketing and Customer Experience Department and allows the Graphic Design Section to more effectively complete materials for the entire TTC.

Leadership Award Winners

Kyle Dignam, Operations Supervisor – Streetcar Transportation
​Kyle is always willing to provide answers and make himself available for anyone that needs help. He is the go-to person for most Supervisors in Streetcar Operations. He is often the first person to speak up about ideas and provide input on how to make the team and the work that is done better. Kyle is always a positive example for his team. He answers any questions that come his way, he seeks input from others on plans and ideas, and he works well with both management and Operators.

Nancy DiPirro, Inventory Management Manager – Materials Management
​Nancy is a great asset to the Materials Management Department. She empowers her team and other staff members to confidently complete tasks with knowledge and tools she openly shares. She is always willing to provide any necessary information, data and training for her team to succeed. In her area of work, Nancy sometimes deals with a vast array of difficult customers, but she is always willing to listen and offer solutions that are fair and follow TTC policy and procedures. She completes her work professionally while also being empathetic and ensuring customers are happy.

Mark Fellin, Information Management Project Lead – Legal
​In the Legal Department, Mark has produced observable results, successful project completions, increased effectiveness, cost savings, and higher levels of client satisfaction. The dynamics of his team are significantly impacted by his efforts to establish relationships and promote collaboration. He makes sure to include others in his decision-making process by speaking openly, applying problem-solving skills and including team members in decision-making processes.

Sydney Somerville, Instructor – Operations Training Centre
​Sydney pioneered inclusive outreach programs for students that require education on TTC systems and services to help them learn about accessing the TTC in a safe environment where they can experience practicing boarding, paying and riding on the system. This encourages them to be more independent and helps them grow past any barriers they might face. She is able to use her position as an Instructor to mentor and support others while promoting the TTC during these outreach sessions. She educates the youth on ongoing campaigns and efforts that benefit our customers.

Hayley Waldman, Senior Communications Specialist – Corporate Communications
​Hayley is a calm and organized presence when the Corporate Communications Department manages high-pressure situations. At these times, she often takes on a leadership role above and beyond her regular duties. For example, she was invaluable to internal communications efforts during the cybersecurity incident, and helped roll out the patch clinics. She has also attended several employee visits with CEO Rick Leary across the organization and has provided valuable feedback to the CEO and the Executive Team.

Teamwork Award Winners

Teamwork Award Winners 1

Andrew Meringolo, Storeperson – Materials Management
​Daniel Meringolo, Aftermarket Warranty Supervisor – Materials Management
​Benito Molignano, Storeperson – Materials Management
​The Materials Management team accepted the important role of supplying PPE to the entire TTC throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They created specialized procedures and templates to educate staff across the Commission. Team members attended frequent meetings that were above their normal work duties to ensure timeliness and inventory were scheduled and ordered correctly.

Teamwork Award Winners 2

Katelyn Alfieri, Business and Systems Co-ordinator – Transit Control
​Steven Gehring, Closures and Diversions Manager – Transit Control
​Muhammad Jawad Hameed, Senior Advisor, Business Continuity and Resilience Senior Advisor – Safety and Environment
​Jacob Passmore, Operational Governance Manager – Transit Control
​Jasmine Perot, Construction Manager – Signal/Electrical/Communication
​John Prosser, Transit Operations Manager – Transit Control
​Michael Puplett, Head – Transit Control
​Jonathan Reid, Transit Operations Manager – Transit Control Administration
​Vanessa Thompson, Administrative Assistant – Transit Control
​Randy Yeboah, Business Continuity Resilience Director – Safety and Environment
​Neil Buetow, Business Continuity and Resilience Advisor – Safety and Environment
​Gary Campbell, Business Continuity and Resilience Senior Advisor – Safety and Environment
​Anika Sanghera, Business Continuity and Resilience Senior Advisor – Safety and Environment
​In 2023, the Safety and Environment Department’s Business Continuity and Resilience Section and the Transit Control Centre partnered together to pilot the new corporate business continuity program. As the central hub for incidents and emergencies, Transit Control staff are an important line of defense in responding to incidents on our system. This pilot focused on developing procedures, processes and practices that support the recovery of the department’s operations following an emergency.

Diversity Award Winners

Mark Couvillon, Operator – Bus Transportation
​Mark went above and beyond his regular responsibilities as a Bus Operator while representing the TTC during this year’s Right to Love Campaign after being volunteered by fellow Operators who felt that he represented all of the values that represent diversity and inclusivity. Mark eloquently spoke at the flag-raising ceremony, participated in two television interviews and drove the Pride Bus in the parade.

Sydney Somerville, Instructor – Operations Training Centre
​Sydney works with YouthWorx, an employment program at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation to promote trades opportunities at the TTC for youth. Through her work, Sydney has created a network of contacts within the TTC and with external stakeholders, such as City of Toronto, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Seneca School and West Humber Collegiate.