ASLRRA honors safety award winners at CONNECTIONS Convention

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor
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Left, Keith LaPorte, ASLRRA Safety Person of the Year. Right, Ron Sparks, ASLRRA Safety Professional of the Year.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) honored Keith LaPorte and Ron Sparks for their career commitment to safety compliance and culture at the 2017 CONNECTIONS Convention.

 

Keith LaPorte, the bridge program manager at Old Augusta Railroad (OAR), was honored with the Safety Person of the Year Award. LaPorte’s 32-year career with OAR has resulted in zero Federal Railroad Administration-reportable injuries. LaPorte also serves on the Board of the Mississippi Operation Lifesaver to help further the organization’s goal of educating the traveling public about the potential dangers involved with railroad crossings at grade.

ASLRRA says the Safety Person of the Year Award recognizes a non-management employee of a member railroad, who has never had a reportable personal injury in their career, works with management of their company to make their safety programs effective, exhibits a high degree of safety awareness and contributes off-duty time to activities promoting safety awareness in the community.

The Safety Professional of the Year was awarded to Ron Sparks, director of Safety, Training and Legal Affairs at the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad (A&M). ASLRRA explains that the Safety Professional of the Year is awarded each year to the railroad management employee who demonstrates an exceptional work ethic and dedication to safety.

Sparks is an active participant in the railroad industry’s safety based efforts including serving on ASLRRA’s Railroad Police and Security and Safety and Training Committees, the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police and Operation Lifesaver.

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