Springfield Public Works employee honored by national association

City of Springfield Public Works employee Jonathan Gano is the country's Young Leader of the Year for 2010.

Gano, who is serving as the interim assistant director of public works/operations, was announced as one of the recipients of the honor Wednesday from the American Public Works Association. He has been superintendent of streets for the city since 2007, after joining the city in 2004 as an operations supervisor in the streets division.

Gano has supervised more than $40 million of public works construction projects and served as project manager during the city's response to the 2007 and 2008 ice storms, according to a city news release.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served in the Army for eight years as a combat engineer before an honorable discharge in 2004 with the rank of captain. He has a master's degree in engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

"Jonathan is a natural leader who uses his experience, training, and talent to advance his profession, and the improvement of the city's infrastructure," said Phil Broyles, the city's co-interim director of public works, in the release.

The American Public Works Association selects the award recipient based on the individual's commitment to leadership potential in public works, according to the release.[[In-content Ad]]