Awards & Recognition
Honoring the work of Wisconsin’s transportation profession.
The Wisconsin Section presents four awards each year recognizing distinguished service, student research, transportation achievement, and rising leadership.
🏆 Honoring Sustained Leadership
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an ITE member’s outstanding contributions to the transportation profession. Selection is based on continued member leadership on difficult transportation issues or projects; notable contributions to the profession through the Section, national Institute, and other professional activities; and recognition for the advancement of the integrity of traffic engineering, design, planning, or education.
Past recipients · 28 years
2025
Joanna Bush
2024
Jeff Held
2023
Dave Platz
2022
Yang Tao
2021
John Bieberitz
2020
Mike McCarthy
2019
Rebecca Szymkowski
2018
John Bruggeman
2017
Jess Billmeyer
2016
John Davis
2015
Rich Coakley
2014
Gary Rylander
2013
Todd Szymkowski
2012
Steve Cyra
2011
Richard Butula
2009
Bob Bryson
2008
John Corbin
2007
Bill Bremer
2006
Edward Beimborn
2005
Wayne Higgins
2004
Ed Friede
2003
John Kugel
2002
Ron Sonntag
2001
Harvey Shebesta
2000
Dave Kuemmel
1999
Albert Veteri
1998
Ken Voigt
🏆 Student Paper Award
Harvey Shebesta Award
Awarded annually for a significant paper prepared by a student member of ITE, this award encourages student members to conduct and report on independent and original research into transportation subjects. It honors Harvey Shebesta — a founding member and first President of the Wisconsin Section (1966), International ITE President (1980), and a graduate of UW–Madison in Civil Engineering who served as District Engineer for the Milwaukee District and District Director of WisDOT’s southeast district.
Past recipients · 35 years
2025
Hanif Nazaroedin
2024
Rei Tamaru
2023
Cesar Andriola
2021
Kentin Brummett
2020
Erynn Schroeder
2019
Fred Song
2018
Beau Burdett
2017
Mary Sizemore
2016
Jeff Merten
2015
James Markosian
2014
Sean Kozlowski
2013
Tim Lewis
2012
Elyse O’Callaghan
2011
John Coburn
2010
Elizabeth Weasler
2009
Jeremy Chapman
2008
Matt Shiremann
2007
John Bruggeman
2006
Tim Shebesta
2005
Susan Paulus
2004
Andy Kowske
2003
Sam Jacoby
2002
Tammy Loose
2001
Michael May
2000
David Ling
1999
Scott Kuznicki
1998
Dave Platz
1997
Aaron Bubb
1996
Michele Young
1995
Brian Udovich
1994
Lisa Kasprzak
1993
Michael Steiner
1992
Daniel McCormick
1991
Kurt Flierl
1990
Susan Langdon
🏆 Transportation Achievement
Martin Bruening Award
Named for Martin Bruening, who served the City of Milwaukee in Traffic Engineering from 1924 to 1972 — an advocate for the three E’s of traffic safety (Engineering, Education, Enforcement) and an early proponent of a balanced transportation system. May be given annually for excellence in the advancement of transportation to meet human needs, by entities concerned with transportation such as governmental agencies, legislative bodies, consulting firms, and industry.
Past recipients · 47 years
2026
David Hansen, Jerry Schippa, Yang Tao
2025
Jeff Sandberg and Chad Schroeder
2020
Beau Burdett
2019
Andi Bill, Boris Claros, Madhav Chitturi, Glenn Vorhes, David Noyce
2018
Kelly Greuel and Kevin Scopoline
2017
Hasan Moonam
2016
Zhaoxiang He and Xiao Qin
2015
Xin Li; Susan Paulus
2014
Andrea Bill, Rebecca Szymkowski, Ghazan Khan, David Noyce; Peng Li and Yue Liu
2013
Yang Cheng, Steven Parker, Bin Ran, David Noyce
2012
Justin Schueler, Parwinder Virk, Jeremy Chapman
2011
Justin Effinger and Todd Szymkowski
2010
Eric Frailing
2009
Pat Hawley and John Bruggeman
2008
Dave Platz and Amjaj Dehman
2007
Steven Parker and Yang Tao
2006
Brian Udovich and Andy Kowske
2005
Dave Platz
2004
Richard Coakley, Marcus Januario, Tim Gates
2003
Xia Jin and Joseph Blakeman
2002
David Soeldner and Michael Grulke
2001
Smitha Vijayan
2000
Kristi Sebastian
1999
John Bieberitz and Steve Cyra
1998
Joe Pieroni, Jeff Roemer, Buddy Desai
1997
Pat Hawley, Tim Barry, Van Walling
1996
Richard Butula
1995
Mitzi Dobersek
1994
Christian Luz, John Bieberitz, Tom Heydel
1993
Brian Swenson, John Corbin, Brian Scharles
1992
Jack Forlund, Shuming Yan, Soo-Boem Lee
1991
John Schmidt, Bill Handlas, Pete Garcia
1990
Brian O’Connell, Ray Jackson, Robert Schmidt
1989
Tom Sohrweide, William Berg, F.C. Nwoko
1988
Robert Smith Jr., Thomas Walsh, Robert Bryson
1987
Chris Fornal, Peter Lindquist, Zafar Youset
1986
Jeff Retzlaff and William Berg
1985
Rich Cannon, M. Liedtke, Peter Lindquist
1984
Ken Graham and Robert Weithofer
1983
Chris Fornal
1982
David Novak
1981
C.J. Chang and David Kuemmel
1980
William Berg and Robert Weithofer
1979
Robert Weithofer
1978
Curtis Lueck
1977
O. Dobnick, J. Goetz, A. Pithavodian, G. Koser
1976
Robert Taube
🏆 For Transportation Professionals Age 35 & Under
Ken Voigt Rising Star
Sponsored by the ITE Wisconsin Section, the Ken Voigt Rising Star Award recognizes the achievements of a transportation professional 35 years or younger as of January 1 of the award year. Applicants are evaluated on project experience, leadership, passion for the profession, and testimonials from their peers. Recipients attend the ITE Annual Meeting and receive a travel stipend. The award honors Ken Voigt, a former ITE Wisconsin and ITE International president with over 50 years of experience in transportation engineering.
Past recipients · 10 years
2023
Derrin Wolford
2022
Laura Schroeder
2019
Christian Sternke
2018
Andy Utic
2017
Justin Schueler
2016
John Campbell
2015
Tristan Hickman
2014
— not awarded —
2013
Joseph Ulatowski
2012
Erin Schoon