Public Works Director
Santa Clarita, Calif.
Employees: 800
Population Served: 223,000
Budget: $150 million
By presenting more than 45 training sessions to professional groups and leading complex road projects, Robert Newman deserves recognition.
Successful management of the 8.5-mile, $245 million road project linking the State Route 14 and Interstate 5 involved collaborating with more than 100 stakeholders. Newman’s training session topics included solid waste, project management, partnering with your boss, emotional intelligence, team building, goal setting, conflict management, construction management, fleet maintenance, and leadership.
Santa Clarita provides customer service training to employees to address situations with unhappy residents. Staff also understands that if a customer is being abusive or extremely rude they have the option of terminating the conversation.
“On the few occasions where there has been the threat of violence we have worked with law enforcement to limit access to city facilities and visits to individuals for follow up,” says Newman.
Newman’s responsibilities as the Santa Clarita Director of Public Works include managing building and safety, capital improvement projects, engineering services, environmental services, general services, and traffic and transportation planning.
