The contribution of more than 100,000 FirstGroup employees has been recognised at the company’s annual Be First Awards.
Held in London and Cincinnati, Ohio, the ceremonies celebrated the people and teams who made significant contributions to FirstGroup’s businesses and customers in the last year.
The winners of Be First awards include those who consistently live the company’s vision and values, while others have been involved in one-off heroic events.
Hundreds of nominations were received from across FirstGroup’s businesses. A select group of finalists were lauded at the ceremonies for their contributions, in areas such as safety, customer service, community relations and innovation.
A notable winner was the First Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire team, who received the Keeping People Moving award for the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit scheme in Hampshire.
Simon Goff, Head of Operations, said: “The Eclipse team have put a huge amount of effort into delivering a reliable, efficient service for our customers in Fareham and Gosport.
“While the Eclipse BRT is an excellent example of what can be achieved through effective stakeholder engagement, the award would not be possible without the staff responsible for the day-to-day delivery. We were really pleased to have won and I’m glad the team received the recognition they deserve.”
Matthew Gregory, FirstGroup’s Chief Financial Officer and interim Chief Operating Officer, said of the ceremony: “It was an honour and a privilege to celebrate alongside our award-winning colleagues. They are the people who lead the way for the rest of us, going the extra mile to make a difference to our customers and to the communities we serve.”
The full list of awards and winners:
Delivering Our Vision – Keeping People Moving
Individuals
- Jen Biddinger, First Student (North America)
- Pam Wherry, First Bus (UK)
Teams
- Bus Side Scanning App Team, Greyhound (North America)
- First Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire, First Bus (UK)
Delivering Our Vision – Keeping Communities Prospering
Individuals
- Angela Powell, First Student (North America)
- Louise Guy, First West of England (UK)
Teams
- Puerto Rico Management and Employees, First Transit (North America)
- First Worcester (UK)
Delivering Our Strategy – Combining Expertise
- Seattle Call Centre Management Team, First Transit (North America)
- GWR and Network Rail Alliance, First Rail (UK)
Delivering Our Strategy – Spreading Best Practice
- Connect Employee App Project Team, First Student (North America)
- Livingston Depot, First Scotland East (UK)
Committed to our Customers
Individuals
- Debra Crouch, First Student (North America)
- Dawn Mills-Dyke, First Eastern Counties (UK)
Teams
- Mexico Team, Greyhound (North America)
- GWR Possessions Delivery Team, First Rail (UK)
Dedicated to Safety
Individuals
- Margie Conklin, First Transit (North America)
- Mark Jacobs, First Cymru (UK)
Teams
- Oakdale Safety Team, First Student (North America)
- GWR Safety Team, First Rail (UK)
Supportive of Each Other
Individuals
- Alessia Morris, First Student (North America)
- Gino Johnson, South Western Railway (UK)
Teams
- All Houston Locations, First Transit (North America)
- Ticket Control Unit, South Western Railway (UK)
Accountable for Performance
Individuals
- Josh Goossen, First Student (North America)
- Ann Donald, South Western Railway (UK)
Teams
- Normal, Illinois, First Student (North America)
- Norwich Operations Team, First Eastern Counties (UK)
Setting the Highest Standards
Individuals
- Tim Mullen, First Transit (North America)
- Janette Cowie, FirstGroup Corporate Functions (UK)
Teams
- Kansas, Missouri and Iowa Team, First Student (North America)
- First Travel Solutions, First Bus (UK)