Three managers from National Express Corporation were honored by the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) last month for their valuable contributions to the school bus industry.
Greg Stock of Stock Transportation and Gail Bergstrom and Kitty Anderson of Durham School Services received Golden Merit Awards at the NSTA’s annual convention in Tulsa, Okla.
National Express Corporation, which owns Stock Transportation, said Greg Stock has been “a significant influence in shaping the Canadian school bus industry” for the past 25 years. The brother of former NSTA Past-President Barry Stock, Greg started at the then family-owned Stock Transportation as a dispatcher and progressed to his current role of region manager. He currently oversees nine school bus facilities in Ontario, and is the site manager for the services operated in Richmond Hill.
National Express purchased Stock Transportation in 2002.
“Greg knows school bus operations inside and out,” said NEC’s Kim Worster, chief operating officer, Canada. “His extensive experience and passion for the business has resulted in safer and more reliable student transportation services for the many families that depend on us.”
Meanwhile, at Durham, Bergstrom (pictured above, at left) is the operations manager for the company’s facility in Racine, Wisc. She began driving school buses in 1975 while in college. Since joining Durham in 2000, Bergstrom has held various managerial positions and has earned great praise from the Racine Unified School District.
“Gail is a true professional whose dedication is unmatched,” said NEC’s Bob Ramsdell, vice president, Central Region. “I have seen Gail in a variety of challenging circumstances, and she is always pleasant, upbeat and enthusiastic, setting the tone for those around her.”
Anderson, the operations manager at Durham’s facility in Overland Park, Kan, has worked in school bus transportation for more than three decades. She has been recognized as a “Patriotic Employer” for her support of employees in the National Guard, and is well-known for her positive demeanor. Anderson has also served in every position during her 28 years of service to Blue Valley Unified School District 229. She joined Durham in 2012.
“Whether driving, training, dispatching, routing or managing, Kitty is the type of person who makes it happen, no matter the challenge in front of her,” Ramsdell said. “She removes obstacles that stand in the way of safe transportation, putting each driver in a position to be successful.”
NSTA’s Golden Merit Award was established in 1969 to recognize school bus employees for their achievements in safety, driver training, business practice, vehicle maintenance and superior service to their school district, community and pupil transportation industry.
