Kirtland Service Director Joseph Fornaro followed in his father’s footsteps to start serving in public works 40 years ago, and those decades of service were recently recognized by the American Public Works Association.

APWA named Fornaro as one of its 2024 Top 10 Public Works Leaders of the Year. A news release described the award as one of APWA’s highest honors and said that it recognizes a lifetime of professional achievement.

“Recipients of the awards are chosen by past Top 10 recipients and embody professionalism, expertise and personal dedication to improving the quality of life in their communities through the advancement of public works services and technology,” it added.

Fornaro was unanimously nominated for the award by APWA’s Ohio Chapter.

“Joe is effective in implementing changes to better the quality of life for all citizens with his professional approach to management, his experience in project planning and development and his commitment to community engagement,” stated the chapter’s nomination letter.

“As the city of Kirtland’s Public Works Director, Joe is committed to building a family atmosphere at the city, providing careers not jobs and making Kirtland a better place,” added the news release.

The organization’s award packet stated that Fornaro entered the field in 1984 as a seasonal intern for the Mayfield Heights Service Department, where his father was the service director.

The younger Fornaro remained with the department and rose to the rank of service director before leaving in 2019. One year later, he was hired as Kirtland’s service director.

APWA said that during Fornaro’s time in Mayfield Heights, the city became an affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Ohio Beautiful organizations. He also developed the city’s first snow and ice plan and helped plan and design the city’s new aquatic center that opened in 2023.

Fornaro is also a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture, the presentation stated. Mayfield Heights and Kirtland both joined the Tree City USA program while he served as service director. He also runs a yearly Arbor Day program for elementary school students.

The presentation added that Fornaro has served in leadership roles and contributed to winter training for APWA and the Northern Ohio Service Directors Association. He has also served as a youth sports coach, a mentor for college students and a contributor to the Chesterland Lions Club and Kirtland Kiwanis.

Kirtland Mayor Kevin Potter described the recognition as a “well-deserved award for Joe.”

Potter and Mayfield Heights officials contributed letters of recommendation for Fornaro. Letters were also sent on his behalf from other parts of the country, including Arizona and Alaska.

APWA said that its Top Ten Public Works Leaders each year come from the private or public sectors and work at the federal, state, provincial, county or municipal levels. The organization includes more than 32,000 members and has chapters in the United States and Canada.