We toasted a successful 2024 and the 11th annual People’s Choice awards during our holiday party on December 13 at Via Vecchia in Portland, Maine. The following team members were nominated for Most Valuable Player, Grace Under Pressure, Most Versatile, and new this year, Mentor Star and Top Innovator.
The six winners received plaques and gift cards and the praise of their peers and managers. Many other employees got nominations and accolades during the voting process and they will be shared in weekly traffic meetings during the year to come.
Congratulations to the following People’s Choice award winners!
Grace Under Pressure: Max Levi
The GUP award goes to the employee who is best known to be unflappable, demonstrates tact, consistent productivity, and exceptional grace when under pressure.
“Max is a collaborator—someone who listens, negotiates, and approaches every challenge with thoughtfulness and creativity,” said says Alison Schestopol, Director of Project Management and QA. “He is a key part of our success and a constant source of reliability for his team and our clients alike.”
Max’s team members noted:
- “Max is amazing with clients. He is great at explaining technical concepts in plain language and having “hard conversations” about scope expectations and changes.”
- “Max has infused a strong BA aspect into the teams he’s worked with. In that role he’s often negotiating between our clients and our internal teams, finding the best solutions available and gaining buy-in. Max has navigated these waters tactfully and always stays cool headed in the process.”
- “Max is often given significant challenges on complex projects, and he helps diffuse any tension by bringing his analytical and problem-solving self. He also receives pushback gracefully and leaves his ego at the door.
- “Max is a software triple threat, if there is such a thing. He’s quick to act when needed, his story writing sings beautifully, and he dances around complexities with ease. He makes a huge impact in every project. Always open minded, collaborative, and thorough, I’m not sure where we’d be without him.”
Thank you, Max!
Most Versatile: Tracy Totman & Ryan Olsen
We have a tie for Most Versatile this year! This award goes to the two employees who stood out for their willingness to step up when needed, no matter what the need is, and go above and beyond to get the job done.
Tracy Totman
“Tracy received a lot of votes that spoke to her seamless service across various projects,” says manager Sarah Crossman, Director of User Experience. “I have observed her do deep dives to become an expert in her subject matter area and I find that really impressive. UX requires a balance between right and left brain thinking, and Tracy has mastered both.”
Tracy’s team members noted:
- “Tracy seamlessly takes on any project with dedication and care. She is amazing at understanding the client’s needs and putting them into a great experience. We are so thankful she returned to us. Our teams and clients are better with her expertise.”
- “Tracy asks the right questions and has a very high attention to detail that clients notice. Balancing many different clients can be challenging but Tracy does it gracefully.
- “Tracy moves seamlessly between her projects, leads user research, is great at data analysis and BA tasks, presents well, and provides excellent designs. The UX role involves a lot of skill sets here and Tracy excels in all of them.”
- “Tracy always seems cool as a cucumber no matter what the situation. Her creativity and great attitude facilitates pleasant client experiences.”
Thank you, Tracy!
Ryan Olsen
“Versatility is the ability, willingness, and eagerness to step out of our comfort zone and find ways to provide value regardless of the challenge,” says Kevin Ferguson, Director of Software Development. “Ryan is always willing to bring his skills to a new challenge.”
His team members noted:
- “Ryan approaches new challenges with enthusiasm and positivity. He jumps in where he’s needed and readily picks up any new skills required of him.”
- “Ryan is always willing to help out wherever he is needed, even when it means taking on tasks that are outside his comfort zone.”
- “Ryan tackles whatever he’s assigned with joy and excitement. It’s refreshing to work with someone that is so open to learning and trying new things.”
- “Ryan’s positive attitude and willingness to help out wherever he can, is admirable. He’s a breath of fresh air. The way he effortlessly jumps from project to project, all at 120% and supports his teammates, contributes to our success.”
Thank you, Ryan!
Mentor Star: Mike Weliczko
Mentorship is one of the key ways we achieve high standards at Portland Webworks by providing opportunities for employees to learn and gain new skills. This award goes to the person who consistently steps up to support team members in this goal.
“Nobody will be surprised that Mike is the winner of the award this year,” says Kevin Ferguson. “He’s established a pattern for mentoring by providing team members with a set of best practices in a sustainable and stepwise fashion, and continuing to build upon the skills they have mastered. He also promotes a culture of mentorship where folks can come together and learn from each other regardless of background and domain.”
Mike’s team members noted:
- “Mike has grown in his ability to mentor and give constructive criticism. He takes the initiative to setup meetings going over complicated processes or a strategy for an upcoming story.
- “Mike has been known to message the team when he has an “epiphany” or “breakthrough” making sure everyone benefits in his discoveries.”
- “Mike exemplifies mentorship through his skillful guidance and insightful teaching approach. His ability to pose thought-provoking questions, coupled with his honest and helpful advice, empowers colleagues to find solutions independently while fostering their professional growth.”
- “Mike has has put amazing energy and thoughtfulness into mentoring all levels of developers on his teams. He has also extended the benefit across projects, taking opportunities in Dev Lunch and other cross project meetings to support company initiatives.”
Thank you, Mike!
Most Innovative: Adam Kempler
This award goes to the person who frequently demonstrates a commitment to solving challenges creatively and delivering cutting edge solutions.
“Adam’s passion for exploring new technologies and overseeing their adoption into our work has not only benefited our clients but all of us as well,” says Drupal Team Manager Hellen Fitzpatrick. “Adam’s leadership and expertise opens doors to new opportunities and his thoughtful mentorship aids in the adoption of the AI tools we use.”
Adam’s team members noted:
- “Adam consistently drives innovation at Portland Webworks through his proactive use of Al technologies. His creation of demos, proof-of-concepts, and working examples showcases practical applications of cutting-edge features, inspiring the team and opening new opportunities with clients. Adam’s forward-thinking approach exemplifies our commitment to growth and innovation.”
- “Adam clearly takes joy in researching new technologies and helping put them to work to the benefit of all our projects and our ability to present ourselves as technical experts.”
- “Adam is always looking for better technology and innovation to leverage and saw this first hand with his involvement on my project. He really digs down and looks to provide the best possible option to solve the client’s challenges from a technical perspective.”
- “Adam has done an amazing job leading the AI lab and demonstrating ways AI can be used to assist our clients and processes. In addition to providing stellar technical leadership on some big projects, Adam is always pushing the envelope looking for new ways to leverage AI and sharing his learnings with the organization.”
Thank you, Adam!
Learn more
- 2024 Year in Review: A quarter century of digital services for public and private sector clients
- Management Team Spotlight: Meet the Portland Webworks management team
- GovWebworks Team Spotlights: Meet our Creative, Quality Assurance, Drupal, Software Development, and Project Management teams