The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute at NDSU is set to honor three longtime champions of transportation in North Dakota with awards. The institute’s annual awards banquet is scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Fargo Holiday Inn.
Terry Traynor, who retired earlier this year after serving for more than 30 years with the North Dakota Association of Counties, will receive the Agrey Award. Jay Fisher, state representative and former director of the NDSU North Central Research Extension Center, will be recognized for his leadership in bringing multi-modal transportation to the city of Minot with the Chairman's Award. Robin Weisz, state representative and member of the North Dakota House Transportation Committee, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
UGPTI also will present scholarships to five NDSU students who are considering possible careers related to transportation. Laura Cameron and Abigail Turner, seniors in civil engineering, will receive the Transportation Engineering Scholarship. Cameron is from Stanchfield, Minnesota, and Turner is from Jackson, Minnesota. Hannah Mueller, a senior in civil engineering from Cummings, North Dakota, will receive the Charles E. Herman Scholarship. Hunter Frederick, a senior in ag systems management from Flasher, North Dakota, will receive the Paul E.R. Abrahamson Transportation Scholarship. Justin Beck, a senior in civil engineering from Lake Park, Minnesota, will receive the Tribal Transportation Scholarship.
Traynor will receive the Agrey Award in recognition of his leadership in promoting funding needs for North Dakota's political subdivisions. Advocacy for road and bridge infrastructure funding and policy improvement was a consistent priority during Traynor's 30-plus years with the North Dakota Association of Counties. Traynor worked closely with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, legislative and industry partners in the reformulation of the State Highway Distribution Fund, the development of the "Prairie Dog" funding mechanism and the improvement of right-of-way and procurement policies. Traynor's interest in these issues led him to becoming the county representative on the UGPTI Advisory Council in 2018 and is the council's immediate past chair.
Traynor retired as executive director of the North Dakota Association of Counties earlier this year, having served in that capacity since 2018. Prior to serving as executive director, Traynor held various roles at NDACo for more than 30 years. Traynor previously was an engineering assistant to the Morton County engineer and was a senior partner in a western North Dakota consulting firm.
The Agrey Award is UGPTI's highest award and recognizes and honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the state of North Dakota, its citizens and its business community through involvement in transportation.
Fisher will be recognized for his decades-long effort to promote multimodal transportation in Minot. Fisher served as president of Minot Area Development Corporation in 2011 and as a board member of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce. He was chair of the Minot Mayor's Intermodal Task Force beginning in 2000.
Fisher has served in the North Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 5, Minot, since 2019. He was director of NDSU's North Central Research Extension Center for 22 years, retiring in 2015. He previously served as area agronomist and Northwest North Dakota District Extension director. Upon his retirement from NDSU, he founded Fisher Research LLC, a consulting and value-added agriculture company. In 2021, he became a shareholder in L&Q International Inc. and president of L&Q Great Plains.
The Chairman's Award recognizes individuals for contributions to transportation research, education and outreach at NDSU or contributions to the viability of UGPTI.
Weisz will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his vision and efforts to promote the need for significant transportation investment beyond federal funding.
Weisz, a fourth-generation farmer from Hurdsfield, has owned and managed a grain elevator for 15 years. Serving in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 1996, he is chair of the Human Services Committee and is a member of the Rules Committee and the Transportation Committee. Weisz served as chair of the Transportation Committee from 2001 to 2007. He was named Township Legislator of the Year twice by the North Dakota Township Officers Association and was named EMS Legislator of the Year twice by the North Dakota Emergency Medical Services Association. Weisz also is past chair of the Multistate Highway Agreement Organization, which encourages coordination among states regarding the allowable size of vehicles and vehicle loads on highways.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has had a distinguished career in a transportation-related field. The award is based on long-term professional excellence in the field of transportation and nominees are recognized for their example in upholding professional standards, mentoring other professionals or contributing to day-to-day excellence in their chosen field within transportation.
