CINCINNATI — SBF gave its annual administrator award to a Florida director of transportation who runs a large operation and dedicates himself to industry causes.

Mike Connors of Brevard Public Schools was named SBF’s 38th Administrator of the Year. Publisher Frank Di Giacomo presented the honor at the National Association for Pupil Transportation awards banquet on Sunday night.

Connors is a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He oversees a transportation department with more than 500 employees and over 400 route buses, ranking it in the Top 100 School District Fleets in the nation.

Even with the large size of his operation, Connors is credited with showing an exemplary level of personal attention to his department's customers.

His staff members cite his outstanding leadership. In a recent time of widespread budget cuts, he worked to provide the justification to keep his transportation staff in place and prevent layoffs.

Connors is highly involved in the industry beyond his own district, having just finished a two-year term as president of the Florida Association for Pupil Transportation. He has served on numerous state and national committees, and he has been a delegate to the National Congress on School Transportation.

Connors is also one of two NAPT Certified Directors of Pupil Transportation in his state.

An in-depth profile of Connors will appear in the January issue of SBF.