Excellence in Transportation Awards & Scholarships

ITE Canada’s most prestigious honour, the H. Robert Burton Distinguished Service Award, is named after a founder of the original Canadian Section in 1951. Bob dedicated much of his life to the transportation profession and was still attending ITE meetings right up to his death at the age of 101 years. This award is bestowed upon members who have shown these same qualities and demonstrated a notable career in the field and a record of service with ITE Canada.

This year’s winner, Russell Brownlee, is the founding partner and CEO of True North Safety Group where he provides consulting services and independent forensic investigations relating to transportation facility design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Russell has been an active member of ITE International and ITE Canada for almost 25 years. He began his journey with a six-year term with the Toronto Section Executive, and over the years was a member of the CITE Technical Liaison Committee, a member of the Traffic Engineering Council Executive Committee, and chaired ITE International’s Transportation Safety Council, Transportation Forensics and Risk Management Council, and Coordinating Council. Russell was the Canadian District Director and represented Canada on ITE’s International Board of Direction. In 2017, he received the Transportation Safety Council Edmund R. Ricker award given in recognition of leadership in the field of traffic safety. Currently, Russell represents ITE Canada on TAC’s Transportation Operations & Management Committee (TOMC) and continues to be the ITE Canada clue master for the annual Traffic Bowl. Outside of transportation safety, Russell enjoys woodworking, renovating, cycling, hiking, camping, skiing, surfing, and pretty well anything else outdoors.