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South Philly Resident Honored with Prestigious EPA Award

Release Date: 06/15/2008
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov

PHILADELPHIA (June 15, 2008) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region presented the Regional Administrator’s Award for Excellence to Anthony Santini of South Philadelphia at the annual employee recognition ceremony on May 13.

The award is given to an employee in an administrative or technical support position whose exceptional assistance has contributed to the accomplishment of program objectives. Criteria include outstanding personal leadership, excellent judgment and decision-making skills, and participation in activities that are in addition to normal work responsibilities.

Santini is a human resources specialist who has worked in EPA’s mid-Atlantic region for 15 years. But “human resources specialist” doesn’t even begin to describe how important Santini is to EPA.

“He is the go-to human resources expert for just about any subject, whether helping management with position descriptions for a reorganization or helping employees figure out the complexities of the EZ-hire system, Tony can always be counted on for helpful assistance,” said Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh. “But Tony’s behind-the-scenes work is legendary here in the mid-Atlantic region, especially to the amount of personal time he dedicates to improving employee welfare and morale. He organizes our holiday parties, writes and directs the entertainment for our annual recognition ceremony, and he runs the nominating panels for the regional awards, which means it was no easy feat keeping this award a surprise.”

“The fact that this is a peer-nominated award means a lot to me,” Santini said. “I’ve been recognized in the past for superior achievement by supervisors but when your peers take the time to nominate you, it means a lot especially when you are in the human resources business and the message you have to give employees is not always what they want to hear.”

Santini graduated from Philadelphia’s Bishop Neumann Catholic High School in 1975 and received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Drexel University in 1980.

“Most employees would be amazed at how much time, effort and sheer passion Tony gives behind the scenes, not only to his own work but to everything he does -- all in an effort to help make our region a pleasant place to work,” said Welsh.

EPA’s mid-Atlantic region covers Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.