FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Momentum is building for Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)’s second State of the Region Annual Awards set to take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, at The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood (3555 South Ocean Drive).
George Platt, Gail Bulfin, Beverly and Levoyd Williams, and Joe Yesbeck will be honored at this year’s Broward MPO State of the Region Annual Awards. WPLG-TV Local 10 Anchor Glenna Milberg and comedian Tane Danger have been tapped to co-host this prominent event, coinciding with the Safe Streets Summit, which is presented by the Broward MPO and local partners. This annual ceremony celebrates the impact of the MPO’s significant role to plan and direct transportation and infrastructure projects throughout the region and honors those who advocate for smart planning and connectivity during to take place. This year’s distinguished honorees are George Platt (Lifetime Achievement Award), Gail Bulfin (Community Impact Award), Beverly and Levoyd Williams (Visionary Award), and Joseph Yesbeck (Champion Award).
“We are proud of the work that we continue to do at the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization with great partners at the city, county, state and national levels,” said Gregory Stuart, executive director. “After the great success of our first awards effort, we are keeping the tradition alive to honor community members and organizations that share and support our mission.”
Attendees to this year’s State of the Region Annual Awards will enjoy the transportation wit and wisdom of Tane Danger. A professional improv comedian with a master’s in public policy, Danger serves as director of the Westminster Town Hall Forum – the Upper Midwest’s largest and most prestigious speaker series. For more than a decade, Danger has hosted the nationally renowned civics-inspired improv comedy show, The Theater of Public Policy. At each show, he interviews newsmakers, policy-wonks, and big thinkers on issues ranging from race in education to the farm bill. Then, the show’s cast of improvisers takes everything that’s been said and turns it into entirely unscripted improv comedy theater. In his own workshops and keynote talks, Danger uses his background in improv comedy to get folks to practice communication, collaboration, and creativity differently. He’s taught improv for better communication to everyone from healthcare executives to Lutheran bishops. He is a regular contributor to Almanac, the weekly public affairs program on Twin Cities Public Television but may be best known as “the bus guy!” In 2019, Danger began working with Metro Transit on a web series called, “Hey! Where Does This Bus Go?” In each episode, he rides a local bus route from start to finish, noting landmarks along the way and chatting with riders. The series demystifies each bus route and changes people’s perception of who rides the bus.
George Platt’s considerable experience in governmental and public policy law has earned him a reputation as a leading lawyer/lobbyist in Broward County. With more than 40 years in practice, he counsels clients on regulatory law, government contracts and procurement, land use, environmental law and related corporate issues. Platt has represented clients on some of South Florida’s major projects, including the Broward County Convention Center, Dolphins Stadium, development of Coral Springs and Parkland communities, the Bank Atlantic Center and the 450-acre Pembroke Pines Mitigation Bank. His familiarity with local government is based not only on his legal work, but also on his years of government and civic involvement. As a Broward County commissioner, Platt chaired the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Value Adjustment Board. He also served on the South Florida Regional Planning Council. He later served on the Broward County Charter Review Commission. George currently serves as a board member of the Performing Arts Center Authority, as a trustee for Nova Southeastern University, chair of the Broward Workshop Transportation Committee, chair of the Port Everglades Association Political Action Committee, and as a member of the Airport Master Plan Advisory Committee.
Gail Bulfin is senior vice president, membership development, for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance. Her primary focus is membership, sales, networking and events. She directs the Port Everglades Action Team along with her partners from the Port Everglades Association and the Broward Workshop, designed to educate the business community on the Port and to advocate for federal and state support. Bulfin organizes and leads the Alliance bi-annual leadership trips, plans member engagement events and represents the organization at community forums. Her most recent project is creating, producing and directing the Alliance virtual leadership speaker series, monthly one-on-one conversations between two top national executives discussing leadership. Bulfin sits on several committees for the Broward MPO, Business for the Arts Broward, Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and is often asked to be involved in strategic planning sessions for both public and private institutions. She serves as a moderator for the annual Broward County Library Foundation’s Literary Festival.
Beverly and Levoyd Williams are a power couple with a legacy of community service. Commissioner Beverly Williams first ran for elected office in 2014, receiving 50% of the vote in a four-person race for seat 2. She was immediately voted to be vice mayor by her colleagues at the organizational meeting. Commissioner Williams represents the city on the MPO Board, and was appointed by former Mayor of Broward County, Dale Holness, to the Broward Planning Council. She was the president, and now the immediate past president, of the Broward League of Cities and serves on the Broward Housing Authority Board, representing the Broward League of Cities. Commissioner Williams served as chair of the Lauderdale Lakes Community Redevelopment Agency. She serves on the Mayors and Elected Officials Broward County Transportation Board and is active on the National League of Cities Board where she serves on the Human Development Policy Committee, and the Women in Municipal Government Board (WMIG). Williams was the District 19 leader for the National Black Council of Black Elected Officials (NBC-LEO), which covers the State of Florida. She is currently director for the Florida State Board.
In 1998, Levoyd Williams was elected to the Lauderdale Lakes City Commission and served as commissioner through 2008,and again from 2010 to 2014. He has served as president of Broward Black Elected Officials from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he started the successful gala which has awarded over $250,000 in scholarships. Williams served as the first vice president of FBC-LEO (Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials), chair of the Broward Planning Council and on the Broward MPO. He was one of the leading forces to create a CRA in Lauderdale Lakes and he started the city’s holiday lighting ceremony along with the Black History Program. Williams served on the Internet/Technology Steering Committee of the National League of Cities, and he also served on the board of directors of the NBC-LEO (National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials). He was one of the founders and president of the 100 Black Men of Broward and he served on the National Board of the 100 Black Men of America.
Joe Yesbeck serves as national director of T.Y. Lin’s International Rail and Transit Line of Business. He oversees strategic planning and market sector growth for projects involving the complete planning, design, and construction of railway and bus transit systems, including high-speed rail, light rail, streetcar, freight railways, multi-modal facilities, and maintenance yards. He is a registered professional engineer with over 35 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. His vast experience in transportation planning and engineering have included the management of major transportation projects, especially the evaluation of transportation corridors and project development and environmental (NEPA) studies for transit, rail, and roadways. Yesbeck has had specific involvement in rail development projects, from commuter rail to light-rail systems.
Last year’s Broward MPO State of the Region Awards honorees were former Hollywood Commissioner and past Broward MPO board chair Richard Blattner, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), Fort Lauderdale Chapter, Florida House of Representatives member Christine Hunschofsky [D-96] and Deputy City Manager Sheila Rose.
The event is presented by Accenture, Deloitte and T.Y. Lin with other sponsors including the City of Hollywood, BYD, Kimley Horn; South Florida Regional Transportation Authority/Tri Rail; Galleria Fort Lauderdale; GPR | Goodman Public Relations, City of Lauderdale Lakes, The Brand Advocates, Circuit, Benesch, TSE Consulting, City of Coconut Creek, FEC Railroad, The Whitehouse Group and Port Everglades.
