Vito Mangialardi wins the BCI Americas Award for Continuity & Resilience Professional in the public sector
In May 2021 Vito Mangialardi, AFBCI from the BCI Canada Chapter, was announced as the winner of the BCI Continuity and Resilience Professional Public Sector 2021 award.
In this category the BCI judges were looking for evidence on how the individual has used creative and original approaches within their employing organization to improve overall resilience. Evidence of effective planning, response and recovery from the impacts of actual or potential disruptive incidents.
Vito’s nomination submission was based on his leadership role within Metrolinx and focused on Vito’s:
- Operationalization and maturing of the organizations BCM Program over the past three years; and
- Leveraging his experience in BCM Program Management practices in the organizations response to COVID-19
Metrolinx (a.k.a. GO Transit) is a Canadian crown agency that manages and integrates all road and rail public transport in the Canadian province of Ontario, specifically in the Greater Toronto Areas (GTA). Since 1967 GO Transit has evolved into an extensive network of train lines and bus routes carrying 70 million passengers a year. In the GTA GO Transit is the lifeline and critical link between communities, connecting passengers with life and work activities, especially people in essential health care and social services during the pandemic. In addition to safe and on time transit service, GO Transit protects the health and well-being of the people of Ontario, while working towards an eventual economic recovery after the Pandemic.
Based on growing global concern around COVID-19, Metrolinx convened an Incident Command Team (ICT) for COVID-19 on January 24, 2020 staffed by business and operational representatives. Following the Incident Management System (IMS) and the Ontario Emergency Management frameworks this allowed for an early and comprehensive engagement and response leveraging the organization’s established corporate pandemic response plan and over 60 business continuity plans. Under the leadership of the Chief Safety Officer and partnering with safety staff, Vito, the Business Continuity Senior Manager held the deputy commander position from inception until October 2020, when Vito’s role was elevated to the Commander position. Key members of the ICT included: Business Continuity, Safety, Human Resources, Legal, Finance, Risk, Rail, Bus, Stations, Communications, Transit Safety, Emergency Management, Procurement and IT.
Over the past year the ICT, partnering with all areas in the organization, under Vito’s command resolved many Covid-19 challenges including addressing employee and customer concerns and government rules, orders and lockdowns. This was in conjunction with the always evolving public health guidance. Vito continues to monitor Metrolinx current Covid-19 preparedness levels and explore safety / operational concerns in anticipation of potential additional waves. All this, with focus on safety of all staff and passengers, as well on the integrity and continuity of transit services provided.
Vito's response to winning the award was “I was both surprised and honored with being awarded the BCI Continuity and Resilience Professional Public Sector 2021. A big thanks to the judges who believed in my accomplishments and the BCM practices which I continue to ‘evangelize’ with all stakeholders. Regardless we are all winners for the work we do in safeguarding our staff from harm and businesses from disruptions.