HomeMy WebLinkAboutChad Millner Minnesota City Engineer of the Year AwardContact: Brittany Bader, Digital Communications Coordinator
Phone 952-826-0396 • BBader@EdinaMN.gov • EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chad Millner Named Minnesota’s 2024 City Engineer of the Year
Edina, Minn., Feb. 7, 2025 – City of Edina Engineering Director Chad Millner was named 2024 City Engineer of the Year by the City Engineers Association of Minnesota (CEAM) at the organization’s
annual conference Jan. 29.
The City Engineers Association of Minnesota is the premiere professional association for engineers in Minnesota, and the City Engineer of the Year Award recognizes the contributions
and accomplishments of outstanding engineers across the state. The award has been given every year since 1985, and Millner is the second engineer from Edina to receive the prestigious
award. Fran Hoffman, former City Engineer & Public Works Director, received it in 1997.
Millner was recognized not only for his technical engineering skills, but also for the leadership and commitment he brings to serving the Edina community through engineering projects.
“We had multiple nominations this year, which was a wonderful problem to have, and Chad really rose to the top, given his involvement with CEAM and his dedication to the profession.
He is one of those folks who, when we call for volunteers to serve on a committee or task force, Chad has often responded,” said Mark Duchene, Director of Engineering for the City of
Faribault and current CEAM President. “The work documented that was submitted for his work at Edina really showed his commitment—to not only the profession, but his community and his
staff.”
Millner has worked for the City of Edina for almost 13 years, including the past 11 years in his current Engineering Director role and previously as Assistant City Engineer. Before joining
the City, he spent close to 12 years at Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., specializing in the areas of surveying, construction and project management.
As Engineering Director, Millner leads 27 employees in the Engineering Department, which oversees the planning, design, management and construction of the City's infrastructure, including
streets, storm, sanitary, water, street lighting and facilities with a focus on sustainability. This provides core transportation, sanitation and clean water services as well as safe
facilities and sustainability initiatives to residents and businesses. Covering Edina’s approximately 16 square miles and serving its population of 53,494, his work includes capital
improvement, construction and neighborhood reconstruction projects ranging from $15-45 million per year.
“Chad really has a very important job in the community because the community depends on the infrastructure that Chad has designed and built in this town. He’s in the community, he’s
talking to people, he’s listening to what people say about where they live and really calculating that into the engineering design and principles he uses for all the infrastructure
projects he’s been involved in,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “He understands that it’s got to be beneficial to people in whatever project he is working on or it’s just not going to
work for him, and I have a high degree of respect for that.”
A testament to his commitment not only to the public but also to his own staff, Millner
was awarded the City’s 2023 IQS Leadership Award for Integrity. Millner was
nominated by his colleagues and chosen for the award because of his ability to
effectively provide oversight and direction within the Engineering Department while
embodying the City’s standards of Integrity, Quality and Service. An IQS Leadership
Award is the highest internal honor an Edina employee can receive, with only three given each year.
“Chad has served as the Director of Engineering for the City of Edina for almost 13 years, and during that time, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, technical expertise
and a deep commitment to public service,” wrote Edina Mayor Jim Hovland in a letter of recommendation for the award. “Chad is a highly motivated and dedicated individual who is passionate
about improving the City of Edina. I am confident he will continue to make significant contributions to the Edina community, the larger Twin Cities region, and the engineering profession
throughout the rest of his career.”
Millner holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, along with a master’s degree. He has been licensed as a professional engineer for approximately 20 years. In addition to his involvement
with CEAM, Millner is an active member of the American Public Works Association (APWA) Minnesota Chapter. He has served as an Awards Committee Member and as a teacher for both its Public
Works Certificate Course and the Underground Utilities Construction Inspectors School.
At the CEAM conference, in addition to Millner’s City Engineer of the Year award, Edina also earned an honorable mention project award in the non-transportation category for the Morningside
Flood Infrastructure Project.
Other awards recently received by the Edina Engineering Department include co-winner in the “Environmental” category for the Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project and honorable mention
in the “Transportation” category for the Blake Road Reconstruction Project, both given by the APWA Minnesota Chapter in November 2024 at its conference.
For more information, contact the Edina Engineering Department at 952-826-0371 or visit EdinaMN.gov/Engineering.
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Edina, Minn., Feb. 7, 2025 – City of Edina Engineering Director Chad Millner was named 2024 City Engineer of the Year by the City Engineers Association of Minnesota (CEAM) at the organization’s
annual conference Jan. 29.
The City Engineers Association of Minnesota is the premiere professional association for engineers in Minnesota, and the City Engineer of the Year Award recognizes the contributions
and accomplishments of outstanding engineers across the state. The award has been given every year since 1985, and Millner is the second engineer from Edina to receive the prestigious
award. Fran Hoffman, former City Engineer & Public Works Director, received it in 1997.
Millner was recognized not only for his technical engineering skills, but also for the leadership and commitment he brings to serving the Edina community through engineering projects.
“We had multiple nominations this year, which was a wonderful problem to have, and Chad really rose to the top, given his involvement with CEAM and his dedication to the profession.
He is one of those folks who, when we call for volunteers to serve on a committee or task force, Chad has often responded,” said Mark Duchene, Director of Engineering for the City of
Faribault and current CEAM President. “The work documented that was submitted for his work at Edina really showed his commitment—to not only the profession, but his community and his
staff.”
Millner has worked for the City of Edina for almost 13 years, including the past 11 years in his current Engineering Director role and previously as Assistant City Engineer. Before joining
the City, he spent close to 12 years at Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., specializing in the areas of surveying, construction and project management.
As Engineering Director, Millner leads 27 employees in the Engineering Department, which oversees the planning, design, management and construction of the City's infrastructure, including
streets, storm, sanitary, water, street lighting and facilities with a focus on sustainability. This provides core transportation, sanitation and clean water services as well as safe
facilities and sustainability initiatives to residents and businesses. Covering Edina’s approximately 16 square miles and serving its population of 53,494, his work includes capital
improvement, construction and neighborhood reconstruction projects ranging from $15-45 million per year.
“Chad really has a very important job in the community because the community depends on the infrastructure that Chad has designed and built in this town. He’s in the community, he’s
talking to people, he’s listening to what people say about where they live and really calculating that into the engineering design and principles he uses for all the infrastructure
projects he’s been involved in,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “He understands that it’s got to be beneficial to people in whatever project he is working on or it’s just not going to
work for him, and I have a high degree of respect for that.”
A testament to his commitment not only to the public but also to his own staff, Millner
was awarded the City’s 2023 IQS Leadership Award for Integrity. Millner was
nominated by his colleagues and chosen for the award because of his ability to
effectively provide oversight and direction within the Engineering Department while
embodying the City’s standards of Integrity, Quality and Service. An IQS Leadership
Award is the highest internal honor an Edina employee can receive, with only three given each year.
“Chad has served as the Director of Engineering for the City of Edina for almost 13 years, and during that time, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, technical expertise
and a deep commitment to public service,” wrote Edina Mayor Jim Hovland in a letter of recommendation for the award. “Chad is a highly motivated and dedicated individual who is passionate
about improving the City of Edina. I am confident he will continue to make significant contributions to the Edina community, the larger Twin Cities region, and the engineering profession
throughout the rest of his career.”
Millner holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, along with a master’s degree. He has been licensed as a professional engineer for approximately 20 years. In addition to his involvement
with CEAM, Millner is an active member of the American Public Works Association (APWA) Minnesota Chapter. He has served as an Awards Committee Member and as a teacher for both its Public
Works Certificate Course and the Underground Utilities Construction Inspectors School.
At the CEAM conference, in addition to Millner’s City Engineer of the Year award, Edina also earned an honorable mention project award in the non-transportation category for the Morningside
Flood Infrastructure Project.
Other awards recently received by the Edina Engineering Department include co-winner in the “Environmental” category for the Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project and honorable mention
in the “Transportation” category for the Blake Road Reconstruction Project, both given by the APWA Minnesota Chapter in November 2024 at its conference.
For more information, contact the Edina Engineering Department at 952-826-0371 or visit EdinaMN.gov/Engineering.
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