Editorial: Mike Fera, Public Servant Of The Year
The Philadelphia Public Record started in 2002 to single out individuals who were obviously making changes and doing good things for their constituencies and the citizens of this City, calling their contributions to the attention of our readers by awarding each the meritorious and prestigious “Public Servant Of The Year” award.
Our staff, from the inception of this newspaper in 1999, quickly developed the knack of digging through news releases, readers’ comments, and the off-the-cuff and on-the-record remarks we pick up daily from the movers and shakers and from our hardworking and intelligent readership.
Each individual named has become a household word among Philadelphia families. That will be obvious to you as scan our list of awardees. They are, in the order of their awards starting in 2002, PHA Executive Director Carl R. Greene, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, former PPA Executive Director Joe Egan, City Commission Chairwoman Margaret Tartaglione, Congressman Bob Brady, State Rep. John Perzel, Carpenters Union head Ed Coryell, businessman Joe Vento, and now, Cement Masons Local 592 President Mike Fera.
The easiest way to describe Mike Fera is to tell our readers when one mentions his name, those within listening range immediately smile. Each will have a story to tell – a story that reflects his good heart, his steadfast loyalty, his honesty, and his willingness to donate his time and that of his family’s to good causes, beginning with the welfare of his loyal rank-and-file union members.
This issue is a tribute to Mike Fera for all those attributes and more. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to personalize into print the stories of those affected by the generosity of Mike Fera, his local, his members and his apprentices.
They all make up the Mike Fera Family … a lucky group, indeed.
