Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland's Public Service Director, Ramzi El-Gharib, Receives Life Membership Recognition from APWA

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland's Public Service Director, Ramzi El-Gharib, Receives Life Membership Recognition from APWA

Westland, MI (August 28, 2020) - The American Public Works Association (APWA) has awarded Westland's Public Service Director, Ramzi El-Gharib with a life membership award, in recognition of his 30 years of continuous membership with the APWA.

The American Public Works Association is a national organization with memberships in all 50 states and Canada. It promotes professional excellence through education, advocacy, and the exchange of knowledge. The APWA strives to increase competence, credibility, and influence of a growing community of diverse and committed public works leaders who serve as a centerpiece of every community to enhance health, productivity, and quality of life.

El-Gharib has served as Westland's Director of Public Service since July of 2014 and has worked for municipal governments for 33 years. He obtained a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from Wayne State University and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Michigan.

"Ramzi is well respected by his peers and has been an incredible asset to our team, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from his long municipal career," commented Westland Mayor William R. Wild. "Under his leadership, many Westland Public Works projects have been recognized and awarded "Project of the Year" by the APWA over the past 6 years."

For more information, please call the Mayor's Office at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.