This award recognizes an AAMVA member jurisdiction employee or other individual in motor vehicle administration whose primary function is directly associated with highway and traffic safety efforts and who has had a distinguished career in this arena. The individual can be currently active or retired. 

This award is presented at the international level. Award nominations are from a chief motor vehicle or chief law enforcement administrator only. In the event that the chief administrator is the nominee, the nomination can be submitted by a deputy administrator.

Each agency may submit only ONE nominee.

Criteria for selection:

• Extent of lifetime contributions and achievements
• Impact on roadway safety

2024 Winner

Firoz Mohamed

Director of Motor Vehicles

Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction

Firoz Mohamed is the Director of Motor Vehicles for Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. He has spent the bulk of his 44-year career in the administration of motor vehicles, starting at front counter in the early days, and wrapping up his career at the director level. Among his many accomplishments he has implemented the most secure driver’s license post 9-1-1 where Alberta became a trailblazer for facial recognition technology and security of identity. 

In 2005, he implemented a veteran’s license plate program and in 2006, he worked to update Alberta legislation to establish clarity surrounding residency requirements. In 2007, he implemented a program to assist members of the Armed Forces to simplify licensing in Alberta. He stewarded several natural disasters and found solutions to help impacted Albertans (Slave Lake fires, Fort McMurray fires, flooding in Southern Alberta, and most recently this last year where Alberta had record fires and evacuations). In 2014, he implemented Alberta’s specialty license plate program with the Support Our Troops Plate, and expanded it with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, selling more than 80,000 plates and generating over 4 million dollars in revenue for charitable organizations. In 2018, he implemented gender X on driver’s license and ID cards in collaboration with the vital statistics department ensuring alignment with birth certificates. In 2018 he wrapped up a successful 3-year business leadership role focused on re-platforming Alberta’s Motor Vehicles System. He has also taken a leadership role to support homeless Albertans in obtaining life changing identify documents. And in 2021, he implemented the elimination of validation tabs on license plates, saving the department millions.

It is clear to see the impact he has had on Alberta and Albertans over the years, but he has also held many roles within AAMVA. He first role was with AAMVA in 2004 on the Driver Licensing and Control Committee. Since then, he has taken on many roles within the organization to support motor vehicles administration, and he continues until this day with his involvement in the Joint Mobile Driver License Subcommittee, and the Card Design Standard Subcommittee. His past AAMVA committee work includes the Vehicle Standing Committee, the Driver Licensing and Control Steering Committee and he was a member of the MOVE Magazine editorial board. He has been an active participant in many conferences and workshops and in 2009 he was president of Region 4. That year's conference was held at the incredible Lake Louise is one that is still talked about to this day. He also held a position on the AAMVA International Board of Directors.

There is no one more passionate about the motor vehicle industry and AAMVA. He has been a great mentor and because of his passion, others on staff have gotten involved in AAMVA to continue the tradition of Alberta being an influential member in the AAMVA community.