The City of Concord named Troy Savage the 2025 Jo Atwater Continuous Core Values Award honoree. The award is the highest honor bestowed upon a City employee. Savage received the honor for his dedication and exemplary service to coworkers and the community.

City Manager Lloyd Payne presented the award to Savage during the Thursday, September 11, City Council Meeting.

"Troy exemplifies his care for others through his teamwork and by building trust with everyone he comes into contact with, and just like Jo Atwater he has shown a commitment to serving others in the community and has an abiding dedication to the City's core values," said Payne.

Savage is the Administration Manager for the Solid Waste Services Department. He manages a team of six coworkers, overseeing cart management and repairs and the department's customer service representatives. He also leads compliance education efforts to help residents recycle right and reduce waste. Savage's team is known for their exceptional customer service and regularly receives High Five recognitions from coworkers and residents across the city.

As a leader within the organization, Savage's influence and genuine care for others extends beyond his department. He is a mentor and role model to his coworkers, and he is committed to the personal, professional, and spiritual development of his peers.

Upon receiving the award, Savage reflected on words from his father, a retired Pentecostal pastor who regularly ended his sermons by saying "you can't serve God without serving humanity." Early in his life, Savage struggled to fully understand his father's meaning, but today those words serve as a model for how he approaches life and define his commitment to serving others and serving God.

"I don't get up every morning to win awards, I just get up to serve the community. This community has given to me and served me first, and I feel it is only right to give back," said Savage.

At the award presentation, Savage was joined by his family, including his wife April and their four kids and four grandkids, members of his church and small group, and his 5:30 a.m. workout group.

Savage is originally from Accomac, Virginia and has lived in Concord for the last ten years. He earned his bachelor's degree in business from Livingstone College and earned his Master of Public Administration degree from Regent University. Savage joined the City of Concord in 2017 as a Compliance Inspector. In 2023, he became a certified Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Collections Manager. He also recently completed the American Public Works Association's Emerging Leader's Academy.

Outside of work, Savage is an active member of his church, The Refuge, where he serves as an Elder and a small group leader. He previously volunteered as a coach at The Boys and Girls Club of Cabarrus County for many years and currently serves as an advisory member on the Members of the Corporation. In July 2024, he became a Guardian Ad Litem in Cabarrus County, serving as a sworn officer of the court advocating for children in the foster care system.

Background

The Jo Atwater Continuous Core Values Award was created in 2003 to annually recognize a City employee who embodies the City's core values of Accountability, Communication, and Teamwork, and who demonstrates an exceptional commitment to serving others. Jo Atwater was the City of Concord Human Resources Director and worked for the City from 1994 until her passing in 2004. She was the first recipient of the award that was named in her honor.