This piece is presented by Novak Sanitary Service.

Sandon Little thought he was just going to another staff meeting.

Little did he know, he was an item on the agenda.

“He’s an exceptional performer,” general manager Bob Novak said. “I don’t think he’s ever missed a day of work. His customers love him. He does a great job. He’s drama-free. You wish you had 10 more of him.”

Little, who joined Novak 10 years ago as a residential recycler driver, has a track record to back up that praise.

He has been accident- and injury-free for his entire career, and he has had no recordable Drive Cam events. Drive Cam cameras are installed in all Novak vehicles to monitor drivers and follow distance, speed, location and general driving habits.

“It’s rare,” Novak said. “We have half a dozen, maybe, who have been accident- and injury-free that long.”

And that’s why, at a staff meeting last month, Little left with one big thank-you.

“They presented me with the newest truck they had purchased,” he said.

The truck, valued at about $260,000, is “like getting a brand-new office,” Novak said.

While Little is still getting used to driving it, “it’s nice and brand new,” he said. “I was appreciative. It’s nice to be recognized for your work, no matter where you work.”

Little spent 11 years in a production plant before coming to Novak. It has been the right move, he said.

“I just like being outside. It’s pretty physically and mentally demanding. It keeps you on your toes.”

As for his perfect safety record, Little credits “just using the tools they give you and applying them to everyday driving,” while acknowledging “you have to be careful out there. You’re in a huge, giant missile if it gets away from you, so you have to be very cautious in a big truck like that.”

Safety is the company’s “No. 1 operating value,” Novak added. “We talk about it every day. So we’re happy to reward Sandon for living it every day.”