93RD

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Awards Program

TUESDAY, JUNE 26TH

, 2018

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Table of Contents FEDERATION AWARDS Arthur Sidney Bedell ............................................................................... 2 George W. Burke Jr. ................................................................................ 2 Laboratory Analyst Excellence ............................................................... 3 WEF Service Awards ............................................................................... 4 William D. Hatfield ................................................................................. 4

MWEA AWARDS Dan Wolz Clean Water Award for Environmental Excellence .............. 5 Collection System Professional of the Year ............................................ 5 Donald M. Pierce ..................................................................................... 6 Educational Professional of the Year...................................................... 6 Excellence in Service ............................................................................... 7 Executive Director ................................................................................... 8 Health and Safety ................................................................................ 8-9 Honorary Membership ....................................................................... 9-10 IPP Professional of the Year ................................................................... 11 James R. Rumsey .............................................................................. 11-12 Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award ..................................................... 12 Loring F. Oeming ................................................................................... 13 Maintenance Professional of the Year .................................................. 13 New Professional of the Year ................................................................ 14 Operations Professional of the Year ..................................................... 14 Outstanding Environmental Consultant ...............................................15 Outstanding Environmental Engineer ..................................................15 Outstanding Vendor Support ................................................................ 16 PK Sarda – Laboratory Professional of the Year ................................. 16 President’s Award ................................................................................... 17 Public Utility Management Professional of the Year ............................ 17 Regulatory Professional of the Year ..................................................... 18 Residuals Management Professional of the Year ................................ 18 Sustainable Energy ................................................................................ 19 Watershed Management Professional of the Year ............................... 20 Willard F. Shephard .............................................................................. 21

SELECT SOCIETY OF SANITARY SLUDGE SHOVELER INDUCTEES .... 22

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ..................................................................... 23

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FEDERATION AWARDS

ARTHUR SIDNEY BEDELL AWARD To acknowledge extraordinary personal service to the Member Associations; this award was established in 1948. Each Member Association is privileged to name one of its members to receive this award, which may be based on organizational leadership, administrative service, membership activity, stimulation of technical functions, or similar participation. The award is named for the second president of the Federation who exemplified its purpose by his long devotion and service to the New York Water Pollution Control Association.

Keith McCormack Keith is Vice President and Treasurer of Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. in Bloomfield Hills. He serves as Principal-in-Charge of the Process Engineering Department, IT and the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Departments. Keith has been with the company for 26 years and prior to that he was a Project Engineer with a firm in Indiana. Keith helped establish the MWEA/MDEQ Coordination Committee, was a primary supporter of the first Michigan Watershed Summit, is a member of the Governor’s Aquaculture Science Panel, and is an MWEA Past President. He has been a recipient of past MWEA honors including: Collection System Professional of the Year (2007), inducted to 5-S (2007), Honorary Member (2011), and the Executive Director Award (2016). He is a Professional Engineer in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. Keith and his wife Betsey have been married for over 40 years, and they have six children and three grandchildren. In his spare time, Keith enjoys fly fishing, deer hunting, music, and northern Michigan.

GEORGE W. BURKE JR. SAFETY AWARD This award recognizes a municipal or industrial wastewater facility for establishing and maintaining an active and effective safety program. This award was established in 1982 in honor of George W. Burke, Jr., for his many years of service to both the water environment field and WEF as staff manager of technical services. Mr. Burke was instrumental in developing WEF’s annual safety survey and assisting in the production of several safety training aids and promotional packets.

Benton Harbor – St. Joseph Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant The Benton Harbor – St. Joseph Wastewater Treatment Plant is located in southwestern Michigan and is designed to treat 15.3 million gallons of wastewater per day. The Joint Plant employs one part-time and 18 full-time employees. Providing a safe workplace

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with opportunities for personal growth is a top priority of plant management. The Joint Plant promotes and maintains an active and aggressive safety campaign and encourages employee involvement through its safety committee and continual efforts to improve an already excellent, safe work environment for all employees. One example of this effort is a monthly walkthrough of the facility by a member of the plant’s employee union and plant management. The purpose of the walkthrough is to identify and correct any housekeeping or plant conditions that could be detrimental to a safe work environment. The Joint Plant management’s philosophy is that a neat, orderly facility results in a safe working environment for all employees. This also instills employee pride and a belief that a clean workplace is a safe workplace. The Joint Plant has not experienced a lost time incident in over five years (1,907 days and counting), an exceptional feat considering the potential exposures present at a wastewater treatment plant that operates and is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Management and employees of the Benton Harbor – St. Joseph Wastewater Treatment Plant are proud of their health and safety program and its history, and they all hope to continue this trend for many years.

LABORATORY ANALYST EXCELLENCE AWARD The purpose of the Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award is to recognize individuals for their outstanding performance, professionalism and contributions to the water quality analysis profession.

Wendy Schultz Wendy is the Environmental Laboratory Supervisor with the City of Ann Arbor with over 17 years of experience in environmental, water and wastewater laboratory settings. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Wendy is a member of WEF, the AWWA Lab Practices Council, was on the 2017 Borchardt Conference Planning Committee and is the current chair of the MWEA Lab Practices Committee. Wendy was the recipient of the Extraordinary Partner Stewardship Award in May 2017 from the Huron River Watershed Council. She fosters dogs for Last Day Dog Rescue and enjoys reading, gardening and upcycling.

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WEF SERVICE AWARDS This Award recognizes outstanding work by retiring directors on the Board of Directors.

Cheryl Vosburg, President

Harry Price, Association Director

WILLIAM D. HATFIELD AWARD The Purpose of the Hatfield Award is to recognize members who are operators of wastewater treatment plants and are doing an outstanding job in performance of their duties, as well as demonstrating distinguished professionalism. The aspects of plant operation on which the award is based serve these purposes:

• Encourage better public relations between the plant operator and the public. • Recognize outstanding reports, which serve the requirements of the operator’s superior officials and provide a basis for recommendations by the operator for improvement in plant operation for better efficiency of treatment and economy operation. • Recognize businesslike accounting of expenditures of funds and care of treatment plant accessories entrusted to the operator. • Advancement of the art and knowledge of wastewater treatment by dissemination to other engineers and operators the basic information and data concerning a particular plant and process through papers, articles, meetings and reports.

Brian Ross Brian Ross has been a member of the Michigan Water Environment Association since 1981. He has served on numerous Committees and in several different capacities as a Board Member for the past 11 years. Currently, he is finishing out his term as Past President.

Brian is the Senior Assistant Director for the Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services. He has responsibility for the District #3 & #7 Water Resource Recovery Facilities and the newly constructed Water Treatment Plant located in Columbiaville, MI. Brian has his Class A Wastewater certification. He holds the F-3, D-1 and S-1 Drinking Water Certifications and over 20 Industrial certifications.

Brian has been employed and actively involved in the utility service sector for 40 years. He has served in leadership roles in both state and local government for many years. He currently serves as a Board Commissioner for the Lansing Board of Water & Light, Chair of the Clinton County Department of Public Works and of the Southern Clinton County Municipal Utilities Authority. He is an elected official – serving DeWitt Township as a Trustee for over 12 year. He also serves as Secretary of the Next Michigan Development Corporation, a joint Economic Development Board with the City of Lansing and Chairs the MDEQ Municipal Operators Certification Board.

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MWEA AWARDS

DAN WOLZ CLEAN WATER AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

EXCELLENCE The Environmental Distinction Award is the highest honor given by the MWEA. It is awarded to acknowledge a person of chief prominence in the water environment field. This award is reserved for recipients of admirable character who have demonstrated exemplary service to the MWEA and have made distinctive contributions to the water environment field.

Brian Ross Brian Ross has been a member of the Michigan Water Environment Association since 1981. He has served on numerous Committees and in several different capacities as a Board Member for the past 11 years. Currently, he is finishing out his term as Past President.

Brian is the Senior Assistant Director for the Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services. He has responsibility for the District #3 & #7 Water Resource Recovery Facilities and the newly constructed Water Treatment Plant located in Columbiaville, MI. Brian has his Class A Wastewater certification. He holds the F-3, D-1 and S-1 Drinking Water Certifications and over 20 Industrial certifications.

Brian has been employed and actively involved in the utility service sector for 40 years. He has served in leadership roles in both state and local government for many years. He currently serves as a Board Commissioner for the Lansing Board of Water & Light, Chair of the Clinton County Department of Public Works and of the Southern Clinton County Municipal Utilities Authority. He is an elected official – serving DeWitt Township as a Trustee for over 12 year. He also serves as Secretary of the Next Michigan Development Corporation, a joint Economic Development Board with the City of Lansing and Chairs the MDEQ Municipal Operators Certification Board.

COLLECTION SYSTEM PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR This award is given to a worthy individual who, working on a day-to-day basis in collections, has displayed remarkable dedication to an employer and to the MWEA, excelled professionally, and publicly promoted the water environment profession.

Lori Lloyd For seven years, Lori has been a Civil Engineer with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber in Grand Rapids. She is responsible for infiltration/inflow studies, including flow monitoring and modeling of storm and wastewater collection systems, design of public and

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private clients and assest management assessments for municipal clients. Lori received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan. She is a Professional Engineer in Michigan & Ohio, a LEED Accredited Professional and an Associate Water Asset Management Professional. Lori serves as Vice Chair of the MWEA Collections Committee. She and her husband, Brandon, have a daughter, Alayna and two dogs, Finley and Paxton. She enjoys reading & traveling. This year they are planning a trip to Banff & Jasper National Parks and Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada.

DONALD M. PIERCE This award is given to a municipal plant operator. It is presented each year to a worthy recipient who has demonstrated the ability to do an outstanding job at a municipal facility by producing a good effluent from a clean, orderly plant while interacting with his employees and other operators for the betterment of the profession.

Debbie Pellow Debbie is recently retired from the Ishpeming Area Joint Wastewater Facility where she served as director for 20 years, overseeing facility operations and financial planning. Previously, she worked for Tilden Township as Treasurer (12 years) and Supervisor (4 years) and served as the Marquette County Commissioner for 10 years. Debbie holds a Class D Wastewater License and is a member of MWEA, WEF, MTA and MAC. She has been recognized as Marquette County Official of the Year, and has held various leadership positions in the Marquette County Township Association, Michigan Township Association, MWEA Local Section 21, Landbank Authority, and Marquette County Solid Waste Authority. She and her husband, Jack, have two daughters, Leeann & Danielle and a son, Jordan. Debbie enjoys crocheting, sewing, camping, fishing, gardening, canning, making wine, and spending time with her grandchildren, Jolena, Daliah & London.

EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR This award is given to recognize an individual or organization for their efforts in promoting activities and professionalism in water resource education.

Independence Township Public Works Department Beginning in 2016, David McKee, Township Director, and several DPW staff with the help of the Clinton River Watershed Council, Independence Television, and their stormwater consultant, spearheaded an environmental education video series titled, “Water Is Worth It: An Independence Township Perspective.” There have been 3 videos produced to date and an additional 3 are

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currently under development. These videos provide useful information on watersheds, stormwater management, drinking water, invasive species management, lakefront property management for water quality, household hazardous wastes, and what you can do to protect water quality. Two of the three produced videos have already garnered a WEF Filmmaker and Communicator Award. In addition, their Annual Water Quality Report was recently revamped to provide helpful stormwater and drinking water information for its residents. The Township is leading by example, by controlling Phragmites on their Township-owned properties, and performing good housekeeping practices at their DPW Facility.

EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE AWARD This award is given to acknowledge extraordinary personal service to the Association, this award will be presented annually to a member of the Association who is not involved in a leadership role but who has been very active behind the scenes to further the goals and the vision of the Association. The recipient shall be a person who has contributed significantly to the Association.

Pete Cavagnaro Pete is a Project Development Consultant with Johnson Controls at their Ann Arbor location where he provides guidance and direction on energy conservation projects and identifies savings opportunities at wastewater treatment plants. Prior to that, he was a Senior Engineer with Tetra Tech for 11 years. Pete is a Professional Engineer in Michigan, Colorado, California, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. He is a member of WEF, MWEA, ASCE, and AAEE. Pete has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston, and his M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Pete helped found the MWEA Sustainable Energy Committee and helped write the MDEQ & MWEA Utilities of the Future Initiative. He is a recipient of the MWEA President’s Award and is a Life Member of WEF, ASCE and AAEE. Pete resides in Ann Arbor with his wife of 45 years, Christine, and has three children, Marie, Matthew and Mark, and three grandchildren.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AWARD This award is given to acknowledge extraordinary personal service to the Association, this award may be presented annually by the MWEA Executive Director to a member of the Association who may or may not be directly involved in a leadership role. They will have made personal substantial and significant contributions well above and beyond any reasonable expectations and will have done so in a manner that may or may not be observable by the rank and file membership of MWEA.

David Connors Dave is a Sales Engineer with Waterworks Systems and Equipment in Lakeland, where he proposes equipment solutions, is responsible for start-up and servicing equipment, and provides employee training. Prior to working at Waterworks Systems, Dave was a service technician with Duperon for seven years. He has a Michigan Class A Wastewater Treatment Operator License and an Illinois Class A Water Operator certification. Dave was in the United States Air Force and earned the Air Force Achievement Medal three times. He attended the Community College of the Air Force and Delta College, where he has also been an instructor in their Water Environmental Technology Program. Dave has been in the industry for 29 years and is the lead instructor for MWEA. He has been the recipient of the MWEA Excellence in Service and Outstanding Vendor Support awards. Dave has three children, Haley, Forrest, and Hannah, and he tries to play softball, ski and ride his dirt bike as often as he can in his free time.

HEALTH & SAFETY AWARD IN A LARGE FACILITY This award is given in recognition of the commitment to health and safety in a large municipal wastewater treatment facility, as evidenced by an effective, well established and documented Health & Safety Program and the management and staff team who support, promote and cooperate in achieving the goal of a safe work environment.

Holland Area Water Reclamation Facility The Holland Area Water Reclamation Facility is a 12 million gallon per day treatment facility serving the Greater Holland Area since 1927. The facility is divided into two separate secondary treatment processes by the main northbound road that runs through the city. The two secondary processes, known as the East and West Plants, employ different technologies but both utilize high purity oxygen activated sludge for treatment. Solids generated at the plant are disposed of through a combination of liquid land application and landfill disposal of dewatered sludge. The facility is staffed by 19 dedicated staff members who do an outstanding job of assuring the safe, efficient operation and maintenance of the facility.

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HEALTH & SAFETY AWARD IN A SMALL FACILITY This award is given in recognition of the commitment to health and safety in a small municipal wastewater treatment facility, as evidenced by an effective, well established and documented Health & Safety Program and the management and staff team who support, promote and cooperate in achieving the goal of a safe work environment.

Butman Township WWSL Butman Township lies in the middle of West Branch to the north and Gladwin to the south. On the collection side there are 19 wet well and can stations, 75 miles of main and gravity line and 383 manholes. Two of the forcemains are located underLake Lancer. In past years Butman had experienced many power outages with only 1 portable generator and 3 on site generators. Since that time 5 additional onsite generators have been purchased. These on site generators were installed at stations that have a high flow and infiltration. In addition to the generators, Butman Township also has a Vactor waste truck and a trailer-mounted Television camera. They can be used alone or together. The employees and the Vactor cleaned the entire collection system in 2006, identifying trouble spots later on using the television camera. All of this work has been completed without an injury or accident since 2006. Suez’s safety program is top notch; all employees attend a weekly tailgate session discussing various safety topics and have the proper PPE for every job. Each task is different so an inventory of safety PPE for employees is conducted to ensure all have the proper safety PPE. There are some safety lessons that can only be administered by a licensed Trainer. Suez has highly trained administrative managers that put together the safety talks, inspection paperwork and safety inspection, whether on the job site or at the Plant Manager’s office. Suez employees at Butman Township work closely with the Township as partners in safety and operations.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP This award is given in recognition of a person who has proven their preeminence in the fields of activity encompassed by Association objects and who has made exceptional contributions to the Association.

Jim King Jim is retired after 32 years with the City of Mason, most recently as their POTW Superintendent for 8 years. He was responsible for overseeing plant operations, ensuring compliance with all NPDES Permit requirements, and completing all Federal and State reports.

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He was also responsible for completing and administrating the POTW annual budget, interfacing with Federal, State, and local governments as needed, attending public forums, and giving tours to various groups and individuals. Jim has also served 4 years Active duty in the U.S. Navy and 26 years with the U.S. Navy Reserve. He was classified as the U.S. Navy’s Wastewater Operations Expert for 4 years while serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve. A few of the places he has consulted on plant operations and trained operators for the Navy include U.S. Naval Base La Maddelina, Italy, Naval Air Stations I & II Sigonela, Sicily, and U.S. Naval Base, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Jim is a member of MWEA, WEF, and a Life Member of both the VFW Post 7309 and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. He was inducted into 5-S in 2012, and was an integral part of the MWEA Basic Training program, from inception to completion, and also as an instructor. Jim and his wife, Maria, have two sons, Wilton and Charles, and he enjoys hunting, fishing, and woodworking.

Mike Lunn Mike is with the City of Grand Rapids, as their Environmental Services Manager. Under his leadership, the City of Grand Rapids is to become the first Utility of the Future designated by WEF, NACWA, EPA, WERF and WaterReuse. Prior to working with Grand Rapids, Mike was the Assistant Water Pollution Control Facility Superintendent for the City of Flint, assuring the proper maintenance and repair of the process control systems at the wastewater treatment plant and lift & metering stations. Mike is a Class A Wastewater Operator and is the previous winner of the WEF William D. Hatfield Award (2013), the MWEA James R. Rumsey Award (2007), and the Carol Van Andel Angel of Excellence Award given by the Van Andel Institute (2017). Mike is also a member of the NACWA, AWWA, SWAN, WERF, Polish Falcons, VFW, Knights of Colombus, APWA and the ADA Planning Commission. He enjoys golf & fishing and is passionate about developing Grand Rapids into a “Smart City.” Mike and his wife, Suzanne, have two children, Matthew and Michelle. After Michelle lost her battle with Leukemia, they founded the Michelle Lunn Hope Foundation to raise money for Blood Cancer Research and patient support.

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IPP PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR This award is given to a worthy individual who, working on a day-to-day basis in the Industrial Pretreatment Program, has displayed remarkable dedication to an employer and to the MWEA, excelled professionally, and publicly promoted the water environment profession.

Eric Imbault Eric is the Envionmental Compliance Manager for the Muskegon County Wastewater Management System, where he is responsible for implementing the Industrial Pretreatment Program and a Hauled Waste Program. He has been in his current position for six years, but with the Muskegon County now for 19 years. Previously, Eric worked to control the sea lamprey polulations in the Great Lakes as a Biological Technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He is a member of MWEA, the current Chair of the MWEA IPP Committee and previously held the position of Vice Chair. Eric earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Grand Valley State University. He enjoys spending time with his 15 year old son, riding his motorcycle, and spending time at his cabin in Southeast Kentucky.

JAMES R. RUMSEY AWARD Awarded to the author(s) of the best paper describing work in the water environment field. The paper is to be of such quality as to merit recognition and must have been presented at the previous annual meeting of the Association or Federation or published in an Association or Federation publication during the preceding year.

Christopher Conn Christopher is an Environmental Quality Specialist for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in the Water Resources Division. He is the Contested Case Hearing Coordinator for Water Resource Division and works in the water quality and resource protection program. Christopher earned a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Environmental Law and Policy from Michigan State University. He and his wife, Sarah, have one son, Clyde. Christopher enjoys hiking, fishing and playing guitar in his spare time. Christopher is receiving the James R. Rumsey Award with Brian Hannon and Peter Cavagnaro for their presentation “Michigan Water Resource Utilities of the Future” at the 92nd Annual MWEA Conference. Brian Hannon Brian is Vice President at Moore & Bruggink specializing in business development, overseeing wastewater and process engineering projects, and mentoring employees. He has been with Moore & Bruggink for nine years now. Prior to that he served as Reliability Center Coordinator for Flint Hills Resources (Oil

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Refinery). Brian received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration from the University of Kansas, and is a Professional Engineer with a Class B Wastewater Operator Certification. He has also received the MWEA New Professional of the Year and MSPE Young Engineer of the year. He served on the MWEA Board of Directors for four years, including a term as President. Brian and his wife Mary have two sons, Luke and Noah, and a crazy dog named Gus. He enjoys hunting, golfing and reading. Brian is receiving the James R. Rumsey Award with Christopher Conn and Peter Cavagnaro for their presentation “Michigan Water Resource Utilities of the Future” at the 92nd Annual MWEA Conference. Peter Cavagnaro Peter is a Project Development Consultant with Johnson Controls at their Ann Arbor location where he provides guidance and direction on energy conservation projects and identifies savings opportunities at wastewater treatment plants. Prior to that, he was a Senior Engineer with Tetra Tech for 11 years. Pete is a Professional Engineer in MI, CO, CA, TX, OH, and IL. He is a member of WEF, MWEA, ASCE, and AAEE. Pete has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston, and his M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Pete helped found the MWEA Sustainable Energy Committee and helped write the MDEQ & MWEA Utilities of the Future Initiative. He is a recipient of the MWEA President’s Award and is a Life Member of WEF, ASCE and AAEE. Pete resides in Ann Arbor with his wife of 45 years, Christine, and has three children, Marie, Matthew and Mark, and three grandchildren. Peter is receiving the James R. Rumsey Award with Brian Hannon and Christopher Conn for their presentation “Michigan Water Resource Utilities of the Future” at the 92nd Annual MWEA Conference.

KENNETH J. MILLER FOUNDERS’ AWARD Established in 2001 by the Board of Directors of Water For People to honor outstanding volunteer service to this international humanitarian effort. Water For People was conceived in response to the water, sanitation and health needs of millions of families living in the developing world.

Jeff Johnston Jeff retired from the City of East Lansing WRRF after 33 years, serving 13 of those years as the Superindendent. He attended Central Michigan University and Mighigan State University to earn his BS degree and holds a Michigan Class A Wastewater License and several industrial certifications. Jeff is a 5-S member and is in the

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WEF Quarter Century Club. Previously, he has received the WEF Laboratory Analyst Excellence and William D. Hatfield Awards and the MWEA James R. Rumsey and Willard F. Shephard Awards. Jeff volunteers with a local nature center and Water For People and enjoys bycicling, traveling, attending music festivals, camping and MSU sports.

LORING F. OEMING This award is given to an industrial plant operator who has demonstrated the ability to do an outstanding job at an industrial facility by producing a good efffluent from a clean, orderly plant while interacting with employees and other operators for the betterment of the profession.

James Parkhurst James is a Maintenace Supervisor for Cintas in Grand Rapids. His duties include supervising maintenance staff and maintaining the 55,ooo square foot wash plant along with maintaining the building and grounds. Before joining Cintas, James was the Maintenance Supervisor for Wolverine Coil Spring in Grand Rapids for 10 years. He attended Grand Rapids Community College and is a Journeyman Electrician and a Licensed Boiler Operator. James and his wife have two sons, and he enjoys boating, traveling, farming and spending time with his family.

MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to a worthy individual who, working on a day-to-day basis in maintenance, has displayed remarkable dedication to an employer and to the MWEA, excelled professionally, and publicly promoted the water environment profession.

Roger DeYoung Roger is a Plant Maintenance Mechanic for Delhi Township DPW – POTW and is responsible for equipment maintenance and repair. Before joining Delhi Township 13 years ago, he worked with Wohlert Corporation in Lansing as a tool room machinist. Roger attended Lansing Community College and Calvin College and is a certified Journeyman Tool and Die Maker. He and his wife, Elle, have a son, Benjamin and daughter, LeeAnn. Roger enjoys golfing, watching sports, spending time with friends and family, and catching very large fish.

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NEW PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to recognize outstanding dedication and commitment to the objectives of the

Association by an individual who is relatively new to the water environment field.

Erin Szczegielniak Erin is a Senior Water and Wastewater Engineer with Fishbeck Thompson, Carr and Huber in Novi and has been with the firm for 10 years. Her responsibilities include project management, design engineering for wastewater treatment, sanitary pump stations and force main, vertical asset management and capitol improvement plans. Previously, Erin was a Staff Engineer with Stephens Consulting Services in Okemos. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science in Biostystems Engineering from Michigan State University and is a Professional Engineer. Erin is a member of MWEA and ASCE and enjoys reading, hand piecing quilts and nature walks with her husband, Mike and daughter, Emma.

OPERATIONS PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to an operator of a municipal wastewater treatment plant, working on a day-to-day basis in operations, who has displayed remarkable dedication to an employer and to MWEA, excelled professionally, consistently generated good quality effluent, and publicly promoted the profession of the wastewater treatment plant operator.

Sierra Brown Sierra is employed with Infrastructure Alternatives at the Haring Township Water and Wastewater Utilities. As Project Manager, Sierra oversees all aspects of the day-to-day plant operations, as well as managing projects in the surrounding areas. Before entering the Wastewater Industry, he worked in customer service and was the owner & operator of a pool company. Sierra earned his AAS in Water Resource Management from Bay College in Escanaba, MI and has his B Municipal Wastewater License, Industrial Wastewater Licenses A-1c, C-1c, & C-3b, and F-4, S-3 & D-2 Municipal Drinking water licenses. Sierra and his wife, Brandi, have two sons, Gibson and Ryker, and he enjoys music and fishing.

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OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Awarded to a worthy individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to an employer and to the MWEA, has excelled professionally, and has publicly promoted the water environment profession.

Jack Rafter Jack is a wastewater technical team leader with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. in the Grand Rapids office. He is an Associate with the firm and has the primary responsibilities of project management. Jack has been involved with assisting clients with regulatory compliance, planning, design, funding, construction and start-up of wastewater conveyance and treatment projects in the Great Lakes region for close to 40 years. Jack is a graduate of Marquette University, holds professional engineering licenses in several states, is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer, a member of MWEA’s 5-S Society, served on several MWEA committees, was awarded Outstanding Environmental Engineer in 2006 and served on the MWEA Board as WEF Delegate. Jack and his wife Kathy live in Rockford along with their son Patrick and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities.

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER Awarded to a worthy individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to an employer and to the MWEA, has excelled professionally, and has publicly promoted the water environment profession.

Jerald Thaler Jerald has over 30 years of experience as a consulting engineer, mainly in Michigan. Currently, he is a Senior Project Manager with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber. He has expertise in water & wastewater processing and wastewater treatment plant regulatory compliance, including NPDES Permit Negotiations, IPP Program Development, Compatible and Toxic Local Limits, Implementation of Special Alternative Limits (SALs), Surcharge Rate Evaluations, and Mercury Minimization Programs. Jerald has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University, an MS in Chemical Engineering & MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan/Ann Arbor.

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OUTSTANDING VENDOR SUPPORT Awarded to a worthy individual who has shown dedication to an employer and the MWEA through vendor support and has made contributions to the advancement and understanding of water environment issues.

Joseph Moore Joseph is President of DuBois-Cooper Associates and has been with the company for 12 years. He is honored to lead the DuBois-Cooper team, managing equipment sales and providing support. Prior to joining Dubois-Cooper, Joseph worked with Tetra Tech for 15 years in client support and project management. After earning a BA in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University, Joseph attended Wayne State University and received a Masters in Environmental Engineering. He is a Professional Enigineer and member of AWWA & MWEA. Joseph and his wife, Lisa, have three strong daughters, Marissa, Ashley, and Lauren. He enjoys spending time with them, hockey & golf.

PK SARDA – LABORATORY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to an analyst who has displayed remarkable dedication to an employer and to the MWEA, excelled professionally, consistently generated reliable data, and publicly promoted the profession of the laboratory analyst.

Eric Brubaker Eric is the Laboratory Supervisor for the City of Flint. He began his 23 years with City of Flint as a Laboratory Analyst advanced to Environmental Compliance Chemist before accepting his current role. His duties are to plan, organize, develop, direct, and administer programs for measuring, monitoring, and ensuring the quality control of wastewater testing. Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a minor in Chemistry from Lake Superior State University and is a member of MWEA and WEF. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Tammy and step-daughter, Hailee, as well as traveling, reading, computers and protecting the environment.

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PRESIDENT’S AWARD To acknowledge extraordinary contribution to or example of stewardship to protect, preserve and enhance Michigan’s water environment. Nominees put forth by the MWEA President for this award need not be members of MWEA. They could be an individual, group of individuals or an organization. They may have demonstrated exceptional creativity, public outreach, completion of an outstanding service project, sustained efforts and perseverance, or accomplished positive influence in area of regulation or legislation. The purpose of this award is to bring further attention to the great contribution and help the efforts and results become more widespread; leadership by example.

Gary and Linda DeKock Gary is retired from the City of Grand Rapids as the Wastewater Plant Supervisor. He managed plant operations and maintenance, holding a Class A Operator’s Licence as well as a Level IV Lab Analyst certification. Gary graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and is a member of the American Chemical Society in addition to MWEA. He has been recognized for his extensive contributions to the water environment and Water For People with awards including the Robert W. Hite, Arthur Sidney Bedell, WEF Laboratory Analyst Excellence, PK Sarda Lab Professional, Dan Wolz Clean Water, James R. Rumsey, Kenneth J. Miller, and WEF President’s Recognition. Gary is also a member of 5-S, and enjoys canoeing, kayaking and cycling. Linda is a retired counselor and was the owner of Rehab Resources - Consulting Options in Grand Rapids. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and devoted her time to vocational assessments, counseling, ergonomic assestments and expert testimony for clients. Linda earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Calvin College and her MA in Counseling and Personnel from Western Michigan University. She is involved with Water For People and has been the recipient of the Robert W. Hite, Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ and MWEA President’s Awards and the WEF President’s Recognition. Linda enjoys kayaking, canoeing and wildflowers. Gary & Linda have a daughter, Alisun, and son-in-law, Richard.

PUBLIC UTILITY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to a worthy individual who, has demonstrated outstanding dedication to an employer

and to the MWEA, has excelled professionally, and has publicly promoted the water environment

profession.

Joel Davenport Joel has worked with the Holland Board of Public Works for 10 years and recently became the Operations Director. Previously, Joel served as the Water Reclamation Facility Superindendent. His

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responsibilities include the overall management of operations, maintenance, planning and financial performance of the BPW’s Electrical Production, Water Treament and Water Reclamation departments. He worked as a Project Manager with OHM Engineering prior to joining Holland BPW. Joel is a graduate of Michigan State University, with a BS in Civil Engineering, is a Professional Engineer in Michigan and holds a Class B Wastewater License. He is a member of WEF, MWEA, AWWA and the American Public Power Association. Joel and his wife, Jenelle, have three daughters, Addison, Alaina and Aubrianna. He enjoys summers at the lake, spending time with family, reading, golfing, and carpentry.

REGULATORY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Recognizes an individual for their outstanding regulatory role in the protection of the water environment, and for fostering professional alliances to promote the need for effective water quality.

Charles Hill Charles is currently a Wastewater Engineering Specialist with the DEQ’s Marquette District Office. He serves as the statewide coordinator for the wastewater construction permit program and coordinates reviews of innovative treatment and technology. Previously he was a District Engineer in the Southest Michigan District for 12 years. Charles has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MS degree in Environmental Engineering from Wayne State University, and is a PE in Michigan. He has been married to Lisa for 13 years, and has two sons, Miles and Oscar. Charles enjoys spending time with family, coaching and playing soccer, snowboarding and outdoor activites.

RESIDUALS MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to a worthy individual who, working on a day-to-day basis in the treatment and disposal of residuals, has displayed remarkable dedication to an employer and to MWEA, excelled professionally, and publicly promoted the profession of the residuals management.

Mark Bowman Mark is the Plant Manager at Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority, and has been at the plant for 30 years. His duties include NPDES Permit Compliance, administering operations and maintenance activities, and developing the budget and capital improvement plans. He has been a wastewater operator for 40 years and is a member of the following WERF/LIFT Groups: High Quality Biosolids, Small Utilities, University-Utility Partnership, and Enhanced Anaerobic Digestion. Mark is a past chairman of the

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MWEA Local Section 21. He is married to his wife, Jane, and has two sons, Jake and Neil, and two step-children, Heidi and Jeff. Mark enjoys gardening and reading.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IN A LARGE FACILITY This award is given to recognize a large facility that has taken the initiative to start and maintain an ongoing program of continuous improvement to reduce the energy intensity and the cost of operating the wastewater treatment plant.

Benton Harbor-St. Joseph Joint Wastewater Plant The Benton Harbor-St. Joseph Joint Wastewater Plant has put numerous energy saving measures and processes into place over the past 10 years. Process Operators take daily meter readings and recordings which are reviewed daily by plant management, so action can be taken to make the most efficient use of energy. In 2015, a positive displacement blower was replaced with a Sulzer turbo-blower with magnetic bearings, resulting in significant energy savings. An incentive check in the amount of $49,223 was received from American Electric Power as a result. The Joint plant invested $804,000 in the project, which included automating controls. The Joint Plant also invested $1,063,000 to install two new dual fuel boilers to better utilize the methane gas produced in the anaerobic digestion process. With these projects, the Joint Plant has saved approximately $25,000 in electric costs and $60,000 in natural gas costs per year since implementation. Currently, the Joint Plant is investing $1,600,000 in aeration system improvements that include an additional turbo-blower and the installation of fine bubble membrane diffusers. Significant energy savings are expected from these improvements. Lastly, the Joint Plant has utilized its methane gas produced on-site to fuel two Waukesha 160 HP engines that drive the plant’s wastewater pumps in the influent pump stations since 1951. The Joint Plant’s Strategic Capital Improvement Plan includes feasibility and planning processes to install Combined Heat and Power units that are capable of utilizing the methane gas produced in the anaerobic digestion process. It is anticipated this work will take place in the next three to five years.

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WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Awarded to recognize an individual for their efforts in promoting activities and professionalism in watershed management and watershed protection issues.

Greg Kacvinsky Greg is a Senior Project Manager and Partner with OHM Advisors. He grew up in Wisconsin and received his Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1995, where he worked for two years before meeting and following his future wife to Michigan in 1997. While in Michigan, he worked for Ayres, Lewis, Norris & May (now Stantec) and completed his MBA at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2002. In 2002, Greg and his wife moved to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, where Greg worked in water resources consulting for clients in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota. Greg was happy to move back to Michigan in 2011 and has been working with OHM ever since. Greg’s experience focuses on water resources engineering, including stormwater, combined sewer, and wastewater collection systems throughout the Midwest. Greg’s recent focus has been Asset Management Planning and assisting communities with the development of new funding programs for stormwater systems. He is the incoming President of MWEA and is also on the Board of Directors for the Clinton River Watershed Council.

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WILLARD F. SHEPHARD AWARDS Recognized individuals who have completed 20 years of membership in the Association. The individuals listed for this award are well known for their association activities and excellence in performance.

Lester Chapman

David Christian, Tetra Tech

Robert Czachorski, OHM Advisors

Scott DeVries, City of Williamston

Jeff Dietlin, City of Cadillac

Donald Fraker, City of Grand Rapids

William Hogan, City of Trenton

Phil Kline, Kline’s Resort

Mary Long

Jayne Rauch, KAR Laboratories (now Pace Analytical)

Pamela Reid, City of Lapeer

Brian Rubel, Tetra Tech

Timothy Sikma, City of Wixom

Les Therrian, City of St. Louis

Clark Tibb, City of Ottowa

Lisa Wallick

John Willemin, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber

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5-S INDUCTEES

SELECT SOCIETY OF SANITARY SLUDGE SHOVELERS Our Michigan Water Environment Association 5-S Society was formed back in 1988, by a select group of men and women that saw the benefit in recognizing their fellow members for their commitment to our water environment industry, and their commitment to the Michigan Water Environment Association, in particular. One of the objectives of the Society is to Honor MWEA Members that have volunteered and provided “years, and years, and years, and years” of dedicated service for the betterment of MWEA, by serving on many and various MWEA & WEF Committees.

Chuck Bujega Chuck Bujega has been employed with JGM Valve Corporation, located in Commerce, Michigan since 2003. At JGM, Chuck represents the company in a Service Associate as well as in Sales. He works closely with Industrial and Municipal companies in the sale, start-up and servicing of pumps and valves. Chuck also works closely on several large projects from the beginning stages of specifications and quoting to the start up. Before coming to JGM, Chuck worked with the City of Detroit – Water and Sewerage Department, and has a total of over 43 years of experience in the Water/Wastewater Industry. Chuck has been a long time resident of Detroit, Michigan, were he raised 2 children. He is also the proud grandparent of 3 grandchildren. Chuck enjoys working on his “This Old House”, gardening and putzing around. In his spare time, Chuck enjoys boating, fishing and golf.

David Connors Dave is a Sales Engineer with Waterworks Systems and Equipment in Lakeland, where he proposes equipment solutions, is responsible for start-up and servicing equipment, and provides employee training. Prior to working at Waterworks Systems, Dave was a service technician with Duperon for seven years. He has a Michigan Class A Wastewater Treatment Operator License and an Illinois Class A Water Operator certification. Dave was in the United States Air Force and earned the Air Force Achievement Medal three times. He attended the Community College of the Air Force and Delta College, where he has also been an instructor in their Water Environmental Technology Program. Dave has been in the industry for 29 years and is the lead instructor for MWEA. He has been the recipient of the MWEA Excellence in Service and Outstanding Vendor Support awards. Dave has three children, Haley, Forrest, and Hannah, and he plays softball, ski and ride his dirt bike as often as he can in his free time.

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SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

JACK H. WAGNER SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to a current Michigan college student pursuing a course of study leading to a career in Operations for Wastewater Treatment.

Jessica Hauda, Michigan State University

JOHN P. HENNESSEY SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to a current Michigan college Undergrad or Graduate student pursuing a course of study leading to a career in Wastewater Treatment or in some other aspect of the water environment field

Mina Kukuk, Michigan Technological University

DALE & LYNN BENTLEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to a current Michigan college Undergrad or Graduate student pursuing a course of study leading to a career in Wastewater Treatment or in some other aspect of the water environment field

Christine Wood, Michigan Technological University WRRT FUTURE LEADER SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to a current wastewater operator looking to advance their career by planning to pursue either a Class B or Class A Michigan Wastewater Operators license.

Joshua Juhl, City of Wyoming

KELMAN & ASSOCIATES SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to a graduating high school senior who is a relative of a WEF or MWEA member still working in the profession. The recipient must have achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher and must plan on attending a school of higher education and training.

Ashleigh Blom, Davenport University

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2019 WEF / MWEA Award Nomination Form

I would like to nominate the following individual(s) for awards. (Please include a one page biography of the nominee as well as any other

additional supporting materials including specific reasons for the nomination)

Your Name: ___________________________________________________

Your Company/Municipality: ______________________________________

Your Address: _________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: _________________________________________________

Your Phone Number: ____________________________________________

Your Email Address: ____________________________________________

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Nominee: ____________________________________________________ Award Name: _________________________________________________ Why was this person nominated? (Please give as much information as

possible, including any stories or significant events): __________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Is the nominee an MWEA / WEF member? __________________________ Employer: ____________________________________________________ Location: _____________________________________________________ Title: ________________________________________________________ Duties, if known: _______________________________________________ Educational Background, if known: ________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Please fill out the form and mail to: MWEA, P.O. Box 397, Bath, MI 48808 or email to mwea@mi-wea.org

Form also available online at www.mi-wea.org

DEADLINE: 10/18/2018