People/Awards

Steve Hoambrecker was named the waste management director for the City of Waterloo, Iowa.

Isaac Garcia was named plant director of the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ruidoso, New Mexico. He had been chief plant operator since 2009. He replaces Bobby Snowden, who retired.

The Town of Davie (Florida) Water Reclamation Facility received the 2016 David W. York Water Reuse Award from the Florida Water Environment Association in the 1 to 5 mgd category.

Scottsdale Water’s Gainey Ranch Wastewater Treatment Facility and wastewater collections team each received an Award of Honor from the Arizona Water Association for operating more than one year without losing any work time due to injury.

Brian Stacy, county engineer for Pierce County, Washington, was named president of the National Association of County Engineers. He has served as county engineer since 2004, and his area of responsibility includes the wastewater treatment plants. Stacy began his career at Pierce County in 1990 with the sewer utility, where he served as the wastewater utility manager from 1998-2004.

As part of the Severn Trent North America team, Derek Albertson was hired as operations manager for operation and maintenance of the 30 mgd Bridgeport (Connecticut) West Water Pollution Control Facility.

Clearas Water Recovery added Dr. Art Umble, wastewater practice leader, Americas Region for MWH Global, to its board of directors.

The Northeast Water Reclamation Facility in Rex received the Wastewater Plant of the Year award for plants treating 6 to 9.9 mgd from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. It’s the facility’s ninth Plant of the Year award since 1989.

Dan McElhatten retired as pretreatment coordinator at the City of Tiffin, Ohio, and senior environmental project manager for BoJhun Environmental Services of Fostoria, Ohio.

George “Kenny” Niblett Jr., director of Public Works in Millsboro, Delaware, won the 2016 Chesapeake Water Environment Association Utility Manager Award for 2016.

Chris Tyhurst retired in July after 38 years working for the water treatment systems in Montague, California.

Josh McNitt was hired as wastewater manager in Dixon, Illinois. He will oversee 80 miles of sewers and the 3 mgd wastewater treatment plant.

Adam Bourassa was hired as the water services manager for the City of St. Cloud, Minnesota.

The Monroe County (New York) Water Authority was rated highest in customer satisfaction in the Northeast and received the J.D. Power Award. The first-of-its-kind survey rated the 84 largest water utilities from all over the country.

The Environmental Operators Certification Program hired Kalpna Solanki as executive director.

Carolyn Fankell, water treatment employee in Xenia, Ohio, retired in May after 16 years of service. Her duties ranged from laboratory functions to industrial and landfill monitoring.

The City of Winder and operator ESG Operations received Gold and Platinum awards from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals to recognize exceptional performance.

Ten Nevada Irrigation District employees were recognized for service:

• 25 years: Bob MacDonald, raw water maintenance superintendent
• 20 years: Monica Reyes, customer account administrator
• 15 years: Aha Howard, accounting administrator; Robert Jordan, utility worker; and Barry Scicluna, engineering technician
• 10 years: Philip Goguen, electrical systems superintendent; Kenneth Bartsch, equipment operator; John Foppiano, water distribution operator; Nathan Allen, operations technician; and Pamela Robinson, management assistant

Richard Hodge, water and sewer maintenance superintendent for Canton, was named Operator of the Month for May by the North Carolina Water Operator’s Association. Mark Jones, chief filter plant operator, was named 2015 Filter Plant Operator of the Year.

The City of Elmhurst (Illinois) Wastewater Treatment Plant received the Clean Water Award from The Conservation Foundation.

The Crosstown Water Treatment Plant and the South Fayette Water Treatment Plant in Fayette County received the Gold Award from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals for meeting all treatment guidelines. The water system also won the Best Tasting Water Award for the state’s District 3.

The Richmond Lake Sanitary District Wastewater Treatment System received the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources Award for outstanding operation environmental compliance.

The Clayton County Water Authority received the STREAM Award from the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District for constructed wetlands. The Panhandle Constructed Wetlands System and the E.L. Huie Jr. Constructed Treatment Wetlands provide polishing treatment for the water.

Padre Dam Municipal Water District in California received a Bronze Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America, an Award of Distinction from the California Association of Public Information Officials, and a Platinum Hermes Creative Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals for its video, “Water, Too Good to Waste.”

The Grand Rapids Public Utility Commission received a 2015 Wastewater Treatment Facility Operational Award from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Tidewater Utilities Southern Sussex District operators were recognized for outstanding teamwork and cooperation at the Delaware Technical Community College Water and Wastewater Professionals Annual Award Ceremony. The team was commended for upgrades at the Southern Shores Water Treatment Plant. The team also received the 2015 Best Tasting Water Award from the Delaware Rural Water Association.

TPO welcomes your contributions to this listing. To recognize members of your team, please send notices of new hires, promotions, service milestones, certifications or achievements to editor@tpomag.com.

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Events

Aug. 30-Sept. 1 Kansas Water Environment Association and AWWA-Kansas Section Joint Annual Conference, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Topeka. Visit www.kwea.net.

Sept. 8 Florida Water Environment Association Southwest Florida Water and Wastewater Exposition, Harborside Event Center, Fort Myers. Visit www.fwea.org.

Sept. 11-14 Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association-Rocky Mountain Section AWWA Annual Conference, Keystone, Colorado. Visit www.rmwea.org.

Sept. 12 New England Water Environment Association Collection Systems Conference, Holiday Inn, Boxborough, Massachusetts. Visit www.newea.org.

Sept. 12-15 Virginia Water Environment Association and Virginia Section AWWA WaterJAM 2016, Virginia Beach Convention Center. Visit www.vwea.org or www.vaawwa.org.

Sept. 13 New York Water Environment Association Watershed Science and Technical Conference, Diamond Mills Hotel, Saugerties. Visit www.nywea.org.

Sept. 13-16 Michigan Section AWWA Annual Conference, Harbor Springs. Visit www.mi-water.org.

Sept. 13-16 Ohio Section AWWA Annual Conference, Cincinnati. Visit www.oawwa.org.

Sept. 14-16 Intermountain Section AWWA Annual Conference, St. George, Utah. Visit www.ims-awwa.org.

Sept. 14-16 Wisconsin Section AWWA Annual Conference, Madison. Visit www.wiawwa.org.

Sept. 14-16 South Dakota Section AWWA Annual Conference, Sioux Falls. Visit www.sdawwa.org.

Sept. 18-21 Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association Annual Conference, Delta Beausejour Hotel, Moncton, New Brunswick. Visit www.acwwa.ca.

Sept. 18-21 New England Section AWWA Annual Conference, Providence, Rhode Island. Visit www.newwa.org.

Sept. 20-23 Minnesota Section AWWA Annual Conference, Duluth. Visit www.mnawwa.org.

Sept. 24-28 Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. Visit www.weftec.org.