MAY 2020 E-NEWSLETTER
SECTION AWARDS SPECIAL EDITION

PNWS-AWWA May 2020 Special Edition Video Introduction

 
SUBSECTION ADVISORY COUNCIL AWARDS
 
The purpose of the Subsection Activity Award is to honor individuals who have done an outstanding job promoting Subsection activities and provides an example of involved participation in the local Subsection and the water works industry.

Oregon - Mark McGuire, Eugene Water and Electric Board 
PNWS Involvement: Cascade To Coast Subsection Short School Committee Chair

Mark was elected in January 2018 as a Cascade To Coast Subsection Director, and appointed to provide leadership to the Short School Committee. Our Short School lost $8,600 in 2016 and lost $3,600 in 2017, but made $800 profit in 2018 and a whopping $12,500 in 2019 with Mark as Chair of the Short School Committee. We could barely cover our facility deposits, but with Mark's aggressive cost cutting (changing venues and using our own food vendors) and adding revenues (adjusting fees and adding sponsor options), we have bounced back!


Western Washington - Tim Wells, Spanaway Water Company
PNWS Involvement: South Sound Subsection Treasurer  

Tim has served as the treasurer of the South Sound Subsection since 2014. Over the past 5 ½ years, he has been a true quiet leader for the subsection. He is the person the keeps us financially on track. He has worked tirelessly over the past 2 years to develop a working budget for the subsection. In doing so, he has helped to make sure that we are living up to our fiduciary responsibility, not only to our subsection, but our section as well. He has helped us start down the path of creating a named scholarship through donating portions of our training fees to the E & T Fund. He has championed our support of the Children's Water Festival of Pierce County. Tim is also a huge part of our annual golf tournament that raises funds for local families in need by helping to combat homelessness by providing utility bill assistance. The tournament itself would not be as successful without his help. Tim brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the table. Tim has helped to train and foster new subsection board members as he has been a constant pillar of knowledge and dedication. He is truly a silent force working in the background. He is often the voice of reason when discussing difficult topics and is not afraid to speak up when he sees issues arise. He is the guy that can bring us back down to earth and keep up on track. 



Eastern Washington/Idaho - Maura Kegley
PNWS Involvement: Inland Empire Subsection Secretary/Treasurer;
Program Committee Vice Chair

Maura has served as the Inland Empire Subsection Secretary/Treasurer for 5 years. She has not simply filled a position on the board but has continued to push the board to achieve more. In that time there has not been a subsection activity that she has not been instrumental in the planning of. She has been the foundation of the subsection since joining and is the driving force in keeping us on
track. All events from the monthly board meetings, training events, Golf tournaments, No Water No Beer events, or the Truck Rodeo have not only been successful but have continually grown, in part due to her attention to detail and meticulous planning. Maura has remained the constant force of the subsection's board and with her help we have given more training, had larger events more often, and continued to grow the subsection's funds.

With all that Maura accomplishes for the AWWA it is all the more unbelievable when you realize that she is not employed in the water industry.  Maura is a true volunteer that appreciates the service we provide and wishes to be a part of it. All of the time she has given to AWWA has been on her own and with no employer support. She has given countless hours to the success of IESS and PNWS. She has attended several fall and winter trainings, served with the small systems committee, and as Vice Chair of the program committee. Her tireless efforts have been a great resource for the water community.

 
JOHN LECHNER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
 
An individual award of excellence to recognize a Section Service Provider Member who has demonstrated exemplary service to the drinking water community and to AWWA's Mission and goals.

Chris Young, Murraysmith 
PNWS Involvement:  Local Arrangements Committee Member; Program Committee Chair; Membership Engagement Committee Chair; PNWS Board of Trustees

Chris' enthusiastic commitment to the Section, water utilities and the people in our business are what makes him the natural choice for this years award. 

He has spent countless hours promoting AWWA and it's members through involvement at the subsection and section level. Chris is always focused on people and making the water business better for us all. 

Last years Pioneer Awardee has always been a mentor for his fellow Young Professionals. His energy and positive attitude are the ideal traits that future Lechner Awardees should aspire to. 

 
KENNETH J. MILLER
 
This award recognizes volunteers for their outstanding service and leadership in the advancement of the Water For People Mission.

Katie Dillon, HDR
PNWS Involvement: Philanthropy Advisory Council Vice Chair; 
Water For People Silent Auction Coordinator  

Katie has been our Water For People (WFP) silent auction coordinator for several years. She gives tirelessly of her time and resources. She is active in other WFP fundraisers throughout our Section. She has graciousl
y solicited her employers involvement for sponsor dollars and volunteer hours. Katie is a fundraising powerhouse. Give her any task and she excels. This past year she was asked to join the Philanthropy Advisory Council (PAC) as its vice chair and she gladly took it on even though her plate was already very full. Thanks to her help the new PAC is exceeding all expectations. She does all of this while supporting Water For People and working full time.

 
PIONEER AWARD
 
The Pioneer Award is presented annually to the young professional exemplifying the most outstanding leadership, technical expertise and dedication to community service. Young professionals can be individuals under the age of 35 or with less than 10 years experience in the industry.

Joanie Stultz, P.E.  Brown and Caldwell 
PNWS Involvement: Secretary King County Subsection;  Secretary PNWS Education and Training Endowment Fund;  Young Professional Committee

Joanie uses every event as an opportunity to include, and guide, other young professionals. She is proactive and makes sure to pass down her understanding of the task, situation and is always approachable. She is very active in her local subsection as its current secretary and this last year was appointed to the PNWS Education and Training Fund Board where she continues to show her passion for students by fundraising to provide scholarships for future water professionals. Additionally, Joanie is active in internal Brown and Caldwell groups such as Rising Professionals and their Green groups.

 
HEART AND SOUL
 
The Heart & Soul Award can be given by the Section chair in recognition of outstanding service and exceptional devotion by a member or organization in the activities of the PNWS. Dedication, leadership, and often times many hours of behind the scenes contributions contribute to the success of the Pacific Northwest Section.

Loren Searl, City of Spokane
PNWS Involvement: Training Coordination Committee Chair;
Subsection Advisory Council Vice Chair;  Past Inland Empire Subsection President;
Section Tapping Contest Coordinator  

Loren was chosen as this years Heart and Soul Award winner because of his dedication to the Section. He has been involved with AWWA for almost 25 years. He has been a member of the Training Coordination Committee for several years and worked very hard along with Jeff Lundt to provide the training in a box curriculum for the Section. He has also been instrumental in helping to provide the train the trainer courses at the last two Section Conferences. He is the current Vice Chair for the Subsection Advisory Council where he also serves as the tapping coordinator. He is currently involved with the veterans initiative an AWWA program designed to entice veterans into the water profession. Loren also give a number of hours to his local Inland Empire Subsection where he has served in numerous positions including president. A past Subsection Advisory Council awardee, Loren is very deserving of this years Heart and Soul Award for work behind the scenes contributing to the success of the Section. 

 
AWWA Operators Meritorious Service Award
 
AWWA's Operators Meritorious Service Award recognizes individuals at the Section level for outstanding service in treatment and distribution. Numerous criteria are looked at including:
  • continuous compliance with all public health standards in treating drinking water
  • consistent and outstanding contributions to plant maintenance
  • special efforts in training treatment plant operators
  • consistent and outstanding contributions to operation or maintenance of distribution lines, pump stations and reservoirs.

Dave Muto, Seattle Public Utilities
PNWS Involvement: Past Local Arrangements Committee member; Utility Management Committee member

Dave Muto's list of accomplishments over three decades of providing clean drinking water to tens of millions of people is extremely impressive. He has worked for some of the largest utilities in America including Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, East Bay Municipal Utility District and now Seattle Public Utilities where he has been since 1999. For the past 18 years Dave Muto has been the certified operator in charge of Seattle's regional transmission and distribution system operations. During his tenure he has been in the middle of a historic wave of construction of large infrastructure works. Dave has overseen the planning and execution of decommissioning activities, bypass and interim operation, and commissioning activities of a host of large CIP projects including:
  • Conversion of the SCADA system at more than 150 sites from tone telemetry to computerized controls.
  • Flow-testing, commissioning and integrating a new 180 MGD UV treatment facility (at the time, the world's largest) into the operation of the transmission system.
  • Replacement or covering of 6 large reservoirs, and retirement of 2 more reservoirs, impacting 70% of Seattle's finished water storage.
This is only a fraction of Dave's professional accomplishments. The list of major projects he has brought on line at Seattle is distinguished in part by the fact that many of them are once-in-a-century projects. His work will continue to influence water service for many years past his upcoming retirement. 

 
AWWA ABEL WOLMAN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
 
The Abel Wolman Award of Excellence recognizes those whose careers in the water works industry exemplify vision, creativity and excellent professional performance characteristic of Abel Wolman's long and productive career. The award is presented at ACE.

Bob Wubbena, P.E. Retired
PNWS Involvement: To numerous to list including Past Section Chair
AWWA Involvement: To numerous to list including Past AWWA President

In recognition of Robert's long and productive career in the water industry. His 46-years of service to the profession epitomizes the values, creativity and excellent professional performance. 

 
POWELL - LINDSAY
 
The award is presented to the member whose service to the section is representative of the extraordinary service of W. H. Powell and Alexander Lindsay. This is the highest award the Pacific Northwest Section presents.

Jeff Lundt, King County Solid Waste Division
PNWS Involvement: Vice Chair of the PNWS Education and Training Endowment Fund;  Training Coordination Committee Officer;
Northwest Washington Subsection Training Coordinator 

Jeff is a person who has demonstrated a huge amount of heart, passion and caring for the water industry and the people in it. His dedication and tireless efforts have: 
  • helped the Section maintain fiscal responsibility,
  • added to the section scholarship funds and
  • provided training for professionals in all areas of water
Jeff's efforts creating and coordinating training throughout the Section have benefiting thousands of individuals, ensuring operators and engineers understand and are informed of best practices, current trends, fundamental concepts, and new technologies.  

If training was Jeff's first passion his second is sound financial planning. As a past Budget Committee Chair, Jeff always made sure the section budget was kept in good shape, providing a focus on fiscal responsibility that was greatly appreciated.

In addition to Budget Committee Chair, Jeff has served on the Section Board of Trustees and now volunteers his time as the Vice Chair for the Education and Training Fund Endowment Board, Training Coordination Committee and as the Training Coordinator for the Northwest Washington Subsection. He is a past recipient of the Section's Heart and Soul award and Subsection Activity award as well as the Government Engineer of the Year by the Puget Sound Engineering Council.

 
GEORGE WARREN FULLER
 
George Warren Fuller Awards are presented annually by the American Water Works Association to the sections' respective selected members for their distinguished service to the water supply field in commemoration of the sound engineering skill...the brilliant diplomatic talent...and the constructive leadership which characterized the life of George Warren Fuller. This is the highest award that the American Water Works Association presents to its members. 

Kari Duncan, Lake Oswego/Tigard Partnership - 

Kari is a leader in the water utility business, committed to AWWA and the Pacific Northwest Section while balancing work with family. She has served in key water treatment operational roles, worked for improved water quality regulations and been a key team member in enhancing water system resiliency. 
 
Kari holds a  BS in Biology and Environmental Sciences from Willamette University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oregon. A portion of educational costs were supported by the Section through scholarships from our Education and Training Fund. She was the recipient of the:
  • 2003 Ameron International Academic Scholarship
  • 2004 Alan Jones Memorial Academic Scholarship
As a certified Treatment 4 and Distribution 3 Operator, Kari started her career at the Eugene Water and Electric Board's Hayden Bridge Water Treatment Plant. In 2005, she moved to the City of Lake Oswego to become their Water Treatment Plant Manager. There she played a key role as a team member on a complete plant rebuild and expansion to provide a seismically resilient water supply to the cities of Lake Oswego and Tigard. 
 
Involvement in AWWA has been at the subsection, section and association level. These include:
  • Cascade to Coast Subsection President and other leadership roles
  • NW Oregon Subsection Waterworks School Committee - 12 years
  • Subsection Advisory Council Officer (Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Oregon State Coordinator, Top Ops Coordinator) May 2004- May 2009
  • Section Board of Trustees
    • Section Board Chair
    • AWWA Board of Directors
  • AWWA Ozone Standards Committee Member: (2013-Present)
  • 2018 Powell Lindsay Award
Kari's professional commitment is only eclipsed by her commitment to family. Her husband Ken and her mother frequently attend Section events and meetings. Board meetings and conferences are often enlivened by the presence of her two wonderful sons, Kenny and Truman. Watching our recipient balance her family life, her professional life and her AWWA volunteer work benefit all of us who have the honor of knowing her and working with her.