Sponsored by Water Conditioning & Purification International (WC&P) magazine
As part of our 50th ‘Golden Anniversary’ of service to the international POU/POE water treatment industry, WC&P is proud to announce its first annual Top 50 Awards, including the selected Person of the Year, for 2009.
We are also proud to associate this annual award program with a person who was instrumental in creating the idea, who served as a founding member of the Top 50 Committee. He embodied the spirit of that concept, the late William B. Fritzsche.
Fritzsche dedicated his personal and professional life to promote the best interests of the industry, and there can be no better standard for anyone present or future. It will now forever carry his name.
WC&P would also like to thank the additional Top 50 Committee members for their efforts and insights, including Margit Fotre of WQA, Rich Clack of Clack Corporation, Peter Cartwright of Cartwright Consulting Co. and Kurt Peterson of WC&P magazine.
So, what is a Top 50?
As you can see from those selected from the nearly 100 nominees by our readers and industry leaders, they are a diverse group of people covering all levels of participation and service to our industry. And narrowing the list to 50 was a tough task by the Committee; those who were not selected this year will be considered again for next year.
Corporate directors, organizational advocates, thought leaders, subject experts and front-line professionals all make up the 2009 Top 50.
Most importantly, they are people that we all should know, emulate and thank for their various degrees of service and dedication to our industry.
And, if you see someone who you think should have been on the list, make sure to take the time to nominate them next year!
PERSON OF THE YEAR
Mike Mecca, Director of Technical Services and Product Development, Performance Water Products Incorporated
Mecca is a man who wears many hats and wears them well. In his family corporation, he is responsible for new product design and dealer program initiatives focused on meeting the diverse needs of the water marketplace. He also serves as the current President of the Pacific Water Quality Association (PWQA).
Most importantly, over the past year he has been a leading vanguard on salinity and brine discharge issues in his home state of California that threaten the POU/POE industry around the globe.
Congratulations to Mike Mecca for being selected as the first recipient of the William B. Fritzsche Memorial Person of the Year Award!
Additional Top 50
Rick Andrew, Operations Manager, NSF Drinking Water Treatment Units Program
Leads the POE/POU systems and components certification program for National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International and is a regular columnist for WC&P magazine.
Gary Battenberg, Technical Director, Hague Quality Water International
With over 26 years experience in the field of domestic, commercial and high purity water treatment processes, Battenberg has worked in the areas of sales, service, design and manufacturing, utilizing filtration, ion exchange, UV sterilization, reverse osmosis and ozone technologies. He also serves as a contributing author for WC&P magazine as well as a Technical Review Committee member.
Peggy Blazek, Member Relations Manager, Water Quality Association
Interactive and popular ‘go to’ person for the manufacturer and dealer/distributor members of the international trade association.
James Boyt, CEO, James O’Malley Boyt & Co.
Communications professional and Executive Director of the Iowa Water Quality Association, he is the vanguard of chloride discharge issues in that state and nationally.
Ned Breslin, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Water for People
Leader of an organization that helps people in developing countries improve their quality of life by supporting the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities and health and hygiene education programs.
Peter Cartwright, President, Cartwright Consulting Co.
A specialist in both marketing and technical consulting in high-technology treatment processes for water purification, wastewater treatment and food/chemical processing applications. Cartwright also serves as a contributing author for WC&P magazine and a Technical Review Committee member.
Peter Censky, Executive Director, Water Quality Association
Leader and spokesperson for the international trade association representing manufacturers and dealers/distributors in the residential, commercial, industrial and small community water treatment industry.
Joyce Chai, student author/researcher, Stanford University
Recipient of the 2008 Stockholm Junior Water Prize for her leading research on the impact of nanosilver on the water industry.
Rich Clack, President, Clack Corporation
A dynamic and true leader in the development and enhancement of products to strengthen independent water dealer businesses.
Pat Dalee, Owner, DuPure International, Inc.
Life-long advocate for industry protection from government bans and regulations in the water softener arena. Member of the PWQA Hall of Fame.
Frank DeSilva, National Sales Manager-West Coast, ResinTech Inc.
A leading expert on ion exchange resin, activated carbon products and laboratory demineralizers and cartridges, DeSilva now serves as PWQA President-elect.
Dr. Menachem Elimelech, Professor, Yale University
Leading researcher of water, sanitation and public health in developing countries, focused on membrane separation for desalination and water quality control.
John ‘Sid’ Fly, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Hydro Source Systems, LLC/Turbidex
Leader in marketing of hyper-filtration media for industrial and potable water treatment systems.
Tony Frost, Chair, Aqua Europa
Heads this representative agency of European trade associations from the water sector supply base that market and serve the global marketplace. He works closely with the European Commission on water policy development and is also a member of the 2009-2010 WQA Board of Governors.
Robin Gledhill, President, Blue-White Industries, Inc.
Leader of pump and flow meter production company for high-tech industries requiring ultrapure water for manufacturing processes.
Jo Grace, Principal, RG & Associates, Inc. and former Executive Director, Texas Water Quality Association
Long-time, well respected regional leader in the water industry and marketplace.
Glenn Gruett, President, Water-Right, Inc.
Heads an innovative and dynamic manufacturing operation of highly effective water treatment solutions supporting an international network of wholesalers, distributors and water treatment professionals, including a growing international dealer base.
William R. Hague, Founder, Hague Water Quality International
Company founder and innovator of sophisticated new water treatment systems, Hague led the computer-aided design and development of a single, sophisticated, multi-compartment vessel configuration that reduced salt consumption decades before the industry became a regulatory target.
C.R. Hall—President/Owner, Hall’s Culligan Water
A successful dealer/distributor, he owns and operates 12 Culligan operations in five Midwestern US states.
Mike Hamberger, National Sales Manager, Water Right, Inc.
A consistent and reliable source for water products and information to customers, he possesses recognized experience and industry knowledge.
Richard Hanneman, President, The Salt Institute
Leader of the highly respected organization (founded in 1914 by leading global salt companies) whose mission is to promote the myriad benefits of salt to mankind.
Doug Haring, Vice President, Atlantic Filter Corporation
Key industry leader for the manufacturing and distribution of quality water treatment equipment for residential, commercial and institutional use.
Joe Harrison, Technical Director, Water Quality Association
The primary technical information source for the international trade association.
Jeff Hellenbrand, President Hellenbrand Inc.
Leading manufacturer of a wide range of products for the residential, commercial and industrial water treatment markets covering 20 states.
Rob Herman, Director of Drinking Water Treatment System Lab, NSF International
With 25 years of dedicated service in developing and refining test methods for POU/POE products, Herman’s knowledge and expertise in VOC, chloramines, arsenic, cyst and lead formation is unsurpassed in the industry.
Ivars Jaunakais, Founder, Chief Analytical Chemist and President, Industrial Test Systems
Led the development of safe, easy-to-use test kits centered around four key concepts of quality, simplicity, value and service.
Douglas ‘Sam’ Karge, Director of Global Marketing/VP/CMO at GE/Pentair Water
Instrumental in guiding the future of this globally diversified operating company serving the commercial, industrial, municipal and residential markets through innovative solutions under strong brand names.
Vince Kent, President, Abendroth Water Conditioning, Inc.
Leading businessman and advocate for the residential, commercial, industrial and small community water treatment industry and the 2009-2010 WQA President.
David Knighton, M.D., Co-founder and President of Creative Water Solutions
A successful entrepreneur who started four medical device companies is revolutionizing water clarity/quality best practices with sphagnum moss to condition water, reduce chemicals and mitigate biofilm accumulation
Don Layfield, Sales Manager, Culligan Water
Dedicated service and solutions leader for his market customers, he is renowned for his work ethic and always placing customer needs first in supplying clean water. Layfield is also known for his personal slogan “It’s all good.”
Chubb Michaud, CEO and Technical Director, Systematix, Inc.
A worldwide consultant and author/presenter of more than 100 papers over the past 20 years on EDI, DI, ion exchange, chemistry and water softening issues, he also serves as a contributing author for WC&P magazine and a Technical Review Committee member.
Dave Nelsen, President, Nelsen Corporation
Heads key distribution company of POU product lines for the professional water dealer.
Dr. Henry Nowicki, President, PACS Testing, Consulting, and Training Services Inc.
Directs company efforts in public activated carbon testing, consulting and training services and serves as an expert in the environmental sciences arena. Nowicki also serves as a contributing author for WC&P magazine as well as a Technical Review Committee member.
John Packard, President and CEO, Culligan Soft Water Service Co.
Highly respected global spokesperson and marketer of Culligan products and bottled water, along with commercial and industrial applications in 20 markets and six US states.
Tom Palkon, Director of Product Certification, Water Quality Association
An instrumental component of the Gold Seal standards program for the international trade association.
Augustine Pavel, Jr., Sales and Marketing, RO UltraTec USA, Inc.
Leads sales and marketing efforts for global manufacturer, distributor, engineering and research company of water treatment products.
Kurt Peterson, Publisher, Water Conditioning & Purification magazine
Entrepreneur and advocate for the leading global POU/POE water treatment magazine in the industry.
Bill Prior, Founder, Tangent Company LLC
The retired Co-founder of Kinetico Incorporated now heads a specialized team of scientists and engineers pursuing emerging water treatment technologies.
Greg Reyneke, General Manager, Intermountain Soft Water
An advisory board member of the Smart Dealer Network, a trade association dedicated to helping independent water treatment dealers succeed and reach their full potential. Reyneke also serves on the WC&P Technical Review Committee and is a contributing author who writes monthly columns to assist dealers in their business.
Dr. Kelly Reynolds, Associate Professor, University of Arizona College of Public Health
Leading researcher of global public health water issues and contributing author for WC&P magazine, as well as a Technical Review Committee member.
John Rickert, Owner, Advantage Water-Kinetico
Active industrial leader and advocate and current President of the Colorado Water Quality Association.
Dennis Rupert, President, Rupert’s Culligan Water Conditioning
Leading businessman and advocate for the residential, commercial, industrial and small community water treatment industry and former WQA President.
Robert Slovak, Board of Directors Member, Next RO
Water treatment industry pioneer and active leader in POU RO device manufacturing and installation.
Yun-Ho Son, Chairman, HM Digital, Inc.
A driven perfectionist, innovator and global marketing leader in the creation of reliable, low-cost water testing instruments with unique features.
Daniel Taragan, CEO, Tana Industries/Tana Water
Guides the company focus on manufacturing, developing and providing leading-edge POU and drinking water systems throughout the world.
Denise Urbans, President and Founder, Res-Kem Corporation
Guides the design and build of a complete line of custom and standard water treatment equipment for residential, commercial, industrial and municipal water applications. Serves as 2009-2010 WQA Treasurer.
Hal Vosnick, Vice President and General Manager, Vertex Water Products
Leads engineering and scientific personnel experienced in safe, clean, great-tasting water treatment, focused on making it available to everyone at an affordable cost.
Jamie Wakem, President/Owner, Atlantic Filter Corporation
Leads manufacturing and distribution of quality water treatment equipment for residential, commercial and institutional use in the US, Latin and South America and the Caribbean.
Margaret Wichmann, Manager, Culligan Water Conditioning, Lenox, MA
Providing technologically advanced filtration and treatment solutions throughout New England.
Water Conditioning & Purification magazine is not responsible for individual characterizations, as the information and photographic selections contained herein have been supplied by readership/participant nominees and clarified/verified from public/company materials.