A. O. Smith Acquires Water Tec of Tucson
A.O. Smith Corp. announced its acquisition of Water Tec of Tucson, the latest acquisition for the growing company. Founded in 1967, Water Tec is a second-generation, family-owned business from Tucson, Arizona, that manufactures and distributes equipment across a variety of water-treatment industries. Although the specifics of this transaction were not disclosed, A.O. Smith has stated that this acquisition is part of its larger effort to expand its presence on the West Coast.
IBWA 2024 Board of Directors Announced
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) has announced the 2023-2024 board of directors. The newly elected officers include the following:
- Hih Song Kim (BlueTriton Brands) – Chair
- Doug Hidding (Blackhawk Molding Co., Inc.) – Vice Chair
- Joe Bell (Aqua Filter Fresh, Inc.) – Treasurer
- Henry R. Hidell III (Hidell International) – Immediate Past Chair
Incoming Chair Kim has served with the board since 2021, previously under the role of vice chair. She has expressed her gratitude and eagerness to serve as chair throughout the next year, emphasizing her dedication to IBWA’s mission of environmental responsibility and sustainability.
Brown and Caldwell Welcomes New Strategy Executive
Executive vice president Jay Patil has announced his retirement from environmental consulting and construction firm Brown and Caldwell after 30 years in the industry. At Patil’s departure, the firm announced that Ravi Chadha is joining as the chief strategy officer to develop, implement, and oversee the firm’s strategic direction. Chadha holds 25 years of experience leading corporate business strategies, organizational transformations, and product/service team management for several Fortune 500 companies.
Kieran Fung and Aron Griffin Receive AMTA/NWRI Fellowship Awards
Kieran Fung and Aron Griffin have been named the latest recipients of the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) and the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) Graduate Fellowship for Membrane Technology, an award that funds recipients’ cutting-edge research with $10,000.
Fung is a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research is to develop a particular novel membrane cleaning mechanism with in situ and on-demand antifouling capabilities.
Griffin is a fourth-year PhD candidate in environmental engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. His work deals with the treatment and destruction of PFAS and other constituents using membranes and hydrothermal processes, with a particular interest in mechanisms governing rejection of organic micropollutants.
AMTA and NWRI have partnered together since 2007 to award more than $300,000 in fellowship funding.
New President of IWA Elected
The International Water Association (IWA) has elected its next president: Professor Hamanth Kasan of South Africa. Kasan holds a PhD in microbiology, water, and environmental engineering and brings 35 years of history within the association to the position. Alongside his extensive experience in utilities and academia, Kasan worked as the general manager of Africa’s largest water utility, Rand Water. He will be taking over leadership from the current IWA president, Tom Mollenkopf, in August 2024 at the World Water Congress & Exhibition in Toronto, Canada.