Wilfong named CSI Business Manager
Chandler Systems Inc. has hired Brett Wilfong as Business Development Manager. His responsibilities will include working with manufacturers’ representatives, wholesale distributors and contractors throughout the US and Canada. Wilfong brings over 20 years of sales experience in the water treatment and wastewater industries, having served as the Regional Sales Manager with SJE-Rhombus for the past five years.
Water Man of India 2015 Stockholm Water Prize winner
Rajendra Singh of India was named the 2015 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, for his innovative water restoration efforts, improving water security in rural India and for showing extraordinary courage and determination in his quest to improve the living conditions for those most in need. Singh lives and works in the arid Indian state of Rajasthan, where for several decades he has dedicated himself to defeating drought and empowering communities. In close cooperation with local residents, he and his organization have revived several rivers, brought water and life back to a thousand villages and given hope to countless people. After studying Ayurvedic medicine and surgery, he went into the countryside in the largely impoverished state of Rajasthan in the mid-1980s with the aim of setting up health clinics. Instead, after being told that the greatest need was not health care but water and with the help of the villagers, he set out to build johads, or traditional earthen dams. Two decades after Rajendra Singh arrived in Rajasthan, 8,600 johads and other structures to collect water have been built. Singh and his co-workers in Tarun Bharat Sangh (India Youth Association) had gotten water to flow again in several rivers of Rajasthan. His methods are modernizations of traditional Indian ways of collecting and storing rainwater, dating back thousands of years, which fell out of use during British colonial rule, but have now brought water back to the driest state in one of the world’s most populous nations. H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Patron of the Stockholm Water Prize, will present the prize to Rajendra Singh at a Royal Award Ceremony during 2015 World Water Week in Stockholm on August 26.
GE Innovation Challenge winners announced
GE named five winners of its latest innovation challenge to develop a new design for a central tube connector for its spiral-wound RO membranes. Specifically, the challenge asked for 3D design ideas to simplify the spiral-wound RO membrane assemblies in pressure-driven, spiral-wound water filtration systems, by identifying a novel means of connecting the component tubing. The winners were Thomas Henninger, PhD, PE, JTH Consulting LLC; Thomas Goddu, Blazing Pencils LLC; Sandy Richardson, Design Edge; Paul Santarsiero, Siero Design and Jan Bullema, TNO.
Hillawi named Parsons Senior Vice President
Parsons announced that Jaafar Hillawi has joined the company as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of its environment and infrastructure business unit for the Middle East Africa (MEA) region. In this role, he will provide leadership for business development and operational delivery to execute and grow Parsons’ water, industrial and oil and gas business in the MEA region. Hillawi has nearly 40 years of project management, business development and engineering experience in the design, construction and start-up of petroleum refineries, gas processing and infrastructure facilities. He previously worked for Parsons from 1976 to 1996. Hillawi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in chemical engineering from Tufts University in Massachusetts. He is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Executive Board changes at Krones AG
Christoph Klenk has been appointed Chairman of the Executive Board of Krones AG, effective January 1, 2016. He has been with KRONES AG since 1994. After serving in leadership positions in sales for the Asia-Pacific region, Klenk was appointed to the Executive Board in 2003. Until 2011, he was the Executive Board Member responsible for Research & Development and Product Divisions. Klenk has been the Executive Board Member responsible for Finance (CFO) at Krones AG since 2012.
NGWA scholarships awarded
The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation announced it has awarded $25,000 from its Len Assante Scholarship Fund to 15 students. Each of the scholarship recipients is entering a field of study that serves, supports or promotes the groundwater professions. Alexandra Polasko (Scottsdale, AZ) received the Past President’s Award, the top scholarship presented to the most qualified of the applicants. Polasko, who received $3,500, is studying environmental sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. Annette Hein (Laramie, WY) received the Ora Lyons Award named in honor of a former distinguished NGWA member. Hein, who also received $3,500, is studying geology at the University of Wyoming. The other scholarship recipients included Kaitlyn Alrdrich (Urbandale, IA), hydrogeology, Iowa State University; Kiloaulani Ka’awa-Gonzales (Kaunakakai, HI), environmental sciences, Colorado State University; Katherine Landoni (Sequim, WA), geology, school undecided; Ryan Ronzoni (Goshen, NY), environmental sciences, Cornell University and Tyler Rush (Black River Falls, WI), hydrology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, $2,000 each. Recipients of $1,000 were Maribeth Ault (Peach Bottom, PA), environmental sciences, Juniata College; Hannah Gibbs (London, KY), environmental sciences, Centre College; Erin Gray (Tucson, AZ), hydrology, University of Arizona; Brenden Green (Antelope, CA), environmental sciences, Humboldt State University; Dylan Landon (Waterville, WA), environmental sciences, California Polytechnic State University; Ythalya Ortuno (Houston, TX), environmental sciences, Texas A&M University; Amy Plechacek (Blacksburg, VA), environmental sciences, Virginia Tech and Sarah Welsh (Bellingham, WA), environmental sciences, Harvard University.
Industry mourns the loss of William Granger
William F. Granger of Manitowoc, MN died Saturday, March 14 at the age of 63 . Born August 31, 1951 in Manitowoc to William and Mary (Fitzgerald) Granger, he attended Roncalli High School and graduated with the class of 1969. Granger was a thirdgeneration owner of Water Care until his retirement, as well as Past President and member of the Water Quality Association (WQA). Said WQA Executive Director David Westman: “The Water Quality Association is saddened by the passing of Bill Granger, who faithfully served on our Board of Directors. Mr. Granger was an asset to WQA and the industry as a whole. He will be missed.” His survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Matthew (Jaime) and Ethan (Erin) Granger and five grandchildren; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Sara (Bruce) Ando and Susan Granger; one niece; one nephew and many other relatives and friends. Granger was preceded in death by his parents. Funeral services were held March 21 in Manitowoc with burial at Evergreen Cemetery. Online condolences may be expressed at www.jensreinboldandpfeffer.com