News Releases - 2000

Top Professional Awards To Three Water Plant Operators

Springfield, Ill. -- Three Illinois drinking water plant operators have been honored for their work in providing plentiful, safe drinking water to users by the Illinois Potable Water Supply Operators Association (IPWSOA) during the group's annual conference. The 69th annual conference closed a three day run on Friday in Springfield. The event is co-sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees operations of approximately 1,800 public water supplies serving Illinois.

For the first time in the nearly seven decades of the conferences, both the Operator of the Year and one of two runners up in the same category both work at the same water treatment plant. Jim Hughes, operator of the Hazel Crest plant, was named "Operator of the Year" in the distribution-only category, and Jerry Davis, of the same plant, was a runner-up. Hughes resides in Homewood; Davis is a Hazel Crest resident. Alan Ohlendorf, of Beecher, operator of the Flossmoor plant, was the other runner-up in that division.

"Operator of the Year" is the highest professional honor operators can receive in recognition of service and performance in the waterworks industry. The professional organization selects an "Operator of the Year" in groundwater, surface water and distribution categories each year, and usually designates two runners-up in each category.

Nominees are interviewed by a selection committee during a fly-around of the state. Nominees are rated according to a numeric system by committee members, and results are then tallied, and winners selected, by computer.

Selected for recognition in 2000 were Greg Swanson, of Moline, in the surface water category; Dean Gorter, Marengo, for supplies using groundwater; and Hughes in the distribution category. This year's other runners-up were Roger Hobbs, Flora, and Cynthia Munger, Peotone, in the surface water category; Ron Erickson, Momence, and Don McCauley, Wyoming, in the ground water category.

Swanson, a water professional for more than 23 years, is water plant manager for the Moline water supply. Gorter is chief operator of the plant serving Carpentersville and Hughes is chief operator for the Hazel Crest water treatment plant and also serves part time at the plants serving the city of Harvey and the Olympia Fields Country club.

Honorees were recognized and presented with trophies during ceremonies at the 69th annual IPWSOA conference in Springfield Thursday, Sept. 14.