News Releases - 2001

Top Professional Awards To Three Water Plant Operators

Springfield, Ill. -- Drinking water plant operators in Olney, Elwood and Woodlawn have been recognized by their fellow operators as the outstanding professionals in their individual categories of service.

Tom Umfleet, of Olney; Paul Burris, Elwood; and Gary Tinsley, Woodlawn, were 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 70th 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.

"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.

Umfleet was recognized in the surface water category, Burris for supplies using groundwater; and Tinsley took the only award presented this year for distribution-only systems operation.

Runners-up were Jerry Connolly, Westville, and Ray Weller, Litchfield, in the surface water division, and Patti Schaake, Edwardsville and John McBride, Gilman, in the groundwater classification.

Honorees were recognized and presented with plaques and trophies during ceremonies at the conference banquet Thursday night.

The conference opened on Wednesday and concluded with the election of officers on Friday.