News Releases - 2002

Top Professional Awards
To Three Water Plant Operators

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

Michael J. Darrow, Beach Park; Gary Gramhofer of Lindenhurst and Robert Frank of Collinsville 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 71st 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.

Darrow was recognized in the surface water category, Frank for supplies using groundwater; and Gramhofer took the award for distribution-only systems operation. Runners-up were Donald White, also of Antioch, and Steve Shoultz, Highland, in the surface water division; Barbara Waddell, Sullivan, and Donald Kurblank of Fox River Grove in the groundwater classification, and Kevin B. Johnessee, Glen Carbon, and Lawrence O'Bryant Jr., Mount Sterling, in the distribution-only category.

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.

New officers include Darrell Swanson, Geneseo, president; Larry Coloni, Forsyth, first vice president; Robert Frank, Collinsville, second vice president; Patti Schaake, Edwardsville, third vice president; Pat Langon, Peoria, treasurer, and Stan Sayre, Metamora, secretary.