Movers & Shakers: Global water leaders announce new model for water access

Al Bly | Image courtesy of U.S. Water

Al Bly is retiring from the water treatment industry after 31 years. In a letter to current U.S. Water CEO LaMarr Barnes, Bly expressed his gratitude to those that were part of his journey with U.S. Water.  He also expressed appreciation to LaMarr Barnes, Kent Herbst, Jim Merritt and those who were instrumental in growing U.S. Water through 10 acquisitions, and to ALLETE Chairman, President and CEO Al Hodnik and the ALLETE team for continuing the vision to grow U.S. Water into a distinctive and dominant force. Duluth-based ALLETE Inc. acquired U.S. Water in 2015

Appointments

Dauber to serve as technical practice lead for WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff

Karl Dauber was named a national practice lead for hydrology, hydraulics, and drainage engineering for the U.S. Water & Environment Business at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff. Dauber was formerly water area manager in WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Charlotte office. In his new role, Dauber will support technical leadership and excellence within the firm’s water practice, and support pursuits and projects across the U.S. as a national technical resource.

Karl Dauber | Image courtesy of WSP | Parsons Brinkerhoff

Dauber has more than 31 years of experience in drainage system design, storm water management, floodplain analysis, hydrology, hydraulics, and scour analysis. A licensed professional engineer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Dauber received a B.S. in forest engineering from the University of Maine. He is a member of the American Public Works Association.

The Coca-Cola Company announces senior leadership appointments

The Coca-Cola Company announced a number of senior leadership appointments and key changes, which will be effective when President and COO James Quincey becomes chief executive officer on May 1.

Leaders assuming new or expanded responsibility in the organization and reporting directly to Quincey include:

• Francisco Crespo, who currently serves as president of the Mexico business unit, will fill the newly created role of chief growth officer. Julie Hamilton, chief customer and commercial leadership officer, and the corporate strategy and planning and global marketing leadership teams will report to the chief growth officer.
• Robert Long, currently vice president, research and development, will become a direct report to the CEO as chief innovation officer.
• Barry Simpson, currently senior vice president and chief information officer, will remain in his role but be elevated as a direct report to the CEO to increase visibility and focus on efforts to digitize all aspects of the company’s business.
• Kathy Waller, currently executive vice president and chief financial officer, will assume expanded responsibility for the company’s strategic governance areas as executive vice president, chief financial officer and president, enabling services.  In addition to the global finance organization, the global technical team led by Ed Hays, a newly created integrated services team, which will be led by Robin Moore, and a new business transformation team to be led by Mark Eppert will report to Waller.
• Brent Hastie, currently senior vice president, corporate strategy and planning, will succeed Eppert as chief financial and supply chain officer for Coca-Cola North America.
• Jennifer Mann, currently chief of staff to Quincey, will become chief people officer.
• Bea Perez, currently vice president and chief sustainability officer, will become chief public affairs, communications and sustainability officer.

In addition to today’s appointments, three long-time senior functional leaders have chosen to retire from the company. Each will assist in the transition of their functions and serve as advisers to Quincey until their retirements.

• Marcos de Quinto, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, will retire after a nearly 35-year Coca-Cola career.
• Ceree Eberly, senior vice president and chief people officer, will retire after a 27-year Coca-Cola career.
• Clyde Tuggle, senior vice president and chief public affairs and communications officer, will retire after a 28-year Coca-Cola career.

PRIMEX hires new business development manager

PRIMEX named Michael Schmidt as its new business development manager. In his role, Schmidt will provide sales and engineered rep management for Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Southern Illinois, Eastern Missouri and New York. Schmidt will also be responsible for promoting the broad end-to-end suite of products and services that PRIMEX offers, including pump control panels, web-hosted icontrol SCADA solutions and highly complex systems integration projects for the municipal and industrial sectors.

Michael Schmidt | Image courtesy of PRIMEX

Schmidt brings more than 33 years experience in water and wastewater systems integration. He holds degrees in industrial electronics and computer technology, and has extensive industry experience working in systems integration.

Popovich named Solon’s first female executive

Solon Manufacturing Company appointed Diane Popovich as its new vice president of operations. Popovich holds the first female executive position in company history. Popovich brings 23 years of manufacturing industry to Solon Mfg. She first came to the company in 2015 as sales and marketing director.

Diane Popovich | Image courtesy of Solon Manufacturing Company

Previously, Popovich served as sales director at Nook Industries in Cleveland, Ohio. In her new role, Popovich will oversee all operational processes within the organization with a specific focus on identifying and developing best practices for process improvements and cultivating individual and team development. with a specific focus on identifying and developing best practices for process improvements and cultivating individual and team development.

Expansions & Contracts

OriginClear enters European agricultural wastewater treatment market

Spanish farming equipment manufacturing company Montajes Longares launched a spinoff company to commercialize its Depuporc pig manure slurry cleanup system, and licensed with OriginClear Inc.’s Electro Water Separation (EWS) to help clarify and sanitize the slurry for waste reuse and fertilizer applications. There are more than 85,000 farms in Spain breeding more than 26 million pigs, making Spain the largest pig producer in Europe and the third in the world after China and the U.S.

OriginClear Inc. has been a model of strong revenue growth since 2015, primarily as a result of its acquisition of Dallas-based Progressive Water Treatment (PWT) October 2015, according to OriginClear’s 2017 business outlook.

Ahead of its annual report, the company estimates its top line revenue grew from $166,195 in 2014 to $954,470 in 2015 and is expected to exceed $5 million for 2016, an increase of more than 425 percent from 2015. Gross profits, which were $112,567 in 2015, are expected to exceed $1.4 million in 2016, a more than 1,100 pecent increase year over year. In its annual report, OriginClear expects to show continued reductions in operating losses as a result of the increased revenue and continued savings at the corporate level.

SciDev signs two-year contract with Peabody Energy

SciDev Ltd. signed a two-year contract with Peabody Energy, for the supply of an OptiFlox System and associated chemicals at the 12 mtpa Wilpinjong thermal coal mine in New South Wales. The total value of the contract is estimated at $350,000 to $400,000 per annum and significantly strengthens SciDev’s growing revenue base. Peabody will pay a monthly leasing fee for use of the OptiFlox System at Wilpinjong, along with the purchase of associated wastewater treatment chemicals.

To support the contract with Peabody and develop further business in NSW, the company appointed an executive with considerable experience in industrial wastewater treatment, particularly in the NSW coal, metalliferous and quarrying industries.