2018 Recipient: Stephen Avent, South Cary Water Reclamation Facility

2018 Recipient: Stephen Avent, South Cary Water Reclamation Facility 

 Stephen has 20 years with the Town of Cary at the South Cary WRF.  He performs the following analyses:  BOD, COD, metals by ICP/MS, NH3-N, NO2-NO3, TKN, chloride, total hardness, alkalinity, total and total suspended residue, total phosphorous, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total residual chlorine.  He performs all purchasing and inventory for the lab.  Mr. Avent taught himself how to run the ICP/MS for metals and suggested they not only run all metals in house on our wastewater, but on their biosolids as well saving the Town of Cary a significant amount of money.  Mr. Avent is considered by other staff at the SCWRF as the go-to person for advice for BNR questions and process control operations.  He is also considered as the go-to person for the Town of Cary for advice on running metals by ICP/MS.  He often provides lab assistance and training to Town staff in other departments.

This award, established in 1993, is presented each year to a wastewater laboratory analyst with outstanding performance, professionalism and contributions to the water quality analysis profession. The award consists of a plaque inscribed with the recipient’s name and will be presented to the recipient at the North Carolina AWWA-WEA Annual Conference.

Wastewater Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award Sub-Committee

Organization: The committee is made up of the last three recipients of the award.

Primary Activities: The committee will choose the recipient of the award each year. Criteria:

• The candidate must be employed at an educational facility laboratory, industrial laboratory, municipal laboratory or commercial laboratory that performs wastewater related analysis and must have direct analytical responsibilities.
• Candidates are eligible for this award once only.
• Selection criteria include:
  • Membership and involvement in professional associations, for example, WEA committees, Standard Methods joint task groups, WEA conferences, etc.
  • Outstanding efforts in the area of wastewater and environmental aquatic analysis, including such items as innovative sampling techniques or solutions to a treatment, analytical or environmental problem.
  • Involvement in community activities or public relations.
  • Presentations at professional conferences, meetings, etc. relevant to water quality analysis.
  • Professional certifications.
  • Continuing education.
  • Beneficial contributions to the candidate’s facility.
  • Unusual initiative or performance “beyond the call of duty” in the area of wastewater analysis or environmental matters.

 
Recipient History

2017 Scott Chovan

2016 Amanda Hill

2015 Kelly Spainhour

2014 Jason Parker

2013 Paul Balsbaugh
2012 Angela Boswell
2011 Glenn McGirt
2010 Karen Reece
2009 Debra Collins
2008 Tamika Black
2007 Jennifer Lane
2006 Marla Dalton
2005 Jason Manning
2004 Stephanie Scheringer
2003 David Gardner
2002 Lynn Dixon
2001 Carol Rogers
2000 Carol Hamilton
1999 Kathleen M. Southern
1998 Martie Groome
1997 Raymond Furr
1996 A.D. Isley
1995 Arlene Roman
1994 Mary O. Bumgarner