Report from the Chair: Let's Talk
I am very honored to serve as your Chair of the Nebraska Section AWWA for 2017. It's a privilege to lead an organization that has such outstanding officers and members. I'm confident that your support will lead us to a successful year.
My thanks to Ben Day for his outstanding leadership directing the Nebraska Section last year. Ben is an exemplary professional in all tasks in which he is involved, and his service to our section over the last year was no exception. Every chair seeks to leave the section in better condition than they found it, and Ben rose to that task.
Congratulations to Eric Lee, this year's George Warren Fuller Award recipient. Eric is a credit to our profession and this honor is well-deserved. Our entire industry is full of unsung heroes and people who go about doing important work with public service foremost in mind. In 2017, I hope you will consider nominating a colleague for one of our section awards. Their recognition is up to you!
Please also consider putting someone's name into nomination for a national award as well. Our stereotypical Midwestern modesty sometimes keeps us from doing enough to take credit for the work we do...but it isn't bragging if you're praising someone else! Award nominations not only help to give people good feelings about their own work, they give us something as an industry to talk about. If you want the public to pay more attention to water issues, you can help start the conversation by putting the name of a friend into nomination for a well-deserved award.
Thanks to everyone who helped with the Fall Conference. We are among the few all-volunteer sections in the AWWA, and our members benefit from the efforts of lots of hard-working people who help to make the Fall Conference better every year. Participation on a section committee (like the Fall Conference planning committee) is one of the best ways to make the most of your AWWA membership, and I encourage you to see the list of committees at awwaneb.org/committees and to find one that's the right fit for you.
We all face many challenges providing safe drinking water to the great people of Nebraska. The Nebraska Section AWWA is your section. We come together to offer educational materials, mentorship, and training. Be sure to use this resources and to communicate your needs to the section officers and committee chairs. We're at our best when we think locally.
I look forward to serving you in the coming year, and thank you in advance for your service to the public.
