Roger Winter was elected president of the National Association of Wastewater Transporters for the 2010-2012 term. He served as NAWT vice president from 2007-2009 and is vice president of K. Winter Sanitation Inc. in Havelock, Ontario, Canada. Winter also was president of the Ontario Association of Sewage Industry Services and a member of the Ontario Ministry of Environment Technical Steering Committee. His 47-year-old, family-owned portable sanitation company serves central Ontario with 24 trucks. Winter is married to Jill and the father of Hayden, 3, and Siera, 1.
Other elections included Bruce Fox of Allstate Septic Systems LLP, Bangor, Pa., vice president, and Ralph Macchio of New York, treasurer. These are two-year terms.
2010 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
NAWT received nine applications — a new record — for the William Hapchuk Memorial Scholarship Fund. Todd Frank, a sophomore at Ashland University, is our 2010 recipient. Frank will apply his scholarship toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration with minors in information systems and finance. He is a member of the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, the honorary fraternity Alpha Lambda Delta, a member in Ashland’s Honor Program, and president of the College of Business and Economics Scholars. His parents own a full-service septic business in Ohio.
Applicants were asked to write a 500-word essay on the role pumpers can play in ensuring that onsite systems operate properly and are maintained to industry standards. Frank’s composition stressed that pumpers should be educated people who go beyond just answering customer questions to teaching them what their system is and why it is important. They must be proficient in the art of persuasion, motivating customers through economics, environmental and public health, and consequences to produce the desired results.
By doing more than just pump, Frank concludes, pumpers can be a friendly and trusted face of the community for many years to come. The scholarship, which can be won more than once, is available to high school seniors or full-time college students.
Our new Policies and Procedures Manual defines the selection process. I receive all the applications, number them, remove anything that could reveal the author’s identity, and send them to the Scholarship Committee. Each of the four members select their first, second, and third choices, which I rank, giving three points for first on down. The paper with the highest total wins. The question for the 2011 scholarship will appear in next month’s column, which gives students ample time to meet the Jan. 1, 2011, submission deadline. Download applications at www.nawt.org.
MAN-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD
In 2009, NAWT renamed its Man-of-the-Year Award the Excellence in Service Award to accurately reflect that many women, as well as men, are making outstanding special efforts to improve the industry through the association. Any member can nominate someone by downloading the form on our Web site. Applications are due by Dec. 31, 2010. We didn’t present the award at the Pumper & Cleaner Expo this year because our Policies and Procedures Manual was in the approval process. The manual covers the protocol for the award process.
STATE ASSOCIATIONS MEETING
NAWT held its state associations meeting Thursday morning at the Pumper & Cleaner Expo, and attendance was terrible. It’s my fault because I didn’t invite representatives early enough. I made a commitment not to let it happen next year.
It’s important for representatives to be there to voice issues they would like NAWT to address. While most concerns can be handled at the state and county level, some issues require our experience and ability to network with individuals from around the country. Those resources are invaluable.
Don’t forget to use our new database to check on your credentials and certifications or to change personal information. Doing so will improve office efficiency and make processing requests
easier. You’ll find us at www.nawt.org.
