The National Association of Wastewater Technicians presented its major annual awards at a breakfast meeting at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International Wednesday. The group also installed its new slate of officers for 2013.

NAWT leaders and Bob Kendall, of COLE Publishing, presented the Ralph Macchio Lifetime Achievement Award to Ray Erb, the education coordinator for the Pennsylvania Septage Management Association and owner of Thomas H. Erb & Sons Inc, Lilitz, Pa. Erb was instrumental in developing an inspection program for the PSMA and the successful vacuum truck training program adopted by NAWT. He has been involved in the state and national associations for 27 years. Erb, who has worked in his family's pumping and inspection business for 43 years, worked with Penn State University to develop guidelines for inspections, which eventually became guidelines contractors use. The state association created the Ray Erb Leadership Award in 2006 in his honor and he was the first winner.

Erb said he was proud and humbled to win the award. "As you give to your association, you get more than what you give in,'' he said.

Kit Rosefield, education coordinator for the California Onsite Wastewater Association, was presented with NAWT's Excellence in Service Award. Rosefield was credited with promoting educational programs nationwide and has been involved in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Memorandum of Understanding project. Rosefield was a treatment plant operator in 1982 and later started a company specializing in onsite system operations and maintenance work. He later sold the company and he and his wife, Evelyn, are the management team for COWA. "We're constantly improving our training materials with fresh ideas. We always want it to move faster, but there's a lot of good going on,'' he said.

Outgoing NAWT president Tom Frank was presented with a plaque of appreciation for his service. An award was also to be given to past president Tim Frank, who was not at the meeting. Elizabeth Rachlin was given the William Hapchuk Memorial Scholarship. Officers were also elected to the NAWT board. They are Jeff Rachlin of Pennsylvania, president; Jamie Miller of Virginia, vice president; Ralph Macchio of New York, treasurer; and Tom Ferrero of Pennsylvania, secretary.