Major annual awards in the liquid waste industry were presented during a meeting of the National Association of Wastewater Transporters Feb. 29 at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International in Indianapolis.

NAWT presented its 2011 Excellence in Service Award and announced the winner of its 2011 William Hapchuk Memorial Scholarship. In addition, Expo sponsor COLE Publishing presented the 2011 Ralph Macchio Lifetime Achievement Award.

King wins Excellence in Service Award

Jack King, inspector for the New Mexico Environmental Department, is the winner of the NAWT Excellence in Service Award for his work in promoting professionalism in the onsite wastewater industry. Jace Ensor, president of Mountain Top Inc., Ruidoso, N.M., and president of the New Mexico Onsite Wastewater Association, nominated King for the award.

“His work has inspired a respect for people in the industry and raised the bar for the quality of services delivered. Jack King is a rare combination of tough inspector and good friend,” Ensor said. “He is among the first inspectors and regulators I’ve known who recognizes there’s a co-dependency between installers and inspectors.’’

Five years ago, King started meeting with the ATS (Advanced Treatment Systems) Summit Group in New Mexico, which has improved industry communication and professionalism, Ensor said.

King said he was overwhelmed and gratified by the award.

“I’ve enjoyed working with these guys and we’ve put together a program that has really been effective. We’ve seen a lot of growth in the installers in our area, not only in professionalism, but in the way they work and communicate with their customers and with other regulators,’’ King said.

“We took a picture of past recipients of the (Excellence in Service) award and it’s overwhelming to see what these people have done for the industry. To be up there with a group of guys like that, it’s kind of heartwarming,’’ he said.

Sipkema wins Macchio Award

Lou Sipkema, president of PresVac Systems in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, was presented with the Ralph Macchio Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished service to the industry. COLE Publishing owner Bob Kendall presented the award, praising Sipkema for serving the industry for 40 years as a truckbuilder.

Sipkema started his business in 1972, and soon after met the award namesake Macchio and others in the fledgling industry. He was present at the first Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo 32 years ago and has been a fixture as the vacuum truck industry matured to where it is today.

“You can see the growth from year to year and the sophistication of the equipment and the industry itself,’’ Sipkema said. “It’s not just the mom and pops anymore. It’s a big industry and it takes some good people to run it.’’

Sipkema recalled the development of the pumping industry, with septic service companies at first handling a wide variety of waste streams, and then companies moving toward handling the septic waste – nonhazardous materials – or branching off into a specialty hauling hazardous materials. Along the way, PresVac has served haulers on both sides.

Sipkema said he was honored to receive the prestigious award and is pleased to continue to serve pumping professionals. He’s impressed with an ever-changing industry that’s always looking to answer the next challenge in handling liquid waste.

“It doesn’t stand still. Every day there is something new and we’re always changing our designs to meet (the pumpers’) specific needs,’’ he said. Sipkema plans on continuing his work and attending the Expo.

“It’s just great to be here and meet the people we have dealt with for such a long time,’’ he said. “I’m well past retirement age, hitting 70 soon. Some people are coming up to me and asking when I’m going to retire. I have no intention to retire. I enjoy it too much.’’

2012 William Hapchuk Scholarship Recipient

The 2012 William Hapchuk Memorial Scholarship was presented to Craig Moskowitz, who attends Columbia University. The essay by Moskowitz addressed how he would handle giving a client the news that they need a new septic system. Scholarship applicants are required to write a 500-word essay; the NAWT scholarship committee then scores essays. Each year a topic is posted for the essay and the deadline is in January.