PNCWA Operator of the Year and Collections System Operator of the Year Awards:

Note: Need to download a copy of the criteria for all awards open to nominations?  Download all Awards Criteria

Regional OYA/COYA winner recommendations are due to each Region or State on a schedule set by the Regional Directors and the Awards Committee. Please contact your Regional Director for deadline information.

Sections in Idaho, Oregon and Washington nominate to their Region, an outstanding Operator and Collections System Operator to be recognized by PNCWA. Nominations do not go directly to PNCWA. Only the regional winners packets are forwarded to PNCWA.

The award represents outstanding job performance of regular duties, and individual or collective accomplishments of an experimental, developmental or innovative nature. (Section membership is required.)

The Regional Director coordinates the process for each Region, and the process may vary slightly for each Region. Contact your Regional Director or have your Section President do so.

Treatment Plant Operator Awards: Sections, please use this  downloadable Treatment Plant Operator of the Year form to forward your nomination to your Region.

Collections Operator Awards: Sections, please use this  downloadable Collections Operator of the Year form to forward your nomination to your Region.

OYA-COYA Award form may be used as a cover sheet, and should accompany the Regional award winners nomination packets when forwarded to PNCWA. The downloadable form may not address all of your Regional or state requirements although you may use it as a cover sheet for your state OYA-COYA process. Again, check with your local section president regarding the process/timeline for your area, or your Regional Director (below).

Criteria

a) Any certified operator is eligible for nomination. PNCWA membership is not
required, although Section membership is required.
b) A nominee must have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to
wastewater treatment in at least one of these areas: Section activities,
safety, certification, training, plant performance/collections systems performance or public relations.

OYA-COYA Nomination Packet (when complete sent from Region to PNCWA)

The nomination packet for each OYA or COYA candidate shall include:
1. Title Page: date, name and title of applicant, name and title of
supervisor assisting in preparing materials, name and address of plant,
nominating Section
2. Plant Description: type, degree of treatment, capacity mgd,
description of industrial discharges if any, receiving waters, flow
diagram, pump stations and collection system maintained by plant personnel
3. Plant Operation (OYA) or Collections Systems Operations (COYA): operation program, testing, personnel, budget,records, etc.
4. Applicant Information: photo, supplemental information limited to six
pages including pictures, letters of recommendation, special awards, how
the application has demonstrated ingenuity and proficiency, major
contributions to improve operations, innovations, etc.
5. Applicant Activities: PNCWA volunteerism, certification, education
and training, public relations (news clipping, tours, public meetings,
etc.)

 For more information contact the Regional Director for your Region:

Oregon
Stephen T. Lusch
541.672.1551
[email protected]

Western WA
Andrew Perez
253.835.6408
[email protected]

Eastern WA
Anthony Benvidez
509.742.0252
[email protected]

Idaho
Jesse Hartman
206.608.7383
[email protected] 

Treatment Plant Operator Awards: Sections, please use this to forward your nomination to your Region.

Collections Operator Awards: Sections, please use this  downloadable Collections Operator of the Year form to forward your nomination to your Region.

Operator & Collections Operator of the Year Recipients

2017

2016

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Brandon Pechin
City of Boise
Southwest Idaho Operators Section

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Rusty Blackner 
City of Burley
Southeast Idaho Operators Section  

OR Collections Operator of the Year
Marvin Atkins
City of Yoncalla 
Umpqua Basin Operators Section

OR Wastewater Operator of the Year
Cliff Church
Myrtle Creek
Umpqua Basin Operators Section

Western WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Matt Jenkins
City of Ridgefield
Southwest Washington Operators Section  

2015

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Justin Bloxham 
City of Pocatello
Southeast Idaho Operators Section

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Ronald O’Connor
City of Idaho Falls
Southeast Idaho Operators Section 

OR Collections Operator of the Year
Thomas S. Nigh 
Roseburg Urban Sanitary Authority
Umpqua Basin Operators Section

Western WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Rick Eaton
City of Aberdeen
Southwest Washington Operators Section 

Eastern WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Devlan Pool
CH2M – Spokane County
Inland Empire Operators Section

Eastern WA Collections Operator of the Year
Layne Soggie 
City of Kennewick
Yakima Valley Operators Section

2014

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Casey Fisher
City of Coeur d’Alene
North Idaho Operators Section

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Brian Bates
City of Blackfoot
Southeast Idaho Operators Section 

OR Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Chuck Edwards
City of Wilsonville
Lower Columbia Section

OR Collections Operator of the Year
Mark James
City of Redmond
South Central Oregon Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Mike Bartkus
City of Port Townsend
Olympic Operators Section

WA Collections Operator of the Year
Jay Divelbiss
City of Port Angeles
Olympic Operators Section

2013

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Gary Flake
City of Blackfoot
Southeast Idaho Operators Section

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Ralph Shelton
City of Boise
Southwest Idaho Operators Section 

OR Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Steven Ledbetter
City of Myrtle Creek
Umpqua Basin Operators Section

OR Collections Operator of the Year
Kelly Ristoff
City of Bend
South Central Oregon Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Kyle Pense
Chambers Cheek WWTP
Pierce County, Puget Sound Operators

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Randy Screws
West Sound Utility District
Puget Sound Operators Section

2012

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
John Prigge
Sorento Lactalis
Southwest Idaho Operators Section

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Juan Peña
City of Nampa
Southwest Idaho Operators Section

OR Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
King Thomas
Clean Water Services
Lower Columbia Section

OR Collections Operator of the Year
Steve Lusch
Roseburg Urban Sanitary Authority
Umqua Basin Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Mark Fogle (co-winner)
Lakehaven Utility District
Puget Sound Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Marie Bossert (co-winner)
City of Yakima
Yakima Valley Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
none awarded

2011

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Fred Rowe
City of Idaho Falls
Southeast Idaho Operators Section 

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Larry Parsons
City of Coeur d’Alene
North Idaho Operators Section

OR Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
David Gehring
City of McMinnville
Lower Columbia Section

OR Collections Operator of the Year
None selected

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Richard Smith
City of Kalama
Southwest Washington Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Ed Fauxbel
Pierce County
Puget Sound Section

2010

ID Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Ralph Martini
City of Heyburn
Southeast Idaho Operators Section 

ID Collections Operator of the Year
Dan Lostutter
Fremont County Sewer
Southeast Idaho Operators Section

OR Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
David Buckwald
City of Yachats
West Central Operators Section

OR Collections Operator of the Year
Terry Sackett
Rogue Valley Sewer Services
South Central Operators Section

WA Treatment Plant Operator of the Year
Dan Grogg
Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District
Inland Empire Operators Section 

2009

Operators of the Year
Idaho: Anthony "Tony" Samartino, City of Boise
Oregon: Chris Miccolis, City of Redmond
Washington: Jon Hays, Lakehaven Utility District
Collections Operators of the Year
Idaho: Brett Van Brunt, City of Pocatello
Oregon: Bill Strait, City of Redmond
Washington: Bill Appleby, City of Chehalis

2008

Operators of the Year
Idaho: Mary Lou Herbert, McCain Foods, Burley
Oregon: Gene Freel, City of Corvallis
Washington: John Duback, City of Ridgefield
Collections Operators of the Year
Idaho: Jeremy Coles, City of Rexburg
Oregon: Bill Noble, City of Corvallis
Washington: none awarded

2007

Operators of the Year
Idaho: Shawn Moffitt, CH2M HILL OMI, City of Twin Falls
Oregon: Andrew Knight, City of Portland
Washington: Bruce Wickard, City of Pullman
Collections Operators of the Year
Idaho: Doug Jenkins, City of Nampa
Oregon: Vance Hardy, City of Gresham
Washington: Dan VanIterson, City of Kirkland

2006

Operators of the Year
Idaho: Randy Schwartz, City of Payette
Oregon: Richard Abbas, City of Redmond
Washington: Steve Hatke, City of Richland
Collections Operators of the Year
Idaho: Chris Johnson, City of Caldwell
Oregon: Jason Morrrow, South Suburban Sanitary District
Washington: Mike Meyers, City of Aberdeen

2005

Operators of the Year
Idaho: Bruce Foster, City of Idaho Falls
Oregon: Lenee Casteel, City of Albany
Washington: Jack La Mont, City of Everett
Collections Operator of the Year
Idaho: Brent Morgan

2004

Operators of the Year
Idaho: James Bell, Veolia Water, City of Caldwell
Oregon: Joe Whisler, City of Lincoln City
Washington: Jim Fleming, City of Centralia
Collections Operator of the Year
Washington: Kim Ashmore, City of Centralia

Operator of the Year

2003

Idaho: Roger Jacobson
Oregon: James Bray
Washington: Steve Hanenburg

2002

Idaho: Shane Chacon, City of Pocatello
Oregon: Max Hildebrand, City of Corvallis
Washington: Heather Earnheart, Alderwood Water & Wastewater District

2001

Idaho: Mike Skow, Central Orchards Water and Sewer District
Oregon: Dawn Hanthorn, OMI Lebanon
Washington: Alan Gregory, City of Hoquiam

2000

Idaho: Mike Duehlmeier, Boise
Oregon: Joe Dooley, Roseburg
Washington: Ron Eaton, Cheney

1999

Idaho: Lyle Brouse, Moscow
Oregon: Randy Turner, Roseburg
Washington: Frank Merrick, Spokane

1998

Idaho: Greg Pearce, Nampa
Oregon: Rich Nelson, Myrtle Creek
Washington: Mike Trueblood, Blaine

1997

Idaho: Ron M. Gearhart, West Boise WWTP
Oregon: Daniel H. Tiedke, Wolf Creek Job Corps WWTP
Washington: Terry Nemeth, Shelter Bay Swinomish Tribal Sewer District

1996

Idaho: Jeff Jordine, City of Sandpoint
Oregon: William (Dave) Hull, Winston-Green WWTF, Roseburg
Washington: Ed Griffenberg, City of Everett

1995

Idaho: Raymond Hyde, Idaho Rural Water Association
Oregon: Betty Studer, J.R. Simplot, Hermiston
Washington: Dale Thayer, City of Marysville

1994

Idaho: Ross Stout, S Fork Coeur d’Alene River Sewer District
Oregon: Eric Quinn, City of Riddle
Washington: James Costello, Washington Rural Water Association

1993

Idaho: Casey Fisher, City of Coeur d’Alene
Oregon: Jack Reid, City of Pendleton
Washington: Joan Thomasson, Olympus Terrace