September 2022 - Water / Wastewater Luncheon

Presentation of Meritorious Service Award to Kishia Powell of DC Water.  From Left: Arthur Jones-Dove, Norelis Florentino, Kishia Powell, Keith Foxx, Mac Cannon

 


Presentation File & Attendee List

Presentation File

Attendee List

WSSC Water Projected Solicitations Document



Our Speakers

 

Fairfax Water
Jamie Bain Hedges, PE - General Manager

Jamie Hedges is the General Manager of Fairfax Water, Virginia’s largest water utility producing water of exceptional quality for over two million residents of Northern Virginia.  Ms. Hedges leads a workforce of 475 to directly serve over one million residents of Fairfax County and the Cities of Falls Church and Fairfax, and indirectly serve one million residents in neighboring jurisdictions through seven wholesale utility partners.  She is responsible for the efficient operation and stewardship of Fairfax Water’s $2 billion in infrastructure that includes two treatment plants with a combined capacity of 345 million gallons per day and a distribution system comprised of over 4,000 miles of water main.  Fairfax Water’s rates are among the lowest in the region and it maintains a triple-A rating from all three major bond rating agencies.  Ms. Hedges has over 30 years of experience in the drinking water industry.  Prior to becoming the General Manager, she served as Fairfax Water’s Deputy General Manager, and as the Director of Planning and Engineering.  Ms. Hedges had key roles in strategic initiatives at Fairfax Water including the acquisition and integration of the former City of Falls Church and City of Fairfax water systems, the development of future water supply storage by re-purposing a rock quarry, water treatment plant expansions, and the development of asset management programs.       
 
Ms. Hedges received a BS in Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration, both from Virginia Tech and is a licensed professional engineer in Virginia.   She is a member of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the American Water Works Association, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.  She is the Vice President of the Virginia Municipal Drinking Water Association and has served on several regulatory advisory panels for the Virginia Department of Health.  Ms. Hedges has been on the Board of Directors for George Mason University’s (GMU) Civil Engineers Institute for over a decade and was previously an adjunct professor at GMU in professional practice and management.  

 

 

WSSC Water
Michael T. Harmer, P.E. - Chief Engineer

Mike Harmer is an innovative Engineer with a broad base of infrastructure experience ranging from consulting, construction, and owner administration.  He has managed various types of projects ranging from sewer system rehabilitation, wastewater treatment, storm water flood mitigation, and buildings/ facilities.  
 
He is employed as the Chief Engineer for WSSC Water responsible for a budget of over $580 million, over 370 employees, and approximately 100 contract employees.  He was a past WSSC Water Regulatory Services Division Manager and their Development Services Division for many years. During his stay at Regulatory Services he managed the Pretreatment, FOG, Cross Connection, and Plumbing Design Reviews/ Inspections Programs.     In the Development Services Division, he was responsible for permitting, hydraulic capacity, pump station and water/ sewer extension design reviews, and various aspects of the development process producing numerous Customer Service improvements.   Prior to WSSC Water, he worked for New Castle County where he worked in Engineering and Operations.  He managed the County $300 million Brandywine Hundred Sewer Rehabilitation Program removing excessive I/I, was recognized for ideas in energy savings, and was selected as the State of Delaware Government Engineer of the Year.  He has designed or led the design on several design and build projects.  His engineering expertise is augmented with his extensive field experience gained while working with his tools and operating heavy machinery in industrial and site/environmental construction.   


 


USACE Baltimore District - Washington Aqueduct
Rudolph S. Chow, PE - General Manager

Rudy Chow is currently serving as the General Manager of Washington Aqueduct, a wholly owned division of the US Army Corps of Engineers, providing drinking water to the District of Columbia, Arlington County, and parts of Fairfax County. Previously, he served as Director of Municipal Utilities and Engineering Department with the City of Redlands in California and was appointed under three mayors as the Director of Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW).  He also spent more than two decades with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission serving Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.    

Chow is recognized nationally for his visionary leadership and has served on a number of professional organizations, including the EPA‘s Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) and more recently, the Stormwater Infrastructure Funding Task Force as the co-chair in response to Section 4101 of the 2018 America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA).  He had  served as a board of director with the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) as well as the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA).  He also chaired the Government Affairs Committee with the Water Environment Federation (WEF).  He is currentlly the chairperson for the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership (DWSPP) and the National Capital Region Water Security Work Group.

Amongst his many local and national awards, some of his most notable include being named as the 2019 “Top Ten Public Works Leaders” by the American Public Works Association (APWA), “Civil Engineer of the Year” by the ASCE Maryland Section, “Large Utility Manager of the year” by the Cheaspeake Water Environment Association (CWEA), and “Engineer of the Year” by the Engineering Society of Baltimore.

Chow holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the George Washington University and a Master of Science in Environmental/Water Resources Engineering from the University of Maryland. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland and Delaware. 

 



DC Water
Korey R. Gray - Director, Compliance and Business Development



As DC Water’s Director of Compliance and Business Development, Korey Gray leads the Authority’s supplier diversity program. With over 15 years of experience in the field of supplier diversity and inclusion, Korey is never satisfied with the status quo.  His relentless pursuit of improved diversity and inclusion demonstrates leadership in advancing DC Water’s innovative approach to building relationships with diverse suppliers in every aspect of its purchasing of goods and services.
 
Under Korey’s leadership, DC Water’s Board of Directors recently approved a major overhaul of its Business Development Plan, the first of its kind since 2009.  The Board’s approval was the culmination of two years of developing a foundation that will foster a new standard of doing business with DC Water. To ensure the transparency of this process, Korey led an ambitious public engagement process that involved listening sessions with the community and recommendations from DC Water staff, diverse suppliers, prime contractors, government agencies and advocacy organizations.
 
The revised Business Development Plan formalizes the Authority’s best practices for monitoring minority- and women-owned businesses; creates new opportunities for certified local small business enterprises; and adds additional protections for certified firms that are performing on DC Water projects. Two critical initiatives are introduced in the Plan: The Local Small Business Reserve (LSBRP) and the Disadvantaged Business and Women-owned Business Enterprise (D/WBE) Programs.   The LSBRP, based upon a pilot initiative that was launched in November 2019, opens new pathways for certified local small businesses to develop partnerships with DC Water’s Departments. The D/WBE Program applies to non-federally funding architectural /engineering, construction and goods/services projects. The goal of the program is to increase the number of certified disadvantaged and women-owned firms who are eligible to compete and perform on DC Water contracts. Further, the revised Business Development Plan places a strong emphasis on effective prime contractor engagement with diverse suppliers and establishes a mentor-protégé program. 
 
To make certain that the concerns of certified firms are heard, Korey was instrumental in ensuring that DC Water’s supplier diversity and inclusion efforts were placed directly within the Office of the CEO and General Manager. This alignment assures the diverse supplier community that the implementation and accountability measures of the Business Development Plan are unencumbered. The position alignment has led to the Business Development Program’s increased visibility within DC Water and among its industry peers.
 
Also among his key achievements, Korey successfully created and launched DC Water’s Apprenticeship Program, which launched in 2019.  The multi-trade training program focuses on five (5) high demand careers:  Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Quality Assurance (Fleet Maintenance), Water Utility Services and Wastewater Operator Training. 
 
As an industry leader in the water utility industry, Korey is highly sought out for his strategic insight and successful innovative business practices.  Korey is a native Washingtonian and a proud Howard University alumnus. He enjoys spending quality time with his family and engaging in robust conversations regarding current and historical news events.

 

DC Water
David M. Parker, PE - Director, Wastewater Engineering

Mr. Parker is the Acting Vice President of Engineering for DC Water. In this role he oversees an annual CIP budget of approximately $600 million, including Wastewater Treatment, Sewer Collection, Water Distribution, and Pumping Systems. He has over 30 years of experience in the planning, design, construction, and commissioning of water and wastewater facilities. He holds BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech, and is a registered Professional Engineer in DC, MD, VA, and NC.


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