WWEMA 116th Annual Meeting & Emerging Leaders’ Meeting
November 12-15, 2024
DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel – Paradise Valley
Scottsdale, AZ
WWEMA welcomes you to its 116th Annual Meeting, taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona. This meeting will elevate our understanding of the water industry’s current challenges and opportunities! Attendees will gain insights into the latest industry developments and their implications for businesses. We will explore potential priorities of the new (or continuing) administration and hear from speakers about the role of AI in manufacturing, upcoming regulatory and legislative agendas, and cybersecurity advancements. We will also delve into the PFAS issues affecting the water sector and examine the implementation and enforcement of BABA by the US EPA Inspector General’s Office. Additionally, we will provide updates on the EPA Office of Water’s actions and introduce new topics essential for staying ahead in navigating the water industry landscape.
In addition to the Annual Meeting, we will be hosting our first Emerging Leaders’ Meeting on Wednesday, November 13th along with a Welcome Reception on Tuesday, November 12th. The Emerging Leaders’ Meeting will feature interactive sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, aimed at inspiring and developing future industry leaders. Attendees will gain insights into the latest industry trends, innovative technologies, sustainable practices, dealing with challenges within the workplace while connecting with mentors and peers. The meeting will be followed by a Welcome Reception for all attendees to network and celebrate the future of manufacturing leadership. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your career, the Emerging Leaders’ Meeting offers unparalleled opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute to the future of manufacturing.
Guest Experience – We’re excited to invite guests to our Thursday Guest Experience on November 14th, from 8:45 am – 3:00 pm. Kick off the day at the Creative Color Art Studio, where you can showcase your painting skills. After that, indulge in a Sip and Sample Walking Food Tour through Old Town Scottsdale. Please note that additional registration is required to participate.
Join us in Scottsdale to network, learn from peers, and gather valuable information to support your professional growth and business development. We look forward to seeing you there.
| Schedule of Events | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, November 12th | ||
| 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm | Golfing at McCormick Ranch Golf Club | |
| 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm | Welcome Reception and Cocktail Mixer for Emerging Leaders * All meeting registrants invited |
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| Wednesday, | November 13th | |
| 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | Registration | |
| 8:00 am - 9:30 am | WWEMA Executive Committee Meeting | |
| 8:00 am - 12:30 pm | Emerging Leaders Meeting (See separate agenda) | |
| 10:00 am - 10:15 am | Network Break - Coffee with Emerging Leaders and New Members *All meeting registrants invited |
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| 10:30 am - 12:00 noon | Marketing & Member Services Committee Meeting *All meeting registrants invited |
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| 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm | Lunch on your own | |
| 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Legislative & Regulatory Committee Meeting *All meeting registrants invited |
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| 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm | WWEMA Board of Directors Meeting | |
| 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm | Welcome Reception *All meeting registrants invited |
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| Thursday, | November 14th | |
| 8:00 am - 5:00 pm | Registration | |
| 8:00 am - 8:45 am | Networking Breakfast | |
| 8:00 am - 8:45 am | Manufacturers Rep Council Breakfast Meeting (Council Members Only) | |
| 8:45 am - 3:30 pm | Thursday Guest Experience (For non-meeting attendees. Separate registration required.) | |
| 9:00 am - 9:15 am | Welcome from Meeting Chair Henk-Jan van Ettekoven, Meeting Chair 2024 WWEMA Board of Directors Chair President, HUBER Technology |
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| 9:15 am - 10:15 am | Innovation and The Future of Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence Keynote Speaker Sharina Perry Sharina Perry Bio Sharina is the founder and inventor of Utopia Plastix, a plant-based alternative to petroleum-based polymers. Sharina is also the originator and developer of The Utopia Model, a sustainable ecosystem business model. She is well regarded as an innovator, strategist, and unconventional thinker. She is often praised for her exceptional capacity to foster creative thinking, effective execution, and deliberate leadership. Among other topics, Sharina will address workforce issues and how to incorporate Artificial Intelligence in your business operations in order to further optimize it. Sharina was listed as Forbes's Top 10 Women To Watch in 2023 (globally). Sharina was also featured in September 2023 on the iconic Nasdaq Billboard in NYC Times Square as the Inventor of the Year. Sharina is also the 2024 Top Sustainable Strategies and Circular Economics Expert by IAOTP (International Association of Top Professionals). |
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| 10:15 am - 10:30 am | Networking Break | |
| 10:30 am - 12:00 noon | The Federal Agenda: An Expert Dialogue on the Top Legislative and Regulatory Developments in Washington, DC Moderator: Caitlin Berretta, Chair WWEMA Legislative/Regulatory Committee; Director, U.S. Government Affairs, Xylem, Inc. Speakers: Tracy Mehan, III, Executive Director, Government Affairs, American Water Works Association (AWWA) Steve Dye, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Water Environment Federation (WEF) Jon Freedman, Global Head, Policy & External Stakeholder Engagement, Veralto - Water |
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| 12:00 noon - 12:30 pm | Emerging Leaders Panel Discussion Moderator: Mark Turpin, President, Duperon Corporation Speakers: Chad Fisher, Pressure Booster Product Manager, Gorman-Rupp Pumps Logan Stringfellow, Vice President, ClearWater, Inc. The Emerging Leaders program aims to strengthen leadership skills, foster personal and professional development, and promote a culture of innovation and collaboration. The panel will summarize the Emerging Leaders’ Meeting and outline the future plans for the program. |
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| 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | Networking Lunch | |
| 1:45 pm - 2:30 pm | Enforcement and Compliance of the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) Keynote Speaker U.S. EPA Inspector General Sean O'Donnell Sean O'Donnell Bio The mission of the Office of Inspector General is to promote economy and efficiency at the EPA and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, as well as detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse related to the programs and operations of those two agencies. Mr. O’Donnell oversees a nationwide workforce of attorneys, auditors, special agents, and support personnel who support the Office’s mission by providing evidence-based reports to the agencies, the public, and to Congress. Mr. O’Donnell is charged with oversight of BABA requirements as its requirements are implemented. This presentation will include current activities of the Office of the Inspector General to enforce compliance with the BABA requirements. |
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| 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Watershed Moment: Industry and FBI, Strategic Partners in Protecting Critical Infrastructure Timothy Dunham, Acting Associate Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Water and wastewater facilities are facing increasing threats both to their physical assets as well as to their networks and digital assets – cybersecurity threats. The federal government has stepped up its activities to provide guidance and support to increase security. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also increased its attention to help support our nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure. FBI has reached out to WWEMA and other organizations in the water space to expand a collaborative effort to help identify, act and pursue these threats and provide information advise where appropriate. Mr. Dunham will provide insights on what the FBI can bring to the table to work with our sector to help mitigate the impact of cyber and physical attacks. |
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| 3:00 pm - 3:15 pm | Networking Break | |
| 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm | Crises Happen! Key Steps Leaders Should Take Now to Protect Their Business and Reputation Janet Riley, President, Janet Riley Strategies Crises happen to good companies, but there are steps you can and should take now to make your crisis response more effective and to protect your business and your reputation. From table-top exercises to communications training, business leaders should invest time to avoid paying the price later. Hear from an expert who has been in the trenches on an array of complex crises, including animal disease outbreaks, cyberattacks, environmental controversies, foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls. |
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| 4:15 pm - 5:00 pm | Reducing Warranty Claims Through Enhanced Training: WCWC & WWEMA Collaboration for Operational Excellence Brian Bates, MBA, BSc., Chief Executive Officer, Walkerton Clean Water Centre Kara Rutherford, MSc., Strategic Growth & Planning, Walkerton Clean Water Centre The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC), an operational service agency of the Ontario government, is dedicated to providing education, information, and advice to drinking water system owners, operators, and the public on the treatment processes, equipment, and technologies necessary to ensure safe drinking water. WWEMA connects its members with industry experts, policymakers, potential customers, and key stakeholders, fostering valuable business opportunities and industry success. WCWC is proposing a strategic partnership with WWEMA members to address common challenges, such as warranty claims arising from improper equipment operation and the need for re-training as operators transition or retire. By collaborating with manufacturers, WCWC aims to integrate these real-world issues into its training programs, ensuring operators are equipped with the skills needed to maintain and operate equipment correctly, reducing warranty claims, and enhancing system reliability. |
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| 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm | Chairman's Award Reception and Dinner *All meeting registrants invited |
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| Friday, | November 15th | |
| 8:00 am - 12:00 noon | Registration | |
| 8:00 am - 8:45 am | Networking Breakfast | |
| 9:00 am - 10:15 am | The Economic Landscape - Making Cents Out of It Thomas E. Decker Consulting, LLC, Owner The water/wastewater market is unmistakably on a roll today driven by deteriorating infrastructure, regulations, and a massive influx of Federal dollars from multiple pieces of legislation. But, as with any market segment, the strength and trajectory of the overarching economy has a definite impact on business growth and performance. This presentation will examine a variety of economic factors such as GDP expansion/contraction, inflation, labor availability, construction input costs, housing, population demographics, and other indicators. In addition, we’ll explore how the November 5 election outcome could affect the water/wastewater market. Finally, we’ll provide a prognostication on where the market is headed and the potential for continuing growth. |
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| 10:15 am - 10:30 am | Networking Break | |
| 10:30 am - 12:00 noon | BABA Implementation: The Current State of BABA – A WWEMA-EPA-USDA Dialogue Moderator: Claudio H. Ternieden, Executive Director, WWEMA Speakers: Tim Connor, Senior Chemical Engineer, Office of Wastewater Management, Water Infrastructure Division, U.S. EPA Achal Raj, Physical Scientist, Office of Wastewater Management, Water Infrastructure Division, U.S. EPA Valdis Krumins, Ph.D., P.E., ENV SP, Senior Environmental Engineer, Water and Environmental Programs, Rural Utilities Service, Rural Development Agency, USDA |
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| 12:00 noon | Closing Comments and Adjournment | |
| Tentative Schedule of Events | |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, November 12th | |
| 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm | Welcome Reception and Cocktail Mixer for Emerging Leaders *All meeting registrants invited |
| 6:30 pm - ??? | Dinner out on the Town (on your own) |
| Wednesday, November 13th | |
| 8:00 am - 9:00 am | Icebreaker Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00 am - 9:15 am | Introductions and Welcome to Emerging Leaders • Outline goals and expectations |
| 9:15 am – 10:00 am | Panel discussions on experiences as Emerging Leaders (ELs) • Share experiences and challenges faced by ELs • Discuss overcoming imposter syndrome, career progression, and the role of mentorship • Explore what ELs are seeking in their roles and workplaces, including preferences for remote vs. hybrid vs. on-site work |
| 10:00 – 10:15 am | Network Break - Coffee with Emerging Leaders and New Members |
| 10:15 am – 12:00 pm | Panel and Roundtable discussions on How Can WWEMA and Its Members Engage Emerging Leaders? • Discuss how different industry groups (manufacturers vs. distributors) engage with WWEMA • Explore conference attendance, meeting content creation, and structure (panels vs. round tables) • Consider entertainment, financial aspects, training, and leadership programs • Create value for manufacturers to invest in the organization |
| 12:00 – 12:30 pm | Closing Topics • Discuss industry memberships • Overview of the WWEMA committees and organization structure • Recap and discuss integrating the EL program into WWEMA’s strategic plan |
| 12:30 – 1:30 pm | Lunch on your own for networking with EL and annual meeting attendees |
| 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Legislative & Regulatory Committee Meeting *All meeting registrants invited |
| 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm | Welcome Reception |
| Thursday, November 14th | |
| TBD | Presentation with Q&A Panel Discussion • Moderated committee discussion to summarize EL Summit |
Registration – Event Registration NOW OPEN!
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1st Registrant | $1100 per person |
| Additional Registrants | $800 per person |
| Emerging Leader Registrant | $650 per person |
| Thursday Guest Experience | $250 per person |
Hotel Reservations
The WWEMA 116th Annual Meeting will be held at The DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel – Paradise Valley, 5401 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85250. Hotel Reservations are available by clicking the link below. Cut-off date for reservations is Tuesday, October 22nd. (Hotel will accept reservations after cut-off date and at the contracted room rate but will be based on availability).
Sponsorships (Sponsorships are available through registration)
Meeting Sponsorships: $1,000 (Gold level) and $2,000 (Platinum level)
Golf and Tuesday Evening Reception Sponsorship: $500
Manufacturers’ Representatives and Associate Members Co-Sponsorship of Welcome Reception: $250
WWEMA provides sponsorship opportunities to enhance the success of our Annual Meeting. Sponsors receive recognition across various channels, including promotional materials, social media, the onsite program, podium announcements, meeting video screens, the WWEMA website, and in post-meeting summaries and documents. Detailed information can be found during the registration process.