Celebrating exceptional service in Maine’s clean water industry.
JETCC is honored to work with many talented professionals and organizations in our efforts to protect Maine’s environment. Each year, JETCC recognizes personnel, managers, facilities and/or organizations who demonstrate outstanding service, dedication and leadership to the industry. Award recipients will be announced at the MeWEA Fall Convention by a JETCC representative.
Founders Award
The JETCC Founders Award is given to a staff member in a municipal or industrial wastewater treatment system who has shown exemplary service in their role, such as keeping a plant running smoothly or boosting team morale. The award is given in honor of the late Jerome “Frenchie” Guervremont in recognition for his guidance to Maine’s environmental community, his years of service to the town of Rangeley, and for his contributions as one of the original founders of JETCC in 1985.
2024 Award Recipient
Andrew Whitaker, Saco Water Resource Recovery Department
This year’s award recognizes Andrew Whitaker, city of Saco WRRD, who has demonstrated exceptional reliability and leadership in his work since joining the city’s workforce in 2010. He began with the Department of Public Works, responsible for videoing and documenting deficiencies within the collection system. He was hired as an Operator for the Water Resource Recovery Department the next year, promoted the following year, and promoted again to his current position in 2021.
Eligibility
The JETCC Founders Award is given annually to an operator, maintenance worker, or laboratory personnel working in a municipal or industrial wastewater treatment system in Maine. The award recognizes a staff member working in a plant or wastewater system; It is not intended to recognize plant superintendents, system managers, or engineers (management staff).
Award criteria:
- Employment history and long-term service in a Maine wastewater system.
- Meritorious service during a significant event.
- Assumption of additional responsibility that resulted in a benefit to the community or industry.
- Community involvement away from the job.
Nominations can be made by any superintendent, trustee, or member of a governing board/management staff providing oversight to a wastewater system in Maine.
An Awards Nomination Committee will be established by JETCC to review all submissions.
Past Recipients
- Michael Antonelli, South Berwick Sewer District (2023)
- Dwayne Brown, Town of Falmouth (2022)
- Richard Fox and Joseph Pereira, Rockland Pollution Control Facility (2021)
- Matthew Ondra, Rockland Pollution Control Facility (2020)
- Edwin Woods, Lewiston Auburn Clean Water Authority (LACWA) (2019)
Lee Agger Award
The Lee Agger Award was established in 1990 in memory of Lee Agger, whose hard work in establishing JETCC was an inspiration to all who worked with her. The award was created by the JETCC committee to recognize fellow environmental professionals, facilities or organizations who have shown a similar dedication to JETCC.
2024 Award Recipient
Travis Jones, Olver Associates
Travis has had a long tenure of contributions to JETCC and its mission of training in the state of Maine. Travis was a member of the Committee for seven and a half years and acted as the chair of our committee from 2019 until May of this year, when he termed out. Over this time, he provided leadership through the challenges that the organization faced transitioning to fully remote trainings during the pandemic and then navigating the return to in-person trainings as the public health threat waned.
He graduated from one of the first JETCC Management Candidate School classes in 2010 and has contributed to JETCC classes directly as an instructor and helping pull others into instruction roles since then.
Eligibility
Selection criteria is based on meritorious support and service to environmental training in the state of Maine by an individual(s) or facility/organization. Nominations are made by the JETCC staff and committee members.
Past Recipients
- Phyllis Arnold Rand, Greater Augusta Utility District & Compass Rose Training Solutions (2023)
- Rob Pontau, Brunswick Sewer District (2022)
- Ken Locke, Brewer Water Pollution Control Facility (2021)
- York Sewer District (2020)
- Peter Sherwood, Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District (2019)
Hanson Excellence in Management Award
The Hanson Excellence in Management Award was created in recognition of Leeann Hanson’s three decades of service to Maine’s water and wastewater industries through her role at NEIWPCC. One of Hanson’s significant contributions was the development and growth of the JETCC Management Candidate School (MCS). The MCS provides a critical training opportunity for those in a management role or who aspire to work in management.
Eligibility
This award is intended to recognize a manager in the water and wastewater field who demonstrates commitment to their employees, their facility, and the clean water community. Nominations are evaluated by the JETCC committee based on the merits of the nominee and the testimony of the person who has nominated them.
Past Recipients
- Lucien “Lou” Colburn, Brewer Water Pollution Control Facility (2023)
- Jane Carroll, Greater Augusta Utility District (2022)