Awards
Award Winners
Ronald M. Finch Award
- 1951—C. F. Wimer, Hastings
- 1952—Fred Kriesel, Ortonville
- 1953—Howard J. Sowden, Fergus Falls
- 1954—William Yegen, Bismarck
- 1955—Ira Vraalstad, St. Louis Park
- 1956—Carl A. Flack, St. Paul
- 1957—Nels Haagenson, Fergus Falls
- 1958—Carl Ahlgren, Roseville
- 1959—Clayton Bach, Minneapolis
Leonard N. Thompson Award
Leonard N. Thompson started his career with the St. Paul Water Utility on August 1,
1912 and continued working until June 1, 1964, serving as the utility's general
manager for nearly 34 years.
Many of the concepts, plans, and projects which he and his staff developed and
built still serve the citizens of St. Paul. During this time he spent countless
hours on the American Water Works Association work, both for North Central Section
and on a national level. He twice served as President of the American Water
Works Association.
Leonard Thompson stands alone in our section in longevity, service to his community and service to the water industry. He loved his work, and to it he devoted his entire life. The Leonard N. Thompson Award was established by the North Central Section in remembrance of this outstanding individual. The award is made annually to a Minnesota Section member who typifies the standards that were emblematic of Thompson’s contributions to the Section and the water supply industry.
| 1960 | M. H. Bischoff | Minneapolis |
| 1961 | Willard J. Bell | Minneapolis |
| 1962 | Bernhard C. Woehler | Edina |
| 1963 | S. K. Svenkeson | Minot, N. D. |
| 1964 | Clarence H. Nelson | Detroit Lakes |
| 1965 | Lyle E. Else | Marshall |
| 1966 | Maynard T. Kays | St. Louis Park |
| 1967 | William V. Lacina | Mankato |
| 1968 | Ned Van Wambeke | West St. Paul |
| 1969 | Glendale Cass | Winona |
| 1970 | Fred Thielman | St. Cloud |
| 1971 | Paul Johnson | Minneapolis |
| 1972 | Roger Ebersole | Northfield |
| 1973 | Norbert W. Radmer | Burnsville |
| 1974 | Harold Passe | Red Wing |
| 1975 | Tillyer Hammer | St. James |
| 1976 | Earl Carter | St. Paul |
| 1977 | Virgil Reller | Richfield |
| 1978 | Robert Francis | Bismarck, N. D. |
| 1979 | Jim Boye | Mankato |
| 1980 | William J. Meuwissen | St. Paul |
| 1981 | Edwin Dunn | St. Cloud |
| 1982 | Larry D. Cole | Minneapolis |
| 1983 | Clifford Setnes | So. St. Paul |
| 1984 | Gary Englund | Shoreview |
| 1985 | William Lloyd | Bloomington |
| 1986 | Frank Keuler | Bloomington |
| 1987 | Howard Radke | Woodbury |
| 1988 | Gunilla Montgomery | Minneapolis |
| 1989 | Richard Lukanen | Alexandria |
| 1990 | Gerald Mahon | St. Cloud |
| 1991 | Larry J. Turner | Northfield |
| 1992 | Wayne Enney | Bloomington |
| 1993 | Charles Taflin | Minneapolis |
| 1994 | Doug Mandy | St. Paul |
| 1995 | Duane Prew | St. Paul |
| 1996 | Dave Scheerer | Burnsville |
| 1997 | John Hill | Crystal |
| 1998 | Bernie Bullert | St. Paul |
| 1999 | Gerald Allen | St. Paul |
| 2000 | Verne Jacobson | St. Paul |
| 2001 | Jim Haugen | St. Paul |
| 2002 | Adam Kramer | Minneapolis |
| 2003 | Ed Sorensen | Eden Prairie |
| 2004 | Allen Lamm | New Ulm |
| 2005 | George Rosati | Mankato |
| 2006 | Cliff McLain | Moorhead |
| 2007 | John Thom | Vadnais Heights |
George Warren Fuller Award
George Warren Fuller was an engineer equipped with a mind that was never closed to new ideas. He was an inventive technician and skilled negotiator who used his communication skills to persuade reluctant city officials of the need to authorize sanitary improvemnts. A mentor to others in the field, Fuller believed in the organization and assembly of technical and professional people and devoted himself to the advancement of their associations and societies toward the end that they serve better through planned action and cooperation.
- 1940—Felix Seligman, Duluth
- 1941—R. M. Finch, Minneapolis
- 1942—Arthur F. Mellen, Minneapolis
- 1945—O. E. Brownell, Minneapolis
- 1946—W. D. Hurst, Winnipeg
- 1948—Leonard N. Thompson, St. Paul
- 1951—R. A. Thuma, St. Paul
- 1952—A. C. Janzig, Minneapolis
- 1953—Edgar Johnson, Minneapolis
- 1954—Herbert S. Grove, Stillwater
- 1955—William Yegen, Bismarck
- 1957—George J. Schroepfer, Minneapolis
- 1958—H. H. Behlmer, Fargo
- 1959—R. M. Jenson, Grand Forks
- 1960—Howard J. Sowden, Fergus Falls
- 1961—Clayton Bach, Minneapolis
- 1962—Carl A. Flack, St. Paul
- 1963—Elmer A. Huset, St. Paul
- 1964—W. VanHeuvelen, Bismarck
- 1965—M. D. Lubratovich, Duluth
- 1966—Williard J. Bell, Minneapolis
- 1967—Clifford W. Hamblin, St. Paul
- 1968—Dean Colvin, Hopkins
- 1969—Ben Woehler, Edina
- 1970—Manley "Mac" Thomas, Baudette
- 1971—Ken Ruby, Fargo
- 1972—Bruce Boyer, Cloquet
- 1973—Maynard T. Kays, St. Louis Park
- 1974—Ned VanWambeke, West St. Paul
- 1975—Russell Snyder, Minneapolis
- 1976—Charles Taflin, Minneapolis
- 1977—William Lloyd, Bloomington
- 1978—Al Forsman, Grand Forks
- 1979—David Morris, Jr., St. Paul
- 1980—Francis Brennan, Rochester
- 1981—Gerald Mahon, St. Cloud
- 1982—Robert Wigley, Eden Prairie
- 1983—Robert Francis, Bismarck
- 1984—Carl Ahlgren, Minneapolis
- 1985—Leonard Dittrich, Golden Valley
- 1986—Duane Prew, St. Paul
- 1987—Gary Englund, Shoreview
- 1988—Tim Mogren, St. Paul
- 1989—Larry J. Turner, Northfield
- 1990—Wayne E. Enney, Bloomington
- 1991—Verne E. Jacobsen, St. Paul
- 1992—Frank Keuler, Bloomington
- 1993—Harold Wobschall, Rochester
- 1994—Cliff McLain, Moorhead
- 1995—Dan Boyce, East Grand Forks
- 1996—George Rosati, Mankato
- 1997—Bernie Bullert, St. Paul
- 1998—Doug Mandy, St. Paul
- 1999—John Thom, Richfield
- 2000—Allen Lamm, Thief River Falls
- 2001—Gerald Allen, St. Anthony
- 2002—Jim Haugen, St. Paul
- 2003—Yasser Abouaish, Minneapolis
- 2004—Jarrod Christen, Detroit Lakes
- 2005—Larry Cole, Williams (Retired-Minnesota Department of Health)
- 2006—Ed Sorensen, Eden Prairie
- 2007—Ben Mason, Lakeville
Meritorious Service Award
The Operator Meritorious Service Award is presented to an operator who achieves continuous compliance with health standards, provides consistent and outstanding contributions to plant maintenance, develops new and modified equipment or significant process modifications to provide for a more efficient and effective treatment, and makes special efforts to provide training for water supply operators.
- 1984—Vergil Reller,
- Bloomington
- 1986—Donald Beckman, Blaine
- 1987—Bill Lloyd, Bloomington
- 1988—Tom Dunn, St. Cloud
- 1989—Herm Bartz, Waite Park
- 1990—Bart Murphy, Willmar
- 1993—Lowell "Duffy" Day, Minnetonka Beach
- 1993—Tom Sakry, International Falls
- 1995—Glen Gerads, Bloomington
- 1996—Gary Hultberg, East Grand Forks
- 1997—Pete Moulton, St. Peter
- 1999—Dick Nagy, Hutchinson
- 2000—Gary Peters, Wadena
- 2002—Ken Friederichs, Sauk Centre
- 2004—Ken Seurer, Lakeville
- 2005—Steve Burklund, Milaca
- 2005—Lyle Stai, Willmar
Membership Achievement Award
To recognize the section member that achieves the greatest increase in new members in one year.
- 1968—Norb Radmer
- 1969—Norb Radmer
- 1970—Robert Wigley
- 1971—Gerald Mahon
- 1972—Robert Wigley
- 1973—Gerald Mahon
- 1974—Don Asmus
- 1975—Francis Brennan
- 1976—Gerald Mahon
- 1977—Robert Wigley
- 1978—Ken Ruby
- 1979—William Lloyd
- 1980—Jim Boye
- 1981—Gerald Mahon
- 1982—Dave Peterson
- 1983—Ron Bauer
- 1984—Gerald Mahon
- 1985—Larry Turner
- 1986—Larry Turner
- 1987—Douglas Mandy
- 1988—Mark Sweers
- 1989—Howard Radke
- 1990—Todd Bredesen
- 1991—David Schultz
- 1992—John Redmond
- 1993—Doug Mandy
- 1994—David Schultz
- 1995—Dan Boyce
- 1996—John Lapointe
- 1997—Bill Spain
- 1998—Bill Spain
- 1999—Bill Spain
- 2000—Bill Spain and John Thom
- 2001—Jerry Smith
- 2002—Glen Gerads
- 2003—Keith Redmond
- 2004—Keith Redmond
- 2005—Keith Redmond
- 2006—Keith Redmond
- 2007—Corey Lubovich
Gold Water Drop Award—50 Year AWWA Member
- Willard J. Bell
- Bernard Grodlin
- Arndt J. Duvall
- Conrad D. Straub
- Clayton M. Bach
- Dean Colvin
- F. W. Packard
- Joseph T. Ling
- John V. Palmer
- Walter K. Johnson
- D. C. Vry
- Earl N. Ruble
- Eugene Eilers
- Carl J. Ahlgren
AWWA Honorary Members
This award is presented each year to individuals “whose knowledge and accomplishments in the field of water supply entitle him/her to special recognition.” An Honorary Member shall have all the rights and privileges of an Active Member and shall be exempt from paying dues.
- Willard J. Bell
- Norbert J. Davoust
- Clifford Hamblin
- Elmer Huset
- Gerald Mahon
- Verne E. Jacobsen
- Gary Englund
- Doug "The Supreme Commander" Mandy
Complete List of AWWA Awards
American Water Works Association Awards.