Four Tapped for ACWA's Prestigious Emissary Award

Four dynamic and dedicated individuals have been nominated for ACWA’s 2011 Emissary Award.

The award, in its sixth year, recognizes outstanding leadership by ACWA member volunteers in advancing the association’s mission, and is its highest honor bestowed on an individual. The recipient will be unveiled during the opening breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at ACWA’s 2011 Fall Conference & Exhibition in Anaheim.

Nominees are:

Kathy Cole, Executive Legislative Representative, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Cole has served on ACWA’s State Legislative Committee since 1996, serving as vice-chair since 2009. Through 20 years of thoughtful diplomacy and skillful advocacy she has helped secure significant political advancements for the water community, including the Colorado River Settlement Agreement, the historic package of water legislation passed in 2009 and efforts in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.

Bob Gomperz, ACWA Representative, Foothill Municipal Water District

Gomperz has served on the Region 8 and ACWA boards since 2008, chairing the Region 8 board for the 2010-‘11 term. He has also served on the ACWA Communications Committee and has assisted with many of the association’s high profile communications efforts, including serving on the task force that shaped the California’s Water Series with Huell Howser, the editorial advisory board for Water For Tomorrow and, most recently, the ACWA membership recruitment drive.

Pankaj Parekh, Director of Water Quality, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Parekh has served on ACWA’s Board of Directors since 2006 and has chaired the association’s Water Quality Committee since that time. He is a member of the Safe Drinking Water and Clean Water Subcommittee and the Outreach Task Force, and is active in Region 8. His efforts and activities have had a significant positive impact on the development and implementation of water quality regulations affecting ACWA member agencies.

Greg Zlotnick, Consultant, State & Federal Contractors Water Agency

Zlotnick has chaired the Groundwater Committee since 2008 and recently led the development of the policy document “Sustainability from the Ground Up: Groundwater Management in California: A Framework.” He has chaired ACWA’s Water Management and Federal Affairs committees, served on ACWA’s Executive Committee and was a member of ACWA’s Blueprint Task Force. He serves on the ACWA Board of Directors, Ag-Urban II Coalition, Outreach Task Force and is active in Region 5.