Meet The Team

Glen T. Daigger, PhD, PE, DEE Area of Specialization: Wastewater Treatment , Biosolids treatment and Nutrient removal

Dr. Glen Daigger has more than 30 years of experience in wastewater treatment plant evaluation, troubleshooting, and process design. His areas of expertise include biological wastewater treatment and treatment process design, in particular biological nutrient removal (both nitrogen and phosphorus), combined trickling filter and activated sludge systems, the use of biological selectors to control activated sludge bulking, and oxygen transfer. He has served as a process engineer, project engineer, and project consultant on a variety of municipal wastewater treatment projects. He has contributed to all phases of facility development, from pilot studies to startup and troubleshooting. Between 1994 and 1996 he served as professor and head of the Environmental Systems Engineering Department at Clemson University.

In his role as CH2M HILL’s Chief Wastewater Process Engineer, Dr. Glen Daigger was responsible for wastewater process engineering on both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment projects. He was also the first Technical Fellow for the firm, an honor which recognizes the leadership that he provides for CH2M HILL and for the profession in the development and implementation of new wastewater treatment technology.

He is the author of numerous reports, articles, and conference presentations on wastewater treatment and sustainable wastewater infrastructure. Among the numerous topics he has written on are bioreactors, nutrient removal, water quality, optimization, chemically-enhanced treatment, and activated sludge. His texts including Biological Wastewater Treatment, Upgrading Wastewater Treatment Plants, and Principles and Practice of Phosphorus and Nitrogen Removal from Municipal Wastewater, are used in engineering classrooms across the country. Glen has also held the position of President of the International Water Association for two consecutive terms.

Dr. Graeme K. Pearce Area of Specialization: Membranes filtration, Membrane technologies and markets

Dr Graeme K Pearce, is a membrane technology specialist with 30 years experience in the membrane industry and member of the O2 TAG.

A graduate of Oxford University with a chemistry first degree and a chemical engineering doctorate, Graeme’s introduction to membrane technology started in BP Chemicals R&D in 1980. In 1991, Graeme was Technical Director of the core team to start up Kalsep, a Separations company formed by a management buy-out from BP. Kalsep specialized in membrane and filtration systems for water, wastewater, and process applications, and achieved a $7.5 million dollar turnover within 6 years.

Graeme joined Hydranautics in 2000, where he was responsible for the development and marketing of the ultrafiltration (UF) and microfiltration (MF) technology.

In 2005, Graeme left Hydranautics to form an independent consultancy, Membrane Consultancy Associates (MCA). A deep understanding of both technology and markets enables Graeme to provide a comprehensive service in the field of membrane technology in liquid treatment. Assignments have included advice on technology development and improvement, competitive positioning, market strategy, and growth opportunities. Graeme has also acted as an advisor in mergers and acquisitions.

Click to download Dr. Graeme Pearce’s detailed resume.

James W. Hotchkies Area of Specialization: Commercialization and implementation of advanced water technologies

With over 25 years of experience in the water industry, Jim Hotchkies focuses on the identification, commercialization and implementation of advanced technologies to deliver the highest level of water & wastewater treatment with the lowest energy footprint and the lowest environmental impact. With an extensive, global network spanning the business, financial & technical sectors, Jim enables technology innovators to move from concept to commercial reality, and systems providers to deliver the most advanced & effective solutions for the treatment of water & wastewater.

Jim is Managing Director of JWH Consulting GmbH, Chairman of Aquarion AG, Vice-President – Commercial for BluMetric Environmental Inc., and serves on the Advisory Boards for the Pictet Water Fund, Advanced Mem-Tech Ltd., Emefcy Ltd., and ClearCove Systems Inc.

Prior to his current activities, Jim was Head of International Business Development for the Water Membrane Division of LG Electronics; Managing Director for Ostara Europe; Vice President at Toray Membrane Europe and Toray Membrane USA; Senior Vice President – EMEA for ZENON Environmental (later part of GE Water); Founding Director of the Sheridan Environmental Technology Institute; President of Pyxis Systems Group Inc.; Vice President at Kontek Ecology Systems and Manager of Market Development Engineering for the Algoma Steel Corporation.

Dr. Corina Carpentier Area of Specialization: On-line sensors and real-time monitoring Water Quality Monitoring

Corina Carpentier, PhD (Ecotoxicology) has been active in the field of (ecological) water quality monitoring since 1996. She supports (drinking) water utilities and water authorities in the selection of the most suitable (combination of) online sensors and monitors to obtain essential water quality information for process optimization and control, or compliance checking. This also includes the collection, assessment and reporting of large datasets, thus ensuring the availability of all essential information to take operational decisions and determine future water quality goals. To this end, she enters into cooperation with sensor and data evaluation experts worldwide. Since 2012, as a project manager and (ecological) monitoring expert of an international consortium, she has been involved in the development of a compendium documenting the types, costs and experience with the use of online sensors and monitors in the global water industry. Examples of related projects are the development of a monitoring station for the Huangpu River in Shanghai (2007-2009) and the development of an intake protection system for drinking water production for the city of Iaşi (Romania).

Dr. Carpentier regularly presents (ecological) water quality monitoring technologies and approaches to water professionals and operators. Additionally, she teaches training courses on online algal monitoring using fluorometry techniques and online toxicity monitoring using various organisms (algae, daphnia).

Dr. Carpentier has been active as a consultant for DG Environment of the European Commission regarding (drinking) water quality since 2002. She led the project team which organized a Drinking Water Seminar to revise the European Drinking Water Directive for DG Environment of the European Commission in 2003. She also managed three consecutive projects on Reporting Obligations under EU Water Legislation for DG Environment between 2002 and 2010. In 2012-2013 she developed a new concept for the future of reporting under the Drinking Water Directive, commissioned by DG Environment of the European Commission.

Slava Libman Ph.D.

Area of Specialisation: UltraPure Water (UPW)

Slava has more than 20 years of international experience in demanding industrial environments, with expertise in water technology, including R&D, analytical services, operations, and management . He developed innovative concepts for water systems of advanced semiconductor factories and municipal applications. He received Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. Slava is a licensed Environmental Engineering Professional.

His professional contributions include more than 50 publications and conference presentations in water technology. He is particularly active with semiconductor industry activities, including organising and moderating conferences and seminars, developing water technology roadmap and standards.

Specialties: UltraPure Water (UPW), Water and Wastewater Treatment, Desalination, Filtration, Reverse Osmosis (RO), Biological Wastewater Treatment.

Dr. Michael Mickley Area of Specialization: Desalination

Dr. Michael Mickley has experience working in the field of desalination technology since 1966. Since 1990, most of Michael’s work within this field has focused on the area of concentrate/brine management. Michael has been worked as a consultant to major engineering companies on several projects that involved site-specific evaluation of disposal options. His more recent international efforts have addressed challenges in Oman, U.A.E., South Africa, and Australia involving ZLD processing with associated salt recovery.

Michael’s research projects have been funded by Water Research Foundation (formerly AwwaRF), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Office of Naval Research, and WateReuse Research Foundation (WRRF) – all addressing various concentrate/brine management issues. His recent reports include a 2008 WRRF report entitled Survey of ZLD and Volume Minimization Technologies for Water Utilities and a 2013 WRRF report entitled Development of a Knowledge Base for Desalination Concentrate and Salt Management. Michael is an internationally recognized expert in concentrate/brine management and is on the editorial board of Desalination and Water Treatment.

Dr. Mark Wilf Area of Specialization: Reverse Osmosis Membrane Desalination

Dr. Mark Wilf is a membrane technology expert with over 35 years of experience in the membrane industry. His previous responsibilities have included development of membrane products, processes and system design for RO and membrane filtration applications. He served as Technical Director and Vice President of R&D at Hydranautics, and Director of Membrane Technology at Tetra Tech, a global engineering firm.

Since 2010, he works as an independent consultant advising clients regarding new product development, membrane system design and operation, optimization of process economics and training water professionals on design and operation of membrane water treatment systems. He is an editor of two handbooks on membrane technology applications, and is named as inventor and co-inventor of numerous patents.

Dr. William E. Toffey Area of Specialization – Biosolids Management and Nutrient Recovery

Mr. Toffey has 35 years’ experience in municipal wastewater, environmental and energy management. He is the principal of Effluential Synergies LLC, a sustainable residuals consultancy, and serves as the Executive Director of the Mid Atlantic Biosolids Association, a trade group that covers seven states and supports an industry with 700 biosolids generators and 1,500 professionals.

During his career he has authored over 60 papers and presentations to a range of local, national and international technical audiences. Mr. Toffey directed development of innovative recycling programs for wastewater solids for the city of Philadelphia, and has participated in numerous conferences, research projects and training programs to bring best-in-class practices to the wastewater profession.

He has been an industry leader in bringing sustainability principles to the water profession, and has recently worked on thermal processing, co-digestion and nutrient extraction projects for public and private clients. Mr. Toffey graduated with distinction from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, and has a Masters of Regional Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is active in national and international professional.

G. Wade MillerArea of Specialization – Water Reuse

Wade Miller is currently a water strategies consultant, assisting private and public sector clients with business planning, strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, market research, fundraising, and Washington representation.

For almost 14 years (2000-2014), he served as the Executive Director of the WateReuse Association – a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the beneficial and efficient use of water resources through education, sound science, and technology using reclamation, recycling, reuse, and desalination. Mr. Miller was also Executive Director of the WateReuse Research Foundation, which conducts applied research on water reuse and desalination.

Mr. Miller has been involved in the water field in various capacities for approximately 40 years. He twice served as an advisor to presidential commissions on water (i.e., President Carter’s Intergovernmental Water Policy Task Force in 1979; and the National Council on Public Works Improvement in 1987-88). Mr. Miller was instrumental in the establishment of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators and the International Association of Environmental Testing Laboratories and served as Executive Director of both associations. Before joining the WateReuse Association in 2000, he owned his own management consulting firm. During the course of his career, Mr. Miller has authored and published numerous papers, reports, and chapters in books.

Mr. Miller is a Fellow of the Center for Integrated Water Research at the University of California Santa Cruz and has served on numerous boards in the past (e.g., Global Water Research Coalition, College of Chemical and Life Sciences at the U. of Maryland, etc.)

He is a graduate of the University of Maryland (B.S., Chemistry) and has pursued graduate studies in marketing and finance at American University and Virginia Tech.

Dr. Steve Gluck Ph.D.Area of Specialization – Industrial Wastewater and Analytical Chemistry Technology Assessment

With 36 years at Dow Chemical Company, in research and development and commercial technology assessment, Dr. Steve Gluck now provides technology assessment services as an independent consultant in the water / wastewater sector.

Over the course of his career, Steve has directed a broad range of international projects including algal based biofeedstocks, aquaculture water treatment, advanced oxidation, osmotic membrane processes, microscreens and ultrafiltration. His areas of expertise include process development and troubleshooting, sustainable water resources solutions, due-diligence and technology assessment in water/wastewater management.

During his most recent tenure at Dow, he led the technology direction for new product and business development for water and wastewater treatment. He was responsible for technical due-diligence and team leadership for an expanded product portfolio for advances in the membranes, filtration and wastewater component business as well as selection of targeted markets. In addition, he served as Intellectual Capital Manager for Environmental Technologies. He created teams and provided leadership and training for projects in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

An active member of the Water Environment Federation, Steve has chaired / co-chaired committees, workshops or panel discussions on laboratory practices, process analytical, upstream oil and gas, and algae for the treatment of wastewater and by-product generation. He has given numerous international presentations in his field of expertise, has authored 29 publications, been granted 4 patents and currently holds several active patent applications. He also served as President of the Instrumentation Testing Association for 8 years.

Steve received a BS in Chemistry from Whitworth University, an MS in Chemistry from the University of Idaho and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Leipzig, Germany where he presented his oral defense in German.

He is a graduate of the University of Maryland (B.S., Chemistry) and has pursued graduate studies in marketing and finance at American University and Virginia Tech.

Chris MorrisonArea of Specialization – Water Technology: Commercial and Strategic Development

A recognized sustainable technology executive and team-builder with an extraordinary history operating from the trenches to the boardroom. A transformational leader with a proven international track record of digging into impactful technologies, extracting maximum value, building high powered teams, and driving process improvements. Superior strategic, commercial and capital market insights with the ability to bridge the communication gap between investors and management.

Graham SymmondsArea of Specialization – AI & Digital Water

Graham has more than 25 years’ experience in water utility operations, regulation, policy and finance as well as in the commercialization of smart water technologies. He provides expert analysis and insight into the relevance, viability and applicability of technology in the industry.

A prolific author and speaker, Graham co-authored the “Smart Grid for Water: How Data Will Save our Water and Your Utility” and his work has appeared in many industry publications, including: APWA Reporter, Water Utility Infrastructure Magazine, Water Efficiency, Water World, Water Canada, and Water Online.

Graham was formerly the Chief Knowledge Officer for FATHOM, where he established FATHOM as a thought leader in the smart water space, impressed utility operations requirements into the FATHOM products and drove knowledge for utilities from data. Prior to this, he was the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and Compliance for Global Water Resources’ regulated utilities. Prior to joining Global Water, Graham was utility manager for Algonquin Water Resources of America (now Liberty Utilities), responsible for all business, technical and regulatory operations. In 1995, Graham joined Hill, Murray & Associates as Director of Operations. In 1986, Graham was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy and spent nine years employed in a variety of operational and support roles.

Graham graduated from the University of Toronto in 1985 with a BASc degree in Mechanical Engineering and completed post-graduate work at the Royal Naval Engineering College in Plymouth, England.

Jim CosmanArea of Specialization – Municipal Drinking Water, Ballast Water, UV LED

Jim Cosman is a highly skilled strategic marketer with extensive marketing and market development experience in the water industry. He has had in-depth involvement in the market development of three new UV disinfection water treatment technologies (Municipal Drinking Water, Ballast Water, UV LED).

Jim spent 17 years at Trojan Technologies in a series of progressive marketing roles. While serving as the Market Manager for both the Municipal Drinking Water and Ballast Water Business Units, he translated a deep understanding of customers and end-users into actionable strategy. In addition, as Regulatory Affairs Manager, he managed complex regulatory frameworks through his network of relationships.

Jim recently served as the Business Development Director for Aquisense Technologies where he was responsible for global business development activities including generating and seeking out potential new opportunities including the evaluation of key application and priority verticals.

Jim is currently an Independent Business Development Consultant providing advisory services to water treatment technology and Greentech companies. He is also a part-time Professor teaching Strategic Marketing at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, Canada.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) from Bishops University in Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He has authored and co-authored several published papers, has delivered numerous presentations at water conferences globally and has made significant contributions working with regulatory agencies around the globe. He participated in the development of the USEPA UV Guidance Manual and has also served on the Canadian delegation to the International Maritime Organization.

Hubert FlemingArea of Specialization – Mining Wastewater Treatment

Dr. Hubert Fleming is former Head, Water Management, Anglo American. Prior, he was Global Managing Director of Hatch Ltd. Hu holds MS and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from Cornell University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School, Executive Management Program. He is author/co-author of four books, including the Handbook of Membrane Technology ,and holds 12 US patents on membranes, water treatment. He has been invited speaker at the United Nations, and was Chairman, NATO Advisory Group on Environmental Affairs, as well as the World Health Organization Task Force on Water.

Mike AdkinsArea of Specialization – Wastewater Treatment

Mike Adkins is a professional engineer with over 40 years of experience in the fields of water and wastewater treatment and environmental engineering. He recently led AECOM’s global water treatment practice and was responsible for the technical direction and strategy for the group, the marketing of its services and the securing of new, large projects including the management and preparation of major proposals and associated marketing efforts. The group’s revenue was currently approximately $250 million pa with a further $250 million pa of “at-risk” design-build projects in the water sector.

He has held leading roles in the areas of consulting, operations and systems manufacturing. He has extensive leadership experience on large multi-disciplinary projects, with a particular focus on water supply treatment and distribution projects.

Mike has very solid technical expertise. He was a leading figure in the development of dissolved air flotation (DAF) within the United Kingdom and later into the North American market and he has played a key role on some of the largest DAF plants in North America. His experience covers all of the water treatment technologies commonly found in use in today’s market and includes the design and development of membrane ultra-filtration and seawater desalination systems, bio-filtration, ozone, UV and the treatment and disposal of residuals.

His international experience includes working in the UK, Canada, USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Nigeria and Australia. For the past four years he was based in Dubai, UAE responsible initially for developing international water treatment projects in the Asia Pacific market and more recently, with a focus on projects within Saudi Arabia.

Mike recently retired from AECOM and is now working as a technical and business advisor to various clients in the water supply and treatment field.

Dana M. HicksArea of Specialization – Merger & Acquisition

Dana Hicks has over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, and general management with advanced manufacturers, engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) service providers, and management consulting companies. Over the last 17 years, he has held leadership positions with major manufacturers of wastewater and water treatment equipment including Huber Technology, Wedeco UV Technologies, and BCR Environmental. As President & CEO of Huber Technology, he led the company to three years of record sales growth and market share gain in liquid/solid separation, dewatering, and drying technologies.

Mr. Hicks has successfully completed a range of consulting projects over the last few years for Canadian, European, and U.S. clients. Examples include:

• 3-month exclusive engagement with a European private equity firm performing due diligence on potential acquisition of the assets of Bilfinger Water, a global company with technologies including screening, sludge dewatering, and other solid/liquid separation.

• 4-month in-depth market study/analysis and product portfolio innovation assessment for a U.S. manufacturer of screening-chopping-grinding equipment for wastewater treatment.

Mr. Hicks earned his Bachelor’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech. He has completed executive MBA short courses at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and at the Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation Management Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is fluent in German, has studied and lived in Germany, and has managed German-owned companies over his career. He has extensive domestic travel (48 of 50 U.S. states) and international travel (over 30 countries on 6 continents) experience. Appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, he serves on the North Carolina District Export Council, which counsels new-to-export firms and existing exporters on how to effectively sell to all regions of the world.