Gillespie Named National Operator of the Year by AMTA

March 2019

The Water District’s Jason Gillespie has been named Operator of the Year by the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) in a nationwide competition.

Gillespie, the district’s Chief Operator and Operations Department supervisor, received the Robert O. Vernon Operator of the Year Award at the AMTA’s recent annual conference in New Orleans.  The award recognizes outstanding contributions by a plant operator working at a membrane filtration, desalination or water reuse facility that results in significant, long-term improvement in water production or water reuse.

Operations Manager Jake Krumnow nominated Gillespie for the award because of his knowledge and leadership in improving the Water District’s systems designed to reliably serve municipal and industrial water customers.

The AMTA award presented to Gillespie is inscribed:  “In recognition of Jason’s 20 years of outstanding service and dedication to ensuring excellent membrane operations and for his leadership in continually going above and beyond his duties.”

“We are extremely proud of Jason,” said Brian Williams, Water District general manager.  “He is just one example of the excellent caliber of employee we have working here at the District.”
Last fall Gillespie was awarded the South Central Membrane Association’s 2018 Outstanding Plant Operator Award which put him in the running for the national award.

He joined the Water District staff in 1999, the same year that the Water District was completing installation of Plant C, a microfiltration facility that is now capable of treating up to 19.4 million gallons of water a day.  Plant C has been a nationally recognized membrane filtration facility since it went on line in 2000.

You can read more about Jason (Here) and about Plant C (Here).