If you look at the careers of successful professionals in our industry, a common theme is an active involvement in professional organizations. Getting involved can benefit you in many ways—networking and volunteering, staying informed of trends and business intelligence, and developing lasting relationships. Peter Garvey sat down with engineers from across the enterprise to learn more and share their stories about how there is no downside to joining a professional organization.

Taking the First Step with James Schappell

When considering joining a professional organization, there are a few things you should consider to decide if it’s the right fit for your needs.

• Do they focus on work you are interested in?
• Are they community-minded?
• Do you have any coworkers already involved?
• Are your clients members?

Once you identify an organization, take the leap and get involved. I decided to join the American Water Works Association (AWWA) after I became aware of its role in the water industry and how it is responsible for creating many of the design and construction standards for drinking water systems. As someone who aspires to learn and become acquainted with leaders in the industry, I took it upon myself to join the AWWA to continue progressing my professional career. Once you are a member, make it a point to actively participate. The more time you can dedicate to the organization, the more you will get out of it. A big part of being active with professional organizations is building relationships, and the individuals you meet through them can be an excellent resource in your career from a technical perspective, and they can also be your future clients, coworkers, colleagues, or friends.  

A big part of being active with professional organizations is building relationships, and the individuals you meet through them can be an excellent resource in your career from a technical perspective, and they can also be your future clients, coworkers, colleagues, or friends.” James Schappell

Ways you could get involved:

• Reviewing abstracts for upcoming seminars or conferences 
• Serving as a moderator to introduce speakers at an upcoming seminar or conference 
• Providing some technical input or review to a white paper or technical paper being prepared by the committee 
• Helping to organize an upcoming seminar or conference 

Time Commitment and Active Involvement with Steve Perdios

Being involved in a professional organization looks different to everyone. Are you looking to advance your leadership skills by seeking to chair or co-chair a committee? Maybe you recently graduated from college and are working in a new market seeking like-minded people? Regardless of the role you hold, there are numerous opportunities to collaborate with your peers and share industry best practices.

I got involved with the New England Water Environmental Association (NEWEA) NEWEA CSO/Wet Weather Committee because it focuses on work that I enjoy.  I find dealing with the issues around combined sewers to be challenging and interesting.  Every sewer is different, every hydraulic grade line is unique, and each problem has many solutions. The puzzle is to find a way to meet stringent regulatory requirements with a variety of solutions and budget constraints. The committee is made up of around 15 talented individuals, which allows me to learn how a variety of operators, consultants, technology vendors, and regulators put all the various parts together to find solutions that work to improve our natural environment. Most months, I invest a few hours into the committee. In 2020, the committee organized two successfully attended virtual webinars, which the committee had never done before. As chair of the CSO Committee these past two and a half years, I’ve tried to get the committee to run more events—the webinars achieved this goal.

The Benefits with Kevin Wood

Involvement and active engagement, can lead to opportunities, including leadership roles, networking, and relationship-building with current and future clients, and industry name recognition at the local, regional, and national levels. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but you can find a way to get involved and support your goals.

On my path to becoming president of the Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA) and a Water Environment Federation delegate on behalf of VWEA, there are important takeaways to consider, including active engagement and looking for leadership opportunities to further your advancement. When I was a young engineer, the president of VWEA called and asked me if I was willing to chair a committee that needed energy and direction. I eagerly accepted, found others willing to serve on the committee, and turned things around. Eventually, I was asked to chair more prominent committees, which led to my board nomination and eventual presidency. The opportunities are there, so it is important to seek them out and try to diversify your involvement in different committees to learn more about the organization.

When I think back to when I began serving on committees more than 30 years ago, some of the people that started with me are now important clients. Fast forward to today, and I’m in a client management and market segment leader position, and many of them are in senior-level director positions in their organizations where they chair selection committees and make consultant hiring decisions. These long-standing relationships have been critical to my success, and I encourage professionals in our industry to take advantage of what these organizations have to offer.

As you consider next steps and career goals, it’s important to think about how a professional organization can factor in. Don’t wait, join a committee today. There is never a bad time in your career to get involved, spend a manageable amount of time, get to work with other like-minded professionals, and learn something new about your industry. You’ll be glad you did.