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Home My Public Portal AboutMSD_Pipeline_Summer2022_finalDoug Mendoza Runs the 126th Boston Marathon MSD’s Doug Mendoza talked with the Pipeline about his Boston Marathon experience and what it means. Q: What did it mean to you to run in the Boston Marathon? A: The Boston Marathon was the culmination of my mara- thon running efforts to date. There are a number of great marathons, both large and small, including some of the Abbott World Majors that I’ve run. But Boston is the only one where you can only get in by qualifying with a certain time from a previous marathon. The others all have options for lottery entries. So, Boston was like the star at the top of the Christmas tree. Q: What did you take away from the experience? A: Well now I can die a happy man. Just kidding! It’s like my running friends who have already run Boston told me, Boston is the celebration of the effort it took to get there. So don’t try to run my fastest possible race, but rather just soak in the experience and enjoy the day. All the runners are happy and excited and supportive of each other. It’s a great atmosphere that makes me want to keep coming back. (Continued on page 2) ERTC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT PLACES FIRST AT IWPC WEBBY AWARD WINNER NACWA: EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT AWARD NACWA: STRATCOMM H2O CONFERENCE HR C.A.R.E.S WATCH: “YOUR BODY IS A SEWER” GRATITUDE: THANK YOU NOTES COMINGS & GOINGS 3 4 5 6 7 8 DOUG MENDOZA RUNS THE BOSTON MARATHON2 Inside this issue News for Present & Retired Employees SUMMER 2022 2 | PIPELINE Q: How long has this been a goal of yours? A: I didn’t start running until I was 42 in 2007. I had never run track or cross country in school, and my youth sports were finished by the time I was 12. I started by working up to and running 5K races for five years, then ran a 10K race and a half marathon, and decided to try to tackle marathons in 2012. Starting in 2014, I realized that I might have a shot at getting into the Boston Marathon. But it took me another five years, not until 2019, to make it in for the 2020 race. Of course, that was when COVID cancelled everything, and the 2020 Boston Marathon was cancelled a month before it was to be run. They held a virtual race in the fall of 2020, but that was just a consolation prize. I qualified again for the 2021 race, but it was delayed from April until October with a much smaller field and none of the festivities or big starting line. So, this 2022 mara- thon was my chance to finally experience the whole show. Q: How long did you train for it? How did you place? A: I guess you could say I’ve been training for it since 2014 (or even 2007). But actually, a typical training season for a marathon race is about 14-16 weeks. For Boston, I started my training regimen on January 8, culminating with the race on April 18. For the really big races, there’s no way I will place for an award, but I typically finish at about the top third in my divi- sion. And that’s what I did in Boston. Doug Mendoza Runs the Boston Marathon (Continued from page 1) “ Here’s what I placed for my 3:30:13 time: Division (Male 55-59) 434 out of 1451 All Males: 7953 out of 14256 Overall 10578 out of 24819 DOUG MENDOZA Industrial Pre-Treatment Manager MSD PROJECT CLEAR | 3 Webby Award Winner MSD summer intern and Environmental Resource Training Center at SIUE (ERTC) Schol- arship recipient, Kameryn Sabino, recently attended the IWPC and received a perfect score in the safety portion of the Operator Games. The four-part competition has a written test as well as safety, lab, and maintenance challenges. Proud to represent his program well in the games, Kameryn stood out with a perfect score in the safety challenge. During his time with MSD, Kameryn says he’s already learned a lot about wastewater management and is eager to learn more about how the world works as he nears graduation. ERTC Scholarship Recipient Places First at Illinois Wastewater Professionals Conference (IWPC) Reflecting on his work so far, he appreci- ated being able to see the hidden parts of our city, “We’re underground.” he says, “The public doesn’t pay much attention to their wastewater system, but I get to see how it all works under the surface.” MSD Project Clear is getting international recognition for The Maline Creek Tunnel Virtual Experience. The first-of-its-kind 3D explorable model was named an Honoree at the 26th Annual Webby Awards in two categories: “Science and Education” and “Best Immersive VR Video.” Webby Awards highlight the best of the internet; the Science and Education category recognizes experiences that “promote education for children or adults... including scientific exploration or curiosity,” while VR Video expe- riences are judged by the “best, most innovative, or creative use of virtual reality” to create an immersive environment. One of over 14,000 entries submitted from 70 countries, The Maline Creek Tunnel Virtual Experience was recognized for being both incredibly well done and unique, while highlighting the mission, core values, and goals of MSD at global scale. Honoree Virtual & Remote Science & Education 2022 Honoree Virtual & Remote Best VR Video 2022 WEBBY AWARD PAGE: www.bit.ly/3xTSZrF AWARD CATEGORIES The Maline Creek Tunnel Virtual Experience 4 | PIPELINE MSD Receives Excellence in Management (EIM) Platinum Recognition FROM NACWA MSD was recently recognized by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for a commitment to responding to sector-wide challenges with sustainable, successful programs that exemplify the attributes of an effectively managed utility. The utility will be recognized with a formal presentation of the platinum award during the NACWA Utility Leadership Conference on July 25, 2022, in Seattle, Washington. As a platinum winner, MSD will not be allowed to compete for EIM for three years. MSD also received four Platinum, two Gold, and one Silver Peak Performance Awards across all facilities for 2021. The program scorecard looks at both Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities as well as Keys to Management Success. These cover a variety of metrics, including leadership, development, product quality, customer satisfaction, sustainability, and financial viability. “ In 2021, MSD’s treatment plants had only two days of non-compliance, for a total of 2,137 compliance points during the year, equaling a 99.9% compliance rate.” BRET BERTHOLD MSD DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS MSD PROJECT CLEAR | 5 At the June 2022 NACWA StratComm: H2O conference in Milkwaukee, Execu- tive Director & CEO Brian Hoelscher, and Bess McCoy and Crystal Howard from MSD Public Affairs, represented the District among the top clean water sector communicators in the country. Representatives from water-related industries attended the conference to both share expert strategies and collaborate on peer- to-peer solutions that not only respond to challenges, but proactively advance the goals of the utility through innovative communications platforms. Brian Hoelscher spoke from the C-suite with other national leaders in a session titled Utility Executive Perspectives on Communications Strategies and Chal- lenges, sharing how leaders can support their communications teams and what key challenges they face in the industry today. Bess McCoy, co-chair, NACWA Communications & Public Affairs Committee, presented on a panel of communications experts about the challenge of Finding Your Voice in a media saturated world, Key Steps in Establishing Your Utility’s Brand and Message. Crystal Howard moderated a roundtable on Engaging Community Groups & Outside Stakeholders. NACWA StratComm: H2O Conference 6 | PIPELINE Both need regular & routine maintenance We all know our sewer system cannot operate without regular and routine maintenance. Hundreds of MSD employees are out every day inspecting, cleaning, and repairing our sewers to prevent problems from arising and to fix issues early before they grow into major repairs. But did you know that preventive maintenance is just as valuable for your body as it is for our sewers? To help you make the connection we invite you to watch this short video: MSD takes pride in offering an employee well-being program that benefits each and every one of our employees starting with preventive care. Preventive care is an important step to discov- ering how healthy you are from the inside out and identifying small problems before they become big problems. Current employees can learn more about what you can do to keep your “pipes” clean and healthy, by visiting the wellness pages on Inside MSD nested under your HR tab. Retirees, review your wellness benefits, programs on www.myCigna.com. And speaking of preventive care, MSD will be hosting the mobile mammogram van for active employees on August 25th at Market. Employees: review your Wellness Wednesday emails in the months of July and August for scheduling instructions. WATCH THE VIDEO www.bit.ly/3QjIUM5 Current employees can tune in to Wellness Wednesday emails from our Wellbeing Coordi- nator, Angela Tiedemann, to review wellness education and resources throughout the year. HR C.A.R.E.S YOUR BODY IS A SEWER MSD PROJECT CLEAR | 7 Thank You Letters from our Customers to Our MSD Employees I wanted to contact you regarding my service call dated 3/25/22. Everything from the time that I called in the problem to the resolve of the issue-- was absolutely wonderful. Phil and I are so grateful and impressed by the first team that came out to inspect our concerns (Jeff VanLeer, Matt Bryant, Eric Coleman). They were professional, efficient, and very customer focused! The team that restored our sewer and yard were also phenomenal! Ben Smith, Ryan Ward, and Eric Bowman were quick to address the problem and their work amazing! We could not be happier with their service, and we hope that you know that their talents and customer focus were outstanding! Warmly, Sandy Caouette Just a note of thanks to the entire team that worked in replacing the collapsed sewer line that was in the alley behind our building at 750 S 4th street. The team that did the repairs was awesome. Always keeping the area clean and safe. Always patient and understanding with our inquiries. Always interfaced with us in a friendly manner explaining the process and what was happening. We are truly grateful for the understanding and patience extended to us during what would have otherwise been a frightening experience. Our thanks and appreciation to all that worked on the 750 S 4th project. Barry Adelstein, Midtown Locust Properties, LLC, JAG Commercial Properties LLC Barry Adelstein GRATITUDE Thank You Notes Sewer Repair Team Dave Harms Tony Furlow Jamarri Gaffari Chris Harmon Ron Tate Rick Oster John Hornecker Henry Causey Dan Seel Norrell Holder Ryan Overkamp Rob Pursley Anthony Bay Todd Fallert Portia Rowland Pat Evans Bob Capps Joe Eddings Brian Harris John Love 8 | PIPELINE MARCH Megan King Account Associate Carrie Taylor Account Associate APRIL Christopher Buchanan Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Glenn Smith Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Jacob McGuire Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Cameron Hicks Collection Systems Technician Trainee I MARCH Kwame Booker Asst Operations Supv (Sewer Maint./Constr,/Rehab) Zachary Knackstedt Asst Operations Supv (Sewer Maint./Constr,/Rehab) APRIL Keith Kaimann Instrumentation/ Electrical Tech 24 years Richard L. Parrott Planner/Scheduler 41 years COMINGS & GOINGS New Hires Retirees Promotions Shawn Reed Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Blake Tribout Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Victoria Young Human Resources Manager Jason Norton Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Terrell Wallace Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Nick Bryan Collection Systems Technician Trainee I Wendi Comello Executive Assistant APRIL Michelle White Section Head Jaywana Reece Collection Systems Team Leader I MAY Martin Dachroeden Fleet & General Painter 23 years James E. Roth Construction Inspector Senior 29 years Robert Henderson Central Services Coor- dinator MAY Thomas Hicks Construction Inspector Senior Marian Mosby Office Associate Rob Kraus Treatment Plant Oper- ator (Intern) Mike Hutchins Treatment Plant Oper- ator (Intern) Kameryn Sabino Treatment Plant Oper- ator (Intern) Martavious Dodd Construction Inspector Ryan Overkamp Collection Systems Team Leader II Michael Levison Financial Analyst Senior Rhonda Lynn Gidget Taylor Account Associate Senior 26 years Abin Paudel Associate Engineer (Intern - Ops - AM) Amber McDaniel Office Associate Amanda Bybee Business Analyst Specialist Ebony Sheckles Attorney I Robert Stevson Associate Engineer (Intern - Eng - Design) Noah Buske Associate Engineer (Intern - Ops - BTP) Nicholas Mincemeyer Associate Engineer (Intern -Ops - GGTP) MAY Nathan Overberg Asst Operations Supv (Sewer Maint./Constr,/ Rehab) Jessica Berry Accounting Manager JUNE Terry Jackson Treatment Plant Operator Senior 29 years Cathryn J. Roth GIS/CAD Technician 28 years Josh Reitz Associate Engineer (Intern - Ops - LTP) Bonnie Peccola Associate Engineer (Intern - Eng - Plan- ning 1) Megan Ross Associate Engineer (Intern - Eng - DEC) Steven Jackson Treatment Plant Oper- ator Trainee I Demetrius Nelson Treatment Plant Oper- ator Trainee I Bazil Davis Maintenance Mechanic Helper I Keith Moon Collection Systems Team Leader I Michael Weissenbach Collection Systems Team Leader I