Jim Current Award

2024

Helen Holm
For over 32 years, This year’s recipient has dedicated her career to environmental engineering with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Currently, she supervises the water program in the northeast district office, but her impact extends far beyond her title.

She has been a driving force in improving operator training and certification across the state.  For 15 years, she served on the northeast subcommittee of the Operator training committee, and today, she is the chair of the Operator training committee with the American Water Works Association (AWWA).  Her dedication to this role is evident in her favorite saying: “Be decisive. The road to life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.”

This decisive spirit is also evident in her work at KDHE.  Her expertise allows her to tackle complex compliance inspections, providing invaluable technical guidance to the regulated community.  More importantly, she fosters positive working relationships through her professionalism during these interactions.

The impact of her work extends far beyond her professional duties.  She is a true champion for her community, collaborating with (PACT)  People + Animals = Companions Together.  An organization to foster pets (cats) for deployed service members.  Her dedication to both her profession and her community is truly inspiring.

In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the water and wastewater industry in Kansas, her unwavering commitment to professional excellence, and her dedication to her community, this year’s recipient of the Jim Current Award is Helen Holm.

2023

Dustin Coles

Dustin Coles – Lead operator at North Topeka Wastewater Treatment Plant.  Dustin has also served as the Secretary-Treasurer / CEO of KWEA for 38 years. He has been involved in every facet of the organization.   Almost all of the recognition that he has received has come about as others have recognized it and have nominated him. He is not a guy to seek the limelight and prefers to work in the background. 

2022

Steve Green
Steve Green has an Applied Science Degree in Environmental Water Technology from Fort Scott Community College and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Friends University. He has worked at Kansas City BPU for the last 33 years.

He currently is the Executive Director of Water Operation, overseeing Water Engineering, Water Processing, and Water Distribution. For most of his career, he worked in Water Distribution at various levels of responsibility as Director of Water Distribution, Superintendent, and Supervisor of Maintenance.

He is actively involved with Fort Scott Community College as an Adjunct Teacher teaching Water Distribution System Operation, Utilities Maintenance, and Utilities Management classes. He currently serves on the Fort Scott Community College EWT Advisory Board. His passion is teaching the Distribution System Operation classes, where he gives a hands-on approach to learning skills for system operators. 

2021

Gary Armentrout

OWNER/CEO of Water Loss Solutions LLC, a Consulting firm specializing in aiding water systems in locating the reasons for their Unaccounted-for Water Losses.  Prior to forming his company, he worked for the Kansas Rural Water

Association as a Technical Assistant for 13 years, working directly with hundreds of public water systems with technical issues, with a focus on water loss, leak detection and cross connection/backflow. Gary retired from the U.S. Army in 1994 after serving 24 years.  He has over 26 years in the water, wastewater industry. Mr. Armentrout holds a Class I Kansas Wastewater Certification and has been a Certified Backflow/Cross Connection Tester/Instructor for over 20 years.  He has attended Sandhills Community College and Gladsden State Junior College.

2019

Dale Vanderhoof

In 1992, Dale entered the wastewater field as an OIT in McPherson, and 2 years later earned a Class IV wastewater license. While he was there, the facility won numerous awards, including several “KWEA Plant of the Year” awards, EPA Region 7 Biosolids award—and 4^th Place in the Nation, and the EPA Best Wastewater Facility in the United States. He also was on KWEA’s Splashings committee, where he became the Editor; and also created the KWEA website, and was its first webmaster.

In 2002 Dale became the Wastewater Instructor at Salina Area Tech School—replacing Tim Hobson, who retired. During his more than a decade there, Dale became the Department Head of the Environmental Tech department; he was nominated as “Teacher of the Year” in Kansas Technical Education; he became an approved OSHA Trainer; he created an electronic testing and gradebook web portal for his students; and he taught more than 1,000  students and helped operators in more than 100 systems and plants.

Dale decided to continue on his own when his department was one of several to close down during downsizing. He formed WWWATER, and bought out Tim Hobson’s business. He teaches “long term”—16-18 week wastewater and collection systems classes, and also numerous 2-day workshops, as well as customized training.

Dale also works with KDHE in conjunction with Fort Scott Community College in providing technical assistance to help communities improve plant operations regarding Nutrient Reduction.

In October, 2018 the city of Larned contacted Dale to help their wastewater plant correct major deficiencies, and soon after they talked him into becoming the plant Superintendent.

He continues to partner with KMU and KDHE and to be the proprietor of WWWATER; teaching classes and consulting, as well as assisting facilities that need help.

2018

Heath Horyna

Heath is currently the Supervisor of Water and Waste Programs for Westar Energy Environmental Services Department.  From 2004 – 2012 he served as Field Inspector with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment – South Central District Office Water Program.  In 2008 – 2012 Heath served as a Derby City Council Member.  Heath has a Bachelors Degree in Biology w/ Minor in Environmental Studies from Southwestern College and an Associates Degree in Environmental Water Technology from Fort Scott Community College.   Last year Heath was inducted into the SSSSS or 5 S society, (Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers), at the KWEA/KsAWWA joint conference in Wichita. He currently hold a Class IV Wastewater Treatment Facility Operator and a Class II Wastewater Laboratory Analyst and a registered KCBS BBQ competitor.

2017

Jim Jackson

Jim Jackson has over twenty-five years of experience in water utilities. He joined Kansas Municipal Utilities as a Job Training and Safety Specialist in 2011 and has since become KMU’s Director of Technical Services. He began his career with the City of El Dorado in the water distribution division primarily as a meter reader but assisted with aspects of the distribution system. During his time at El Dorado, he moved to the water treatment division working in the surface water plant and obtained the Kansas Department of Health and Environments Class IV Water Operator certification. He stepped away from utilities for several years working in the State of Kansas Correctional Facilities as a vocational instructor at El Dorado and Lansing prisons.

Jim rejoined the water utility sector with Jefferson Rural Water District #13 as the district manager. His duties included the operation and maintenance of a groundwater lime softening plant as well as all distribution and management responsibilities. Before joining KMU, he worked for Kansas Rural Water Association as a technical assistant, source water protection specialist, and training coordinator. He has been involved with several emergencies in the state including the tornadoes of Greensburg, Jewell, and Chapman as well as the floods of southeast Kansas and statewide ice storms. He has an associate’s of arts degree in Business from Baker University, Bachelor of Public Administration from Ottawa University, and has attended environmental technology classes from Fort Scott Community College.

2016

Joe Cribbs

Currently employed with Water District 1 of Johnson County and has over 35 years of experience in water treatment and over 12 years in wastewater.  He has associates degree in Environmental Water Technology through Fort Scott Community College and has Class 4 Water and Class 4 Wastewater certifications through KDHE.  He is actively involved with the KSAWWA Operator Training Committee and teaches at Fort Scott Community College as an adjunct instructor in the EWT program

2015

Sylvan Coles

Sylvan Coles is a highly respected environmental professional whose career in water and wastewater spans over five decades. A 1988 graduate of Fort Scott Community College’s Water Environment Technology program, Coles also holds degrees in Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, along with top-tier certifications across multiple wastewater disciplines in Kansas. He currently serves as Section Manager for the City of Topeka’s Water Pollution Control Division, overseeing the NPDES lab, industrial pretreatment, odor control, and biosolids programs. His leadership was instrumental in bringing Topeka’s $26 million Biogas-to-Pipeline Gas project to fruition in 2025.

Beyond his technical achievements, Coles has made enduring contributions through his volunteerism with the Kansas Water Environment Association, serving as Secretary-Treasurer since 1985 and growing its voluntary certification program to over 750 certified operators. A recipient of numerous honors—including the WEF Fellowship Award—Coles is admired not only for his technical expertise but also for his character, leadership, and decades-long commitment to advancing the profession and mentoring the next generation.

2014

Richard Cook

This year’s recipient started working for the City of Fort Scott on the night shift thirty-three years ago, in 1981. In 1984 he was promoted to supervisor of the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

In 2006 the city’s Wastewater Plant won the Kansas Water Environment Association ‘Treatment Plant Award’ for Operation and Maintenance.
In 2007 our recipient was awarded the ‘William Hatfield Award’.

In 2010 he was promoted to the Utilities Director of the City of Fort Scott position. In this position he oversees Wastewater Treatment & Water Production along with Distribution Systems and Collections Systems and Fleet Maintenance.

In 2011 the City of Fort Scott’s Wastewater Treatment Plant won KWEA ‘Safety Award’. He has been married for 35 years with 4 children and 6 grandchildren. He is a member of the Water Environment Federation, the Kansas Water Environment Association, and is a member of Faith Christian Church.

After 33 years of commitment to the industry he is looking forward to retiring in 2015 and then traveling with his wife, doing woodworking projects, and playing with the grandkids.

Our 2014 recipient of the Jim Current Professional Excellence Award is Mr. Richard Cook.

2013

David Bries

David graduated from Hawkeye Community College in 1981 with an Associates of Applied Science degree in Civil Engineering Technology in 1981.

He worked for the City of Olathe, Kansas for 33 years, in various levels of responsibility within the Utilities operations, including Utilities Maintenance Superintendent, retiring at the end of 2013.   He taught Water Distribution and Wastewater Collections for Fort Scott Community College.

He was active in the KsAWWA and the KWEA, serving on the Board of Trustees of the KsAWWA and was elected as Chair in 2009-2010.  He was appointed as a Trustee on the AWWA Distribution and Plant Operations Division from 2012 – 2018.

Upon retirement from the City of Olathe, he accepted a position as Utilities Superintendent for the City of Montrose, Colorado, where he also serves on the Project 7 Water Authority Board of Directors.

2013

Joe Foster

2012

Mike Tate

Mike is a graduate of Oklahoma State University holding both a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Bioenvironmental Engineering. After graduation, he went to work for KDHE in the Technical Services Section of the Bureau of Water. Mike has worked in the department’s water quality program for much of his 26-year KDHE career.

With Jim Current, he worked with operator training and 104g programs as well as helping the section with computer technical assistance since PC’s were new to the department at that time. Mike had begun using PC’s while still in college and saw their value the department. With the help of Teresa Schuyler, Mike computerize the operator certification program creating a local PC-based database management system that was later migrated to the KDHE’s central servers and made available to the public for on-line use. Mike formerly taught computer courses at Washburn University.

Mike has worked in the water quality field for most of his KDHE career. He transferred within the agency to the Bureau of Waste Management where he worked for a three years before returning to what he enjoys most – the water quality field.

In the early 1990’s he accepted a position as a unit chief in the Technical Services Section, then quickly rose to the position of Chief of the Technical Services Section. His leadership in this position as well as his computer skills in resolving water quality issues quickly became apparent. Upon the retirement of Karl Mueldener, the Bureau Director, Mike was appointed to be the new Bureau Director.

Mike is a member of the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), the Water Environmental Federation (WEF), and the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Mike is recognized nationally for his knowledge and leadership in water quality circles and he is a licensed professional engineer in Kansas.

He leads the department in efficient discharge of routine duties and is also a leader in state and in the Midwest in water quality issues and nutrient reduction issues. His character and abilities are unquestioned. He will be a great addition to the roll of Jim Current Professional Excellence Award recipients.

2011

Darrell Botts

The recipient of this year’s Jim Current Professional Excellence Award is Darrell Botts.

Darrell Botts earned the respect of his employees by working harder than they did..

He was a theory y type of supervisor who understood that there is more than one way to get the job done .

He listened and took advice, whether he used it or not, and he gave credit where credit was due.

Darrell worked full-time for the City of Bronson, as a one man show, for years, all the while going to night school to earn his associates degree in environmental technologies.

Not long after earning his degree Darrell went on to earn his class IV state certifications in both water and wastewater.

Darrell then hired on as Water and Wastewater Superintendent for the City of Humboldt where he was one of the first in the state to install and operate a Chlorine Dioxide generator to combat the emerging THM and HAA5 regulations.

Darrell is a self-made man who succeeded in everything he did, but acted like anyone could.

He never took credit or boasted about his accomplishments; instead he empowered his employees and led by example.

For Darrell, no task was to large, every job was taken by the horns and dealt with in the most professional manner, and no matter how complex the problem may have been, Darrell took the time to explain to and seek advice from everyone, including the greenest of the crew.

For his years of exemplary service and for the guidance he offered to anyone and everyone who asked, it is my honor to present Darrell Botts with this year’s Jim Current award.

2010

Vickie Jo Wessel

2009

Garry Turner

The recipient of the 2009 Jim Current Professional Excellence Award is Garry Turner. Garry started working for the City of Olathe as a Utility worker in March of 1979. In 1981 Garry transferred to the Water Plant as an Operator, and then was promoted to Lead Maintenance Worker in 1987. In December of 1990 Garry was promoted to Operations Supervisor, then Water Production Supervisor in 1994, Assistant Water Production Superintendent in 1998 and finally Water Production Superintendent in 2005, a position he kept until retiring in December of 2007. Currently Garry is an Instructor for FSCC teaching Environmental courses. Garry continues to be involved in Municipal and State organizations and stays engaged in the Kansas Section AWWA and KDHE Operator Training efforts. Garry received a Small System Award from AWWA in 1999 for his work in developing the program to get the Kansas Section Top Ops program nationally recognized by writing the by-laws for the Kansas Section and also received the Operator Meritorious Service Award in 2007, also from AWWA.

Congratulations to Garry on all of his achievements.

2008

Mike Gilliland

The recipient of the 2008 Jim Current Award began his municipal utility career in 1974 when he was employed by the City of Osage City as a utility maintenance worker. He chose to remain in Osage City and has had the opportunity to serve in many capacities with the City. His first supervisory role came in 1980, when he was selected to serve as the Natural Gas Superintendent. Shortly thereafter, he also became the Superintendent for the Water and Wastewater Departments.

Many duties have come and gone throughout the years, including the management of the municipal swimming pool, two city-owned and operated cemeteries, and many of the City’s public buildings and facilities. He has spent the last several years as the Director of Utilities, a position that keeps him busy addressing regulatory, compliance, and technical issues, as well as managing contractual agreements and commodities purchasing for the Natural Gas and Electric Departments.

One of the many things our recipient takes great pride in is that, during his tenure, Osage City has become a regional water supplier, serving two Rural Water Districts and three neighboring cities. Like many of you in this industry, he maintains a busy work schedule while also taking time to be actively involved in municipal, state, and national utility industry trade organizations. He has particularly enjoyed his involvement with the Kansas AWWA Operator training efforts over the last several years.

When I went out for the first time to teach a workshop on my own, I was fortunate that it was in Osage City. I arrived late, and he was still at work. He did everything he could—making phone calls, and more—to help me find a place to stay while I was in town, and he invited me to have supper with him and his wife that evening.

His professionalism in our industry truly makes him deserving.
This year’s Jim Current Professional Excellence Award goes to Mike Gilliland.

2007

Pat Flynn

Over the past eight years, Pat Flynn’s efforts to encourage utility workers to earn their degrees have helped nearly 100 Southeast Kansas students earn more education than they probably ever thought they would.

Because of that work, Flynn, a safety instructor in Pittsburg State University’s College of Technology, has been awarded a statewide honor.

Fort Scott Community College recently presented Flynn with the James L. Current Award for Professional Excellence at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Annual School at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. The award, which honors the life and work of James Current, the first training officer of the KDHE, recognizes leaders who have provided or promoted education to those who work for Kansas utilities in water and wastewater.

Flynn has been an integral part of the effort to get students enrolled in the two-year Associate of Applied Science in Environmental Technology program at Fort Scott Community College. The program prepares students to finish their bachelor’s degrees in technology management at PSU. So far, about 70 students have completed their degrees at FSCC, and several are enrolled to complete their four-year degrees. Flynn says the program helps these workers primarily improve their supervisory skills.

Once a student of Current’s, Flynn said their friendship has made the award all the more special.

“He was around back in the days when there was zero education for a utilities profession, and I learned from him and got to know the quality of individual he was,” he said. “To be associated with his name, I couldn’t be any prouder.”

2006

Teresa Schuyler

2005

Chuck Shively

Chuck began work for the City of Coffeyville in 1978 as a Draftsman in the Electric Department. In 1989, Chuck moved to the Engineering Department as a CAD Operator (Water & Wastewater Utilities were under the Engineering Department at that time) and started taking college courses while working full-time.

He got married in 1990. Their 1st child was born in 1992, and their 2nd child in 1994.

Chuck graduated from PSU with a BS in Engineering Technology in December 1994, and became department head of City of Coffeyville’s Engineering Department in 1995.

In 1998 Chuck became Director of Water & Wastewater Utilities and moved his office to the Water Treatment Plant. There he worked with the Water Treatment Plant Operators and Maintenance crew on a daily basis. In 2004 Chuck became Director of Public Works.

Chuck holds the following certifications:
KDHE :
Class IV Water Supply System Operator
Class IV Wastewater Treatment Facility Operator

KWEA:
Class IV Water Distribution System Operator
Class IV Wastewater Collection System Operator

Chuck is also a Kansas Department of Commerce Certified CDBG Grant Administrator.