Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/740475
the same thing I'm doing, faced with the same challenges, and faced with the same successes." Shortly after joining the Association, he volunteered for a number of committees and subcommittees, including the Pro- fessional Designations Oversite Committee and the Standard Development Oversight Committee (SDO). He chaired the SDO committee until the public review process on the ANSI/NGWA-01-14 Water Well Construction Standard. The SDO committee was charged with formulating and publishing standards and guidance for the construction of water well systems. In his early days on the committee, Hunter worked with 2012 NGWA President John Pitz, CPI, of NL Pitz Inc. in Batavia, Illinois, on the framework. Their work early on in the process later became the focus of the national standard. "I'm very passionate about the industry," Hunter admits. "I care a lot about doing it right; I care a lot about doing it well. I enjoy working on something with other individuals who care about something as much as you do. It's amazing how, collectively, a bunch of individuals—from all over the world in some cases—can reach consensus and reach agree- ment on what something should look like in its final form." His work on the SDO committee also led him to represent NGWA in Italy in 2013. He used his experiences to help the European Groundwater and Wells and Associations Compa- nies begin its own standards writing process. Hunter also joined delegations from NGWA on People to People Citizen Ambassador trips to China in 2008 and Russia in 2011. The delegations have met with local industry professionals, organizations, and government committees to discuss every- thing from groundwater monitoring, impacts of oil and gas exploration, groundwater remediation, geothermal systems, to water well maintenance and rehabilitation. "Both trips were very enlightening," Hunter says. "We got to talk about groundwater with individuals similar to our- selves. It was a great experience." The trip to China inspired him to take a greater role within the Association. Shortly after returning home, Alan Eades, CWD/CPI, CVCLD, owner of Eades Drilling and Pump Serv- ice in Hobbs, New Mexico, and the 2009 president for the Association, asked him to run for the Board of Directors. Now, as incoming president, he believes it's his role in the next year to help the Board reach a consensus on the issues that come before them. "In all honesty, it's about running a good meeting," Hunter says. "It's engaging people on the Board in active discussion and then moving forward." He says he doesn't have an agenda other than to continue improving the things NGWA already offers its membership. "I'm very adamant about education, for example," Hunter emphasizes. "Hopefully we can continue to work on what NGWA already has. But I just want a good solid Board that can reach an agreement on the topics that come before us." Most important, he believes NGWA plays a crucial role in helping contractors sell their professionalism—which he believes is the key to be successful in the industry. "It's very important to sell our level of professionalism," Hunter says. "We're talking about water, and water is one of the very few things in the world that no one can live without." HUNTER from page 47 WWJ Jennifer Strawn was the associate editor of Water Well Journal from 2004 to 2007. She is currently in the internal communications department at Nationwide in Columbus, Ohio. She can be reached at strawnj2 @gmail.com. "It's very important to sell our level of professionalism. We're talking about water, and water is one of the very few things in the world that no one can live without." waterwelljournal.com 48 November 2016 WWJ Todd Hunter, CWD/PI, grew up flying with his grandfather, father, and uncle. Here he is with his plane and father. Hunter has seen the backcountry of the western United States with his plane. Here he is in Garden Valley, Idaho.