RECAP OF 2021 FSAWWA FALL CONFERENCE
2021 FSAWWA Fall Conference: Negotiating the New Normal Peggy Guingona The Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (FSAWWA) celebrated its 95th year of commitment and dedication to the world’s most important resource by hosting its 27th Fall Conference, with the theme, “Negotiating the New Normal,” from November 28 to December 1 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Orlando. The yearly event, which attracted 1850 attendees, included water utility executives
and managers, operators, engineers, educators, manufacturers, consultants, students, and others from the water profession. A total of 170 exhibit booths were sold. There were plenty of opportunities to meet old colleagues and make new friends at the continental breakfasts, lunches, meet-andgreet receptions, Poker Night and Happy Hour, Topgolf event, and annual BBQ Challenge and reception to welcome the section’s incoming chair for 2022, Emilie Moore.
The FSAWWA staff (from left: Jenny Arguello, Donna Metherall, and Casey Cumiskey) at the conference registration desk.
Dr. Fred Bloetscher welcomes attendees to the conference.
Dr. Cho Ho Sham attends the conference as the visiting AWWA officer.
28 February 2022 • Florida Water Resources Journal
Opening General Session The Opening General Session (OGS) on Monday afternoon is one of the conference’s must-attend events and has been a part of the conference since 2013. Dr. Fred Bloetscher, FSAWWA chair, welcomed the attendees to the conference and Dr. Chi Ho Sham, AWWA president, gave an update on association events and priorities. The keynote speaker this year was George S. Hawkins, Esq., founder and chief executive officer of Moonshot Missions. His topic was “Hand Over Fist: A Path to Innovation and Performance in a Time of Chaos and Change.” He noted that five challenges plague every water utility (the Fist) and five steps can be embraced to overcome them for any utility (the Helping Hand). Hawkins, the prior general manager of DC Water, presented from his own experience a guide to utility transformation— why, how, and when—including fun stories and anecdotes from real experience throughout. His focus is public utilities that are often known to be conservative—not in a political sense, but in a caution to take risks and innovate.
George Hawkins encourages attendees to embrace innovation during his presentation.
