overview

The Industrial Waste Committee (IWC) is a committee of the Southwest Ohio Water Environment Association (SWOWEA) and is dedicated to the promotion of industrial waste and pretreatment achievements in southwest Ohio.  Dissemination of information associated with industrial waste and pretreatment is achieved through the Industrial Waste Seminar held on the fourth Thursday of January every year. This event provides a full day of presentations, an exhibit area with vendors, and an opportunity to interact with industry professionals. During the Seminar, the Karl G. Voelkel Industry award is presented to an industry that has exhibited outstanding environmental success. 

The Industrial Waste Seminar (IWS) is an annual event, held on the fourth Thursday of January. The seminar includes presentations to educate the attendees on a variety of topics and provides CEU’s and PDH’s for certified operators and professional engineers. An Exhibit Area is provided for vendors to offer information about products and services. Lunch and morning/afternoon breaks provide an opportunity for attendees to mingle and catch up with old friends and meet new colleagues. Sponsorships are also available to show support for the conference. As a sponsor, your name and logo will be prominently displayed on poster boards at the registration table and the entrance to the presentation room. The sponsors will also be recognized on the projection screen between presentations and during breaks.

Past IWS presentations are available under the “Past Presentations Link”.

A highlight of the seminar is the presentation of the Karl G. Voelkel Industry Award to an industry in Southwest Ohio for outstanding environmental achievement. Typically, a presentation on the industry’s environmental program follows the presentation of the award.

Should you be interested in presenting, exhibiting, or sponsoring at the IWS, please contact one of the Co-chairs. 

OVERVIEW

The Karl G. Voelkel Industry Award (KGV Award) is presented to an industrial facility in the Southwest Section of the OWEA for outstanding environmental achievement. The purpose of this award is to recognize an industry’s outstanding contribution to waste minimization, pollution prevention, pretreatment compliance, and environmental stewardship. This award provides an opportunity to recognize southwest Ohio industries for a job well done in improving the water environment in southwest Ohio.

The KGV Award honors Dr. Karl G. Voelkel, Ph. D., P.E. for his many years of dedicated service as an OWEA member and Chairman of the SWOWEA IWC. Under Karl’s leadership, the first Industrial Waste Seminar was held in January of 1987 and has continued to be an annual SWOWEA event ever since. When Karl retired as Chairman, the award was developed to recognize environmental accomplishments of industries in Southwest Ohio and named the Karl G. Voelkel Industry Award to pay tribute to his contributions to the IWC. 

AWARD CRITERIA

The award candidates must satisfy one or more of the seven criteria listed below:

1. Having in-place practices and procedures that have reduced raw material requirements for its manufacturing operation and/or the volume of wastewater discharged to the environment.

2. Having in-place practices and procedures that have reduced pollutant loadings to the environment.

3. Having initiated improvements and/or programs to improve characteristics of the waste discharge even though the facility was previously in full compliance with the requirements of its discharge permit.

4. Having demonstrated a “good corporate citizen” attitude through the existence of outreach programs designed to increase environmental awareness.

5. Having worked in a positive, constructive way with local government and regulatory agencies.

6. Having made available to other industries information pertaining to its successful use of alternative processes and procedures designed to enhance the environment.

7. Having implemented programs with environmental compliance that have greatly exceeded their cost of implementation.

To nominate an industry for this award, please contact any of the SWOWEA Industrial Waste Committee or Executive Committee members. The nominated industry must be located in the SWOWEA area. OWEA Membership is not necessary for the nominated industry, and anyone can nominate an industry for this award.

Past KGV industry award winners are as follows:

2025 – thyssenkrupp BILSTEIN of America, Inc., Hamilton, OH

2024 – Future Finishes, Hamilton, OH

2023 – Kao Corporation, Cincinnati

2022 – Empire Packing, Mason

2020 – Pilot Chemical, Middletown

2019 – Electropolish, Hunter Facility, Dayton

2018 – Hohman Plating, Dayton

2017 – Standard Aero, Cincinnati

2016 – Pacific Manufacturing of Ohio, Fairfield

2014 – Techmetals, Inc., Dayton

2013 – Wassau Paper, Middletown

2012 – Advance Pierre Foods, Cincinnati

2011 – Summit Finishing Technologies, Moraine

2010 – Hohman Plating & Mfg., Inc., Dayton

2009 – Sugar Creek Packing Co., Dayton

2008 – Rhodia Inc., Cincinnati

2007 – GE Engine Services, Fairfield

2006 – Cargill, Inc., Sidney

2005 – Honda of America Mfg., Inc., Marysville

2004 – Portion Pac Inc., Mason

2003 – Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Mason

2002 – Leonhardt Plating Company, Cincinnati 

Any person involved in industrial waste or pretreatment can become a member of the committee and OWEA membership is not required. The Industrial Waste Committee meets monthly to prepare for the Industrial Waste Seminar. Meetings include tours of industries nominated for the KGV Industry Award and discussions of activities required to plan for the Industrial Waste Seminar. 

Current members are as follows:

Jeff Frechtling, Butler County,Co-Chair, jeff.frechtling@bcohio.gov 

Barb Swafford, GSES, Co-Chair, bswafford@zoomtown.com

Gene Allen, Harrison

Eric Brangers, Sullivan Environmental

Alex Earley, Dayton

Tony Hardin, Electro Polish

Jesse Jones, Butler County

Paul Krehbiel, Haxen

Evan McGuffey, MSDGC

Alicia Pater, Hamilton

Inez Pryor, Dayton

Shannon Risner, Clermont County

Bruce Smith, USEPA

Erik Vasko, Montgomery County

If you are interested in becoming a member of the SWOWEA IWC, please contact the Co-Chairs at the above email address.