The 2019 Sensus Reach Award winners were recognized for their work saving lives, improving their communities and leading the adoption of smart technologies for the water, gas and electric industries.
Sensus, a Xylem brand, congratulates these customers, distributors and employees for their achievements and shares their contributions to inspire others. Their stories are captured in a series of short videos and chronicled below.
- Jason Christensen, water resources manager in Park City, Utah, led implementation of technology from multiple Xylem brands, including Sensus, Visenti and Wachs Water to reduce non-revenue water (NRW) and improve operational efficiency. This year alone, Park City reduced NRW by ten percent.
- Alex Schwenke, a service responder for Alliant Energy in Iowa, is honored for heroism within his service area. A Sensus smart meter alerted the utility to a power outage. Schwenke was dispatched and arrived first on the scene of a propane incident that collapsed a home and trapped the residents under rubble. He dialed 911 and helped rescue the couple.
- Chris Thirkettle, Aqua-Metric’s chairman of the board, is recognized for the many ways he has impacted his community. He consistently donates to help families with sick children in Southern California. Thirkettle also supported “Operation Appreciation” in Texas—an effort to feed tired and hungry utility crews working in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
- Rob Watson, an advanced metering infrastructure specialist at Ferguson Waterworks in both North Carolina and South Carolina, receives this award for putting customers first. Watson is a key partner to utilities and municipalities across the Carolinas as they migrate to digital communications. His customers trust him to provide the right solution for their organization.
- Jane Dunbar, a solution project manager at Sensus, led a large customer in their work with a new software application called the Daily Reads Solution. This new application reads consumption at the same time each day for the gas utility’s high volume customers.
- Paul Honchar, senior product manager at Sensus, is recognized for his role in the successful development and launch of the Sonix IQ residential gas meter. The recently released meter allows utilities to benefit from greater operational efficiency and cost savings with this compact, smart gas meter.
RELATED — Sensus Reach Conference puts across-the-board utility advancements on display
Winners received their awards during the annual Reach Conference which brings together utility thought leaders and industry experts across water, gas, electricity and lighting.
The 2020 Xylem Reach Conference is scheduled for Oct. 11-14 in Atlanta, Georgia. Registration is now open.
Sensus helps a wide range of public service providers—from utilities to cities to industrial complexes and campuses—do more with their infrastructure to improve quality of life in their communities. Learn more at sensus.com and follow @SensusGlobal on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
Xylem is a global water technology company committed to developing innovative technology solutions to the world’s water challenges. The company’s approximately 17,000 employees bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on identifying comprehensive, sustainable solutions. Headquartered in Rye Brook, New York, with 2018 revenue of $5.2 billion, Xylem does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands. For more information, please visit xylem.com.
