Don Schlenger is an internationally recognized expert in AMR, responsible for creating one of the world’s first large-scale deployments. A former utility executive, he founded and served as the first president and executive director of the Automatic Meter Reading Association (AMRA), and is currently serves on its board of directors.   He has consulted to numerous utilities on AMR technologies, feasibility studies, procurement and implementation planning, as well as process and policy redesign and other customer service technologies.

Don served as principal investigator and project manager of AwwaRF’s  first AMR study, as well as the project on “Joint Utility Meter Reading and Customer Service” co-funded with the Electric Power Research Institute.  He was also project manager and principal investigator for the “Automation Management Strategies for Water Treatment Facilities” study and an author of the Instrumentation and Computer Integration of Water Utility Operations, in collaboration the Japanese Water Works Association.  Don is a member of the AWWA Technical and Educational Council, and has conducted day-long seminars at AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition on AMR, customer service and mobile computing. He teaches AMRA’s courses on project management and AMR for Water Utilities., Other areas of Don’s expertise include economic and financial analysis and strategic planning. He has managed conservation projects, rate design studies, environmental impact assessments, customer surveys, and market studies.

Dave Hughes is the Infrastructure Engineer in American Water Company’s Office of Innovation and Technology.   A Civil Engineering graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University, his background includes serving as manager of the West Chester Area Municipal Authority, hydraulic engineer for Aqua America, and engineering consultant for the UK based Water Research Center.  Dave is an active member of AWWA and past Chairman of the AWWA Infrastructure Management Committee.  He assisted in the AWWA’s three Infrastructure Management Conferences from 2000-2002, edited the AWWA publication Assessing the Future Water Utility Infrastructure Management and serve as technical advisor for the AWWA video “Water Main Rehabilitation Techniques.”  He presently serves on several water main related AWWA committees and has made numerous presentations.  Hughes is also a member of AMRA, IWA, WEF and NASTT. 

American Water is the largest provider of water services in North America.   With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., American Water employs approximately 6,900 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16.2 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water owns or operates 789 water treatment facilities and 56 water treatment plants.  More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

Antony Green has more than 15 years experience in utilities (water, gas, electric and petroleum) and associated engineering and IT service providers. Mr Green has held a variety of technical, commercial and client relations roles, including business development and account management, strategic product and market planning, business process design and operational management. Mr. Green has extensive expertise in water asset and pipeline integrity and rehabilitation management and the application of information technology and simulation tools to deliver significant benefits to the utility industries. His expertise also inlucedes demand and leakage management techniques, it systems analysis and needs assessment, and optimization, simulation and water quality modeling of distribution networks.

Mr. Green has published and presented numerous technical papers and is a chartered engineer in the UK with the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), and the Engineering Council of the United Kingdom. He is also a member of the UK Institution of Water Officers and the American Water Works Association.

Advantica Water (part of Advantica Group) is a global engineering consultancy and software provider to the water utility industry. With over 30 years’ experience providing utility solutions worldwide we enable our clients to better plan, manage, operate and leverage their assets. Advantica’s team offers a full range of services and solutions to improve clients’ knowledge of asset performance and operational efficiency, including Infrastructure Asset Management, Infrastructure Operations, Supply Demand Management, GIS and Network Modeling, and Energy management. Advantica’s expertise in utility asset management has been successfully applied by over 600 utilities in more than 50 countries to improve financial and operational performance, customer service, and regulatory compliance.

Carrie L. Sonneborn, Ph.D. is an adjunct professor at the Colorado School of Mines in the Dept of Liberal Arts and International Studies, developing and teaching courses such as ‘Sustainable Energy Policy’ and ‘Corporate Social Responsibility.’ She has extensive practical experience conducting industry and stakeholder research, case studies and focus groups.  As a freelance writer, she has written widely for academia, non-profit groups and businesses. A dual citizen of the US and Australia, she completed a PhD in Physics and Energy Studies at Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia) in 2005.