Groundwater Week 2020

It is that type of event where thousands of professionals from all branches of the industry get together and discuss solutions to the current and underlying problems the industry may be facing. scientists and engineers, water well contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers show up to this fun event science sessions, workshops, and optional short courses to featured speakers, charitable events, hands-on activity areas, and an exhibit hall featuring the newest in products, services, and technology, everything you need to succeed is here.

Groundwater week has 70+ years worth of history and these crazy times will not be stopping this age-old tradition. As announced this year’s iteration of the festivities is going 100% virtual! Yes! All the fun activities in the comfort of your own home!

In the past, lots of people have been invited to participate in the Groundwater week festivities. Be it to entertain, provide inspiration, give motivational speeches, and also to share what they know about groundwater.

Here are some Keynote speakers from recent years 

Past Years Keynote Speakers:

• Jim “The Rookie” Morris 
  • He was a Keynote speaker for the 2019 Groundwater Week. Morris shared his story and how he as a 35-year-old teacher become a Major League pitcher in just a few months. His story has been adapted to a Disney movie in 2002. Morris left the pro baseball scene for good in 2001. He is now currently a motivational speaker as his story is very inspirational to others in overcoming life hurdles and that you are never too old to follow your dreams.
• Jose Rene “J.R.” Martinez
  • In 2018 Jose shared with the attendees of Groundwater Week his Amazing recovery. While serving the US Army as a soldier deployed in Iraq, His Humvee hit a roadside bomb, covering most of his body with 3rd-degree burns. He is now a motivational speaker.

This year we have:

• Jeff Williams
  • Williams is the President of NGWA in 2016 and this year he will give a lecture about “Running a Business or Doing a Job: Combining Professional Expertise with Business Savvy.”. In 2006 Williams joined NGWA as part of the Safety Subcommittee and as a director candidate. He served on the NGWA Board of Directors before becoming an association president in 2016. Williams received the Association’s Robert Storm Intersectional Cooperation Award in 2018 for promoting collaboration, enhancing cooperation, and fostering community among all groundwater professionals.
• Reed Maxwell PH.D
  • He directs the Integrated Groundwater Modeling Center. His research interests are focused on understanding connections within the hydrologic cycle and how they relate to water quantity and quality under anthropogenic stresses. At Princeton, Maxwell currently leads a research group of graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff housed within CEE and PEI. Over his career, he has collaborated with and mentored more than, 14 Ph.D. students and 20 M.S. thesis students. Prior to coming to Princeton, Maxwell was faculty at the Colorado School of Mines and a postdoc and then staff in the hydrologic sciences group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
• Jonathan B. Martin
  • Martin, professor of geological sciences at the University of Florida, will deliver his 2020 Birdsall-Dreiss Lecture, “High Latitude Hydrology: Water in a Changing World.” His areas of research consist of Geochemistry of water, Physical and Chemical hydrogeology of carbonate aquifers.
• Kevin McGinnis
  • McGinnis, president of Cotey Chemical Corp., will deliver the kickoff presentation of his 2021 McEllhiney Lecture, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Innovative Treatment Options for Established and Emerging Water Quality Challenges.” He will be sharing his 26 years of experience when it comes to water well rehabilitation industry.

And our very own Charles Kiles

Chuck is a website designer and digital marketer for Adapt Digital Solutions. This year he will give a talk about “Marketing Your Business for the Future.” Chuck has always been an advocate for local businesses to have an even playing field, He and his company provides just that in helping small businesses grow their local grasp of the market they are in by providing them a professionally done website. Adapt Digital Solutions is one of the few pioneering internet marketing companies for the groundwater industry specifically and we are seeing great results from the fundamental strategies that his company uses.

Chuck sees that there is a lot of room for growth for businesses, especially in the Groundwater Industry. According to an interview he gave for Groundwater week 2020 when asked “In talking with contractors in our industry, what are some of the biggest obstacles in preventing them from utilizing today’s technology to manage their business?”

Chuck responded with an absolutely great answer.

“I would say the biggest obstacle is change. It’s hard to change, especially when you’ve been operating the same way for decades. Like it or not, the world has changed and continues to change rapidly.

The companies that adapt to the new environment the quickest get all the rewards. It’s like the gold rush so to speak. The water well industry is lagging behind other similar industries when it comes to internet marketing. Looking at industries such as residential construction can give us all a preview of what is to come in the groundwater industry. The early adopters are already reaping the benefits while everyone else is wondering why no one is calling them.

Change doesn’t mean everything has to change. There are a few simple things that, if done correctly, will make a huge difference and probably be enough for 90 percent of the small businesses out there.” 

And I believe that this is where the greatest of minds think alike being early and smart in adapting to changes. Times have been crazy, a few years back who would have thought that a gathering as big and as important as the Groundwater week would be done over a computer and a camera? None right? But here we are now rearing to go, ready to learn and impart our knowledge in groundwater in the comforts of our own home!

Groundwater week 2020 here we come!!!