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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBurris, Paul - ResumePaul Burris 360 Rock Creek Drive Manteno, Illinois 60950 (815)-450-1212 My goal is to obtain an executive management position with a large private or municipal utility. PAST EMPLOYERS Utilities Inc – Regional Vice President (2006 to 2009) Managed water and sewer companies in seven states (Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), with over all responsibility for all operations, maintenance, legal issues, financial (P&L), PUC testimony, and public relations. I also oversaw the non-regulated sludge hauling and applying businesses within Utilities Inc. located in North Carolina and South Carolina. Staff responsibility and accountability consisted of 6 direct reports and 120 indirect reports. American Water Services – Contract Operations Manager for Western Region (2005) Manager of operational contracts for the City of Phoenix (Lake Pleasant) , City of Seattle (Tolt), City of Houston (Southeast Water Plant), and City of East Palo Alto. My job responsibly was for the oversight of contract operations, financial management and compliance of all contracts. Negotiated changes to contracts and renegotiated expiring contracts. Direct reports equaled 3 and indirect reports equaled to about 25. I provided direct support for the physical operations and maintenance of water plants, this included field work as needed. I was onsite lead for hurricane RITA when it hit Houston Texas. As lead, I managed the onsite preparation, was onsite during the hurricane (physically in plant for 2 days without leaving), performed cleanup task and then held a round table after event of what went well and what did not with employees and representatives from City of Houston. O.T.M. Environmental Services Part Owner of contract operations and management firm (1995-2001) (2005-06) Owned an operated a small company that supplied licensed personnel to communities and companies to operate and maintain their water and wastewater facilities. Company was sold to Utilities Inc in 2006. Work on CDBG with one client and received funds for collection repairs. Kept all facilities in compliance and no client was ever issued a violation while under our companies management. Performed duties such as; physical daily operations and maintenance of wastewater plants and collection system, physical daily operations and maintenance of water plants, lift station operation and maintenance, distribution system operation, budget preparation, capital project inspections, televising and cleaning of sewer lines, and emergency response management. Aqua America Inc. – Production Manager Illinois (2001–2004) Production manager for Chicago land area and Northwest Indiana area. My job responsibility was for the oversight and management of operations for over 150,000 customers. Duties included: physical operating and management of 20MGD surface water plant, assisted with troubleshooting of water and wastewater treatment plant upsets, physical onsite construction management and inspections, and management of certified laboratory for both internal company testing as well as residential well testing. Village of New Lenox – Chief of Wastewater operations (1981 – 1987 and 1989–2001) Started off in street department but was also trained as a water operator and wastewater operator. Duties include the physical operations of wells, storage, distribution system, wastewater treatment plants operations and maintenance, lift station operations and maintenance, collection system repairs related to infiltration and inflow, storm water management, street paving, sidewalk maintenance, and parking lot maintenance (snow plowing, landscaping) for Metra commuters Southern Illinois University – Adjunct teacher for water and wastewater classes I have taught numerous classes since late 1998 for SIUE in the Rockford, Joliet and Kankakee area. Classes taught related to wastewater plant operations and maintenance, collection system operations and repairs, water supply operations, water distribution classes, and math classes for both wastewater and water. EDUCATION Governors State University Master Degree in Public Administration Graduated January 29th 2005. Bachelors of Arts Major - Business Management Minor - Public Administration Graduated December 2001 LICENSES and CERTIFICATION Arizona Class "4" Wastewater Plant and Collection Certification Arizona Class "4" Water Plant and Distribution Certification Illinois Class "A" Water Certification Illinois Class "1" Wastewater Certification Illinois Drivers License Indiana Class "4" Wastewater Certification Indiana Class "5 & 3" Water Treatment Certification Indiana Class “DSL” Water Distribution Certification Nevada Class “4T and 4D” Water Certifications Nevada Class 4 Wastewater Certification AWARDS Nominated for "Wastewater Plant of the Year" in Illinois for year 2000 Received AWWA "Water Groundwater Operator of the Year for 2001" for the State of Illinois Plant under my responsibility nominated for "Wastewater Plant of the Year" in Illinois for year 2003 Coach of Top Ops team in Illinois who placed 2nd in 2008 and 2009 in ISAWWA ORGANIZATIONS Currently member of Illinois water testing committee Past President of Southwest APWA Past Awards Chair for Illinois AWWA Past Member of Pahrump CEO Leadership Committee AWWA member WEF member REFERANCES: Mike Turley Village of New Lenox – Utility Superintendent 815-530-6397 Previous supervisor at New Lenox and Partner in OTM Larry Goldsmith Utilities Inc. - Compliance and Safety Manager (775) 513-7756 Past direct report Wendy Barnett Utilities Inc. - Regional Director for Arizona and Nevada Operations (775) 253-0422 Past direct report Mike Miller Aqua America and Utilities Inc, - Regional Manager / Regional Director for Midwest 815-378-0228 Past indirect report for Aqua America and direct report for Utilities Inc Todd Kerry Water Wells Solution 630-201-0749 Contractor / Vendor that I have known for over 15 years EXPERIENCE IN: Leadership – calm and collected at all times, excellent listening skills while providing timely and straightforward feedback, self starter, comfortable with limited direction, comfortable leading by example, strong belief in team work, coaching and mentoring Operations and Maintenance Water and Wastewater systems - over 20 years of experience. This includes planning and implementing inflow and infiltration programs, performing preventive, predictive and emergency maintenance on majority of equipment, bio-solids operations and ground water supply protection Public Works - over 15 years experience in street maintenance, storm water management, and park operations and maintenance. Also have knowledge of building maintenance, snow plowing, fleet management and engineering oversight Management – over 20 years of overseeing staff that has implementing and administered policies and goals. Ability to analyze programs, operations and services with data derived from benchmarking, best practices and cost/benefit analyses, ability to manage my time well and able to handle multiple projects and issues concurrently Budgeting – over 15 years of planning, preparing, presenting and managing both capital and expense budgets up to $30 million per year. Have decreased operational expenses in the last two years by over 10% a year, while increasing revenue by 10% a year Labor Relations – over 4 years of managing and negotiating contracts with represented work forces. Experience in holding staff accountable for results and able to challenge staff to be creative and innovative in addressing community needs Compliance and Safety – over 20 years of leading and monitoring of compliance and safety regulations. Task completed included preparing new in house draft safety protocols, implementing (training) new safety or compliance regulations from EPA, PUC or OSHA. Decreased consent orders and administrative orders from an average of 2 per year the last 10 years to only 3 in the last 4 years. The three where all related to USEPA change in arsenic and radium standards. Only one was open at the end of 2009 Public Presentations / Community Relations – over 10 years of facilitating and mediating public presentations including preparing testimony for regulated utilities for master plans and rate increase. Have made presentations to Home Owner Associations, Local City and County Boards, and created multiple Town Hall events for customers. Presentations included: conservation techniques. Capital project updates, and regulatory relief events. I have ability to translate technical issues into “layman’s” terms thanks to numerous years of teaching and coaching of others Training – over 10 years of teaching water and wastewater classes for Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. Based on succession planning, numerous employees have been promoted from within my organization, decreased training cost, increasing morale and decreasing gaps of knowledge Capital Project Management – over 15 years of performing construction task such as: engineering plan reviews, estimating budgets and track / influence costs of projects; ensuring on time completion within budget, interfacing with engineers and support functions to coordinate project development, interfacing with general contractors, subcontractors, developers, and engineers to align project specifications and requirements, ensured safety procedures on site and strict adherence to quality standards, coordinated resolution of issues through the use of change management, facilitate the quantification and documentation of project performance with both the project team and developer Contract Management – over 10 years of managing contracts for third party engineering, contract operations of utilities labor force and capital project contractor agreements Master Planning – assisted team with research to prepare and submit master plans to regulatory bodies for approval. This process includes the planning and implementing of short tem, long term and strategic goals Development – lead teams in preparing, submitting and managing developer contracts. Worked with local municipal organizations to promote residential and commercial growth Political relations – ability to build consensus of people, organizations and regulatory bodies. In 2008 I became a lobbyist in Nevada in order to assist Nye County in passing a new legislative bill creating a water district while still maintaining company strategic goals of being the water provider Emergency Management – have performed a wide range of positions such as: performed on site clean up after tornados and hurricanes. Have managed the staff in preparing, implementing and following up to disaster situations. Have worked with other entities during emergency events to assure efficient and effective operations during pressure events such as water main breaks, rain storms, blizzards and gas leaks Green Movement – planned and implemented a study on hybrid vehicles to be use in certain positions to reduce operational cost. Have been involved in wastewater reuse programs from concept to implementation and management of systems Customer Service – over 4 years of managing a customer call center for utility operations over 7 states. Over 10 years of providing customer service of a personal business. Created & implemented strategies for continued improvement of overall effectiveness as it relates to customer service, quality of water and productivity. Increased service order efficiency from 30% to 98% in the last 4 years Human Resources – over 10 years of working in all aspects of employee benefits from hiring, coaching, mentoring, performance reviewing, and dismissing of staff. Past goal setting and administering of goals in many areas of the organization since I have either worked in those areas or managed the results of the area. Ability to look at how one area affects the other areas and bring them together on one vision Problem solving – from having hands on experience in so many aspects of utility and public operations, I am able to assist in looking outside the box when faced with issues. Very analytical and organized which allows me to break down issues to root issue and build up from there with alternatives Personal Qualities – open and honest person that has an open door policy, I enjoy participating in community activates ranging from fall festivals, art shows, roller hockey, softball, and other community events