BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard Sinclair, President


Richard Sinclair, a graduate engineer from Pennsylvania State University, has had a life-long career in the fluid process industry. During the past fifteen years his focus has the treatment of industrial wastewater. During the past five years, his scope of work has grown to include biological wastewater treatment systems ranging in size from residential thru 2 MGD. Richard has been a long-term member of AWWA, WEF, AWPCA and is a founding member and current president of AzOWRA.

Robert Brewster, Vice President

Rob Brewster has a Bachelors of Science in Business and Operations and is a charter member and board member of AzOWRA. Rob is dedicated to the education of the onsite community. With a family history in construction and plumbing Rob realized that installers routinely spent the day running around town obtaining the parts needed to complete a job. He started his business, One Stop Septic Shop in 2004, as the place to get everything needed to install a wastewater system. Beginning with distributorships for Infiltrator Chambers and Fralo tanks, Rob has expanded his product offerings over the years and now includes job site delivery.

Ed Swanson, Secretary

Edwin Swanson is employed in the Water Quality Division of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania and Arizona with over 30 years experience with wastewater management planning, design, and administration. Since 1994, the majority of Mr. Swanson's work has been related to the State wastewater treatment facilities permitting programs. He participated in the rulemaking effort for on-site wastewater facilities which became effective in 2001 and 2005. These efforts incorporated the on-site facilities into the State Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) program. The rulemaking replaced the guidelines which originated in the 1960s, and established a framework for uniformly applying treatment and dispersal technologies based upon wastewater characteristics, site conditions, and wastewater treatment, including credit for soil treatment. Other on-site program duties have included providing technical assistance, training, and contract negotiation with local agencies to implement the State wastewater management program.

Lou Brown, Treasurer

Lou Brown is a charter member of AzOWRA and has served as the Secretary and/or treasurer since the organization was established. Lou is the president and owner of SouthWest Alternative, Inc. In 1989, Ms Brown became the exclusive Eljen Distributor in Arizona after learning about Eljen systems from materials obtained at regional trade show and created her business. Lou has been instrumental in the Proprietary Product Approval in Arizona of the Eljen GSF system and works closely with ADEQ to ensure state requirements reflect best system design and installation requirements. She is dedicated to working with and the training of contractors throughout the State of Arizona to obtain Eljen Certification for proper installation and warranty of the Eljen GSF system. Lou has since established an extensive sub-distribution network within Arizona, including Yuma, Lake Havasu, Pinetop-Showlow and Apache Junction. Ms. Brown was recently named in the 2007-2008 Cambridge Who's Who Among Executive and Professional Women "Honors" Edition.

Richard Bartholomew

Richard was raised in Tucson Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and completed his graduate work there in 1965. He worked for Arthur Beard Sanitary Engineers for four years, after which he relocated to Phoenix and went to work for Arizona Department of Health Services (now Arizona Department of Environmental Quality - ADEQ) as Director of Water Supplies for six years.

In 1972 Richard started his own firm in Sanitary Civil Engineering (Bartholomew Engineering). Over the past 35 years he has completed over 2,500 separate water and wastewater projects. Bartholomew Engineering was awarded the ongoing operation and maintenance of a major superfund site in Maricopa County several years ago and provides onsite expertise for wastewater system operation and management.

With the advent of more refined Alternative On-Site Systems, Richard has specialized in the smaller system designs and provides ongoing operations and maintenance of several residential systems.

Richard is a licensed engineer in Arizona, California, Nevada and Colorado. He is a member of the following professional organizations: Arizona Water Works Association (AWWA); Arizona Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (AzOWRA); National OWRA; Arizona Water & Pollution Control Association (AWPCA); National Society of Professional Engineers; and the Arizona Society of Civil Engineers, among others.

Richard has been married for 47 years to the same beautiful lady. They reside in Cave Creek Arizona and have two grown sons and three grandchildren.

Suzanne Ehrlich

Suzanne Ehrlich grew up in the Prescott, Arizona area, graduated from the University of Michigan and returned to the Prescott area to operate a small water company. She began working for Yavapai County Development Services, Environmental Unit in 1996. In 1998, she became an Arizona Registered Sanitarian and inspector specializing in soils evaluation and conventional onsite waste water system construction. Suzanne has been a member of AzOWRA since 2007 as well as a board member. Suzanne produced the AzOWRA newsletter. She has been a member of the Arizona Sanitarians' Council since 2003 and a member of National Environmental Health Association.

Lowell Fagen is a Realtor Associate with Red Arrow Real Estate in Prescott. He has been the listing and/or selling agent for nearly 400 property transactions involving septic and alternative systems. Lowell served seven years as an appointed member of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Onsite Wastewater Advisory Committee (OWAC). He continues to work with ADEQ on issues related to the real estate community.
In 2007, Lowell collaborated with ADEQ staff in developing a new continuing education course for real estate agents. It is the first and only course ever approved by the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) that is specific to agents' responsibilities in implementing ADEQ's Inspection/Transfer of Ownership rule for onsite systems. Lowell Fagen and Edwin Swanson have presented this course at various venues including the Southwest Onsite Wastewater Conference and the AzOWRA Onsite Educational Conference.
Lowell has authored numerous articles relating to the ADEQ onsite wastewater treatment facility rule and the real estate agent's role in transaction procedures. He has also been involved in other real estate activities including being a member of and contributor to Workgroups for the Arizona Association of Realtors in the development and revision of contracts and addendums and has served as a member of various professionalism committees appointed by past and current Commissioners of the Arizona Department of Real Estate.