The strength of the Key West project are the associates. The people of OMI are the single most important asset of the company. The project has strong maintenance and operations capabilities.  Our Maintenance Manager, Ricky Collins and one of our operators, Doyle Thomas have training in instrumentation and control (I&C).  The entire maintenance staff is highly experienced in pump mechanics and electrical troubleshooting.  Ricky Collins also, has many years of industrial maintenance experience.  There are currently four associates holding Florida Class A wastewater license’s (the state’s highest certification).  Doyle Thomas holds a Class B, and Larry Beson has a Florida Class C wastewater license.  We also have one associate with a Florida Class A and three with Florida class C Collection System licenses.

The project staff has experience with the operation and maintenance of sewage collection and conveyance systems. Instrumentation and process modifications are also a specialty. The plant staff is also experienced with control of corrosion.

The Key West collection-system associates have extensive knowledge of the collection system and lift stations. Many of the associates are long-term employees with the department, and Ralph Estevez, Collections Supervisor, was with the collections department prior to OMI assuming responsibility of the plant.  Ralph knows Key West's pipes.  His department is very visible within the community, and the staff is capable and knowledgeable.

The staff has contributed greatly to maintaining the system and recommending improvements.  Because of the abilities of the Key West associates, we have been able to build a high level of confidence with our client, the City of Key West.  This confidence is spread among a large representation of associates at the project.  This ensures a stable project for the client and OMI.  Talent, cultural diversity, initiative, and the drive to provide Key West with quality services are key to our continued success.

 

	Nick LeCoumpte is our Operations Supervisor.  Nick worked his way up through the ranks, and the result of that work is a thorough knowledge of Key West's treatment facility and a Florida Class 'A' certification.  Nick, born and raised in Key West, has been with OMI at the Key West Project since 1989.
	Our Lead Operator, Oliver Kofoid worked straight midnights in our Operations Department for many years.  Oliver hold's a Florida Class 'A' wastewater certification and is one of the few people known to have read the entire Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary documentation.  Oliver began working in the daylight some time back and finally overcame his agoraphobia.  Ollie rode out hurricane Georges on the bow of his sailboat with a dive mask on.  Mental, or not mental......you decide.
	The gentlemen in the orange photo to the left are our Collections System and Stormwater Maintenance Team.  From left to right are: Daniel Montesino, Donald Wells, Louis Molina, Richard Estevez, Joseph Grassi, Ernesto Basulto, Bob Fiorile, Brian Carmona, and Michael Martinez.  Yes, they would be the first to say they are one good looking group of guys.  It's lucky for us (and them) that beauty was not a requirement for the job.  The important thing to mention is the massive amount of work they accomplish with the precision and efficiency of a well oiled machine.  They clean and repair the sanitary sewer pipes, as well as the stormwater drainage system.  No one does it better.
David Averette came to us from a local electrical contractor which is a good thing for the contractor, the citizens of Key West, and of course us.  It was quickly recognized that his mechanical skills far outweighed his electrical skills. A well grounded and welcome member of our maintenance team.
	2007 was a banner award year for this CH2M Hill OMI project and for the City of Key West.  We were awarded three first place wins by the Florida Water Environment Association.  Best in class for advanced secondary treatment facilities, first place for the collection system, and first place for operations excellence, which pertains to the processes used to operate and maintain the facility.  At left the Project Manager, Greg Smith is presenting these awards to the Mayor of Key West, Morgan McPhersen.
	From all outward appearances, Rick Cleaver seems like an unassuming, low-key Laboratory Director, football and baseball coach, and all around good guy, but when the sun goes down, Getty Lee watch out.  An accomplished musician proficient with both the saxophone and Fender Jazz bass guitar, our lab guy turns into Rockin' Rick Cleaver thumpin' out those low-end licks where the sun don't shine.  Luckily he contains himself enough during the day to run our lab and perform the analyses that day or night, show that Key West produces the cleanest water in the Keys.
	Mike "The Laughing Man" Green (left and below ) is our Regional Manager out of Melborne, Florida.  In this photo (left) he is leading the community improvement project that OMI performed for one of our clients in Georgia.  Mike is the epitome of a team player and fearless leader. No one knows why he's happy all the time, and he's not telling.  I prefer to think it's because the Key West staff consistently exceed expectations, to coin an oft used and somewhat cliché phrase.

		Pam Phelps is our highly skilled Laboratory Technician and CPR/First Aid Instructor.  Not only can Pam analyze our quality effluent, she is likely the only person in Key West (or Marathon for that matter) that has met and obtained autographs from Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney and "Big Daddy" Don Garlits in the same day.   (Drag racing legends if you didn't already know)
		And then there's Frank Enricco.  Frank came down from Ashtabula, Ohio, where he was working on one of CH2M Hill's remediation projects.  We brought him down to Key West for an interview, and to see if he would like the area.  Now Ashtabula is a fading memory for Frank, with blurry visions of frosty breath, coats and gloves, ice scrapers, and the sound of a windshield defroster on high.  I predict that one day soon Frank won't even be able to spell Ashtabula.
Jeff Glass may seem like the prototypical good looking, sensitive, knowledgeable, fashion conscious OMI associate, but don't be fooled by the book's cover.  Inside lies the heart of a high pressure process water hose holding algae killing machine.  The maniacal laughter can be heard throughout the plant when he's doing the dirty deed.  Jeff holds a Florida Class "A" Wastewater Operator certification.
		Danny Carraballo loves his job as is evidenced by the smile on his face.  Another of the many native Conch's on our team, Danny brings a myriad of talents to our maintenance department, not the least of which is knowledge related to outboard motors, car stereos, autobody work, odor control units, and plugging watermelons.  If Danny can't fix it, he knows somebody that can.

	We were beginning to think it might not be possible to hire one person to do the work of two, but then we found Gracie.  Gracie Chaney; wife, soccer Mom, and the newest member of the Key West OMI Team, has taken on the daunting task(s) of managing the front office and generally being the center of attention when anyone has questions or a problem with insurance, payroll, a vendor, obtaining information from our corporate office in Denver, or any of the bazillion other things we can think of.  Gracie also assists our laboratory staff in preparing and performing the biological process and water quality analyses that provide critical information needed to accomplish our mission.  Like many of us, it's doubtful that Gracie had ever dreamed of a successful career in the wastewater industry, but one day in the not too distant future when she's determining the moisture content in an aliquot of biosolids, she'll wonder why it never occurred to her before.  Mark my words.
To the left you will see three generations of a Conch family, one of which does not yet work with OMI , but we have our collective recruiting eye on him.  From left to right are Richard Estevez, Jr. (RJ), Richard Estevez, Sr., and Peter "Grandpa" Estevez.  You will probably notice that RJ really had the cards stacked against him, luckily Richard's lovely wife Trina was involved so he turned out to be a good looking kid anyway.  Peter retired from a successful career with the local Navy public works and joined our team to work with our maintenance department, Richard Sr. works in our collections/stormwater department, and we have an operations position planned for RJ sometime around 2017.  If he's anything like his Dad, Grandfather, or Uncle Ralph who supervises the Collections Department, we'll have another winner.
	13 of our 29 Associates at the Schooner Wharf celebrating OMI's 25th anniversary as a company.

 

 

 

These are but a few of the OMI associates at the Key West Project.   We will be updating photos periodically so stay tuned.