The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce will hold their 102nd Annual Meeting, Thursday, January 24, at the Pueblo Convention Center. The Highlight of the event is the “Citizen of the Year” award presentation. This year the award will be presented to Alan Hamel for his many contributions to the Pueblo community. “Alan Hamel is receiving this prestigious award for his life long career at the Board of Water Works. Alan has empowered staff and board members to establish a long term vision for developing and maintaining Pueblo’s water supply and quality. His continual representation on numerous water related organizations has had a positive impact on the quality of life of the Pueblo community” said President/CEO, Rod Slyhoff.
Alan Hamel promoted a culture of excellence in operations and customer satisfaction in his years of leading the Board of Water Works to become one of Colorado’s premiere water utilities. Alan worked for the Board of Water Works in one capacity or another for more than 52 years. His employment included:
• Summer helper at the Board of Water Works during the summers of 1960 and 1961
• Full time employment in 1962 as a pump station operator
• Promotion to his first management position in 1969
• Various management positions until September 1982
• Appointed Executive Director in September of 1982.
Alan has been honored with virtually every accolade in Colorado’s water community, culminating in the Wayne Aspinall Water Leader of the Year award, the state’s highest honor for water professionals, in 2010. His accomplishments have also been recognized nationally by the American Water Works Association, which presented Alan with its George Warren Fuller Award for distinguished service in the water supply field in 2003. He remains one of the state’s foremost authorities in water matters and has been in demand as a member and leader of numerous local, statewide and national organizations. Alan’s remarkable legacy of service will help ensure future excellence not only for the Board, but for the entire community of Pueblo.
