Marc Rogoff received the first Distinguished Individual Achievement Award (DIAA) from SWANA’s Collection and Transfer Technical Division. Rogoff has been involved with SWANA since its early origins and was recognized for his support of integrated solid waste management planning, specifically his rate study work helping communities understand the financial requirements of maintaining their solid waste systems. Tom Bilgri received the Landfill Gas and Biogas (LGB) Technical Division DIAA Award for overseeing the technical approaches and methodologies associated with the evaluation and design of some of the most complex landfill gas collection and control systems and beneficial-use facilities across North America. “The DIAA is the most prestigious award offered by the LGB Division, and Tom Bilgri is a very deserving winner,” said Patrick Sullivan, Past Division Director of SWANA’s LGB Technical Division. “Tom’s career reflects a strong commitment to the solid waste industry as a consulting engineer originally with EMCON, and now with Cornerstone; at the same time, Tom has been a major contributor to SWANA, specifically through the LGB Division where Tom has had a long tenure and served in various leadership roles, which continue today.”
The Landfill Gas and Biogas Technical Division recognized two Hall of Flame inductees, this year adding Jim Bier and David Penoyer to the list of honorees. Bier worked to increase the knowledge base of the landfill gas and biogas industry, expand the opportunities for renewable fuels and electrical production, and educate the public on the benefits of landfill gas utilization, bringing gas treatment and renewable natural gas development to the forefront of the industry. Penoyer has been recognized as a landfill gas expert for years and has used this expertise to standardize, develop, and revolutionize system metrics, design, quality, and implementation on a wide-scale during his time at both SCS Engineers and Republic Services. Finally, the Landfill Gas and Biogas Technical Division offered an In Memoriam recognition called the Eternal Flame Award to an industry member who has passed away. The 2018 Eternal Flame Award honors the career of Tudor Williams for his work developing landfill gas engine technology in the 1970s and engaging in transformational landfill gas-to-energy development from the 1980s through his death on December 7, 2016.
For more information on SWANA’s Technical Division Awards, visit https://swana.org/Membership/TechnicalDivisions.aspx.