CHAIR
Scott C. Beightol
Partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Scott Beightol serves as outside general counsel to businesses, owners, and boards of directors to ensure legal compliance of their operations and initiatives. Beightol also represents businesses before federal and state courts and administrative agencies throughout the country in all areas of employment law and commercial law. His abilities and professionalism have been observed and recognized by clients, peers, and judges alike. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for more than 10 years. Chambers USA has recognized Scott as a leading labor & employment lawyer since 2008, and he has been named one of the 100 Most Powerful Employment Lawyers by Human Resources Executive since 2011.

VICE CHAIR
Ken Bockhorst
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Badger Meter

Ken Bockhorst joined Badger Meter in October 2017 as chief operating officer and was promoted to president and chief executive officer January 1, 2019 and chairman of the board January 1, 2020. He has more than 20 years of experience in global operations management. Prior to joining Badger Meter, he served at Actuant Corporation for six years, most recently as executive vice president of the energy segment. His career also includes product management and operational leadership roles at IDEX Corporation and Eaton Corporation.

TREASURER
Mark Mone
Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Mark Mone leads the largest university in southeastern Wisconsin. He was appointed chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in 2014. He has put UWM on a strategic course for student success, research growth, partnerships, entrepreneurship and innovation while managing unprecedented challenges facing higher education. He spearheaded the school’s most ambitious fundraising campaign, which raised more than $251 million.

Kirk Allen
President & CEO, Sloan Valve Company

Kirk Allen is the president and chief executive officer of Sloan Valve Company, a 115-year-old family-owned commercial plumbing products manufacturer in Franklin Park, Ill.

Steven Booth
Chairman & CEO, Robert W. Baird & Company, Inc.

Steve Booth is chairman, chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of Baird Financial Group and affiliated entities including Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Steve joined Baird’s Investment Banking group in 1994, went on to lead its Industrial and Global M&A teams and, in 2004, became head of Investment Banking, a position he held until January 2014. He was named chief operating officer of Baird in early 2013, became president and COO in 2014,  president and CEO in 2016, and chairman and CEO in 2021.

Joel Brennan
President, Greater Milwaukee Committee

Joel Brennan was selected as the president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee in December 2021 and began his tenure in January 2022. Brennan brings more than 25 years of experience in and around public policy in Wisconsin to his current role. Prior to his selection as president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Brennan served three years in the cabinet of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers as the secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration. As secretary, Brennan led a state agency of nearly 1,500 employees that has broad enterprise-wide responsibilities that affect more than 35,000 state employees. Prior to his state service, Joel Brennan served as president and CEO of Discovery World from October 2007 through January 2019.

Scott Clawson
Chairman & CEO, Culligan International

Scott Clawson has served as chairman and CEO of Culligan International since 2012. Prior to joining Culligan, Clawson was president and CEO of GSI Group and CEO of Ryko Enterprises. Before that, Clawson held various roles at Danaher Corporation, ultimately as president of Gilbarco Veeder-Root, and he served in various management positions at Alcoa Corporation where he began his career. He is on the boards of KIK Custom Products and Danzer Group and is an advisor to Pritzker Private Capital.

Lafayette Crump
Commissioner of City Development, City of Milwaukee

Lafayette L. Crump, J.D., is commissioner of city development for the city of Milwaukee, a role he has held since July 2020. As commissioner, Crump leads a department charged with business attraction and retention, job and population growth, real estate disposition, commercial corridor development, ensuring sufficient affordable housing and more. Prior to his appointment, Crump served as deputy chief of staff and chief diversity, vendor engagement and opportunity officer for the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee of the Democratic National Convention and has served as a private practice attorney.

Karen Dettmer
Director of Water Resources U.S., Ramboll

Karen Dettmer manages Ramboll’s Water Resources Division in the Americas, oversees key client accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region and advises on business development strategies for water infrastructure programs. She recently served  as managing director for infrastructure implementation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water. In this role, she supported implementation of the $50 billion water infrastructure investment from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Prior to joining the EPA, Karen spent 15 years serving the City of Milwaukee, most recently as commissioner of public works and superintendent of Milwaukee Water Works.

Steve Guy
Managing Director, Baird Global Investment Banking

Steve Guy is a managing director in Baird’s industrial investment banking practice and joined Baird in 2000. Over his career, Guy has advised on a variety of mergers and acquisitions and financings for public, private equity and family-owned businesses serving most sectors of the global economy, particularly the water and filtration industries. He serves on the board of trustees of the University School of Milwaukee and the board of directors of Deltrol Corporation.

Missy Hughes
Secretary & CEO, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Melissa “Missy” Hughes is secretary and CEO of WEDC, Wisconsin’s lead economic development organization. Before joining WEDC in October 2019, she was general counsel and chief mission officer at Organic Valley. Her previous positions include associate attorney at the firm of Holland & Hart, where she practiced in the areas of natural resources, construction litigation and corporate business transactions. Hughes served on the boards of the Environmental Working Group and the Organic Trade Association, where she was a three-term board president. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture appointed her to the USDA Advisory Committee on Agriculture and Biotechnology in the 21st Century.

Elizabeth Koehler
Wisconsin State Director, The Nature Conservancy

Elizabeth serves as Wisconsin state director for The Nature Conservancy, a global organization working around the world to protect important land and water for nature and people. She joined the fundraising staff of the Conservancy in 2000 and most recently served as co-deputy state director. Working closely with volunteer leaders, donors and colleagues, Koehler has helped raise more than $90 million for conservation priorities in Wisconsin and around the world. Current work includes collaborating with farmers for clean water and soil health and investing in nature-based solutions to help address climate change.

Kim Marotta
Global Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, Beam Suntory

Kim Marotta is the global vice president, environmental sustainability for Beam Suntory. She is responsible for developing and implementing long-term commitments to environmental sustainability across every facet of the value chain. Marotta joined the alcohol industry in 2004 and held similar global leadership positions in sustainability at Molson Coors. She serves as a director on the Maker’s Mark Distillery board and previously served on the Keurig-Dr. Pepper Advisory board and the boards of The Great Lakes Protection Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Milwaukee World Festival, and the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation.

John Matthews
Principal, Matthews Strategic Services, LLC

John Matthews is a leadership advisor and strategist who specializes in Environmental, Social and Governance platforms. Matthews works in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He was a global senior executive at Diversey Inc., following work at the Foley & Lardner law firm and in state government, where he was chief of staff to Gov. Tommy G. Thompson.

Robert J. Pagano Jr.
President & CEO, Watts Water Technologies

Robert J. Pagano Jr. has served as chief executive officer, president and a director of Watts since May 2014 and previously as senior vice president of ITT Corporation. He is a certified public accountant and serves on the board of Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Watts is a leading manufacturer of water quality solutions that address water safety, flow control, backflow prevention, drainage and more.

Marc Roehl
Executive Vice President, Ixom Watercare

Marc Roehl has nearly 30 years of water industry experience in providing water and wastewater treatment solutions for both municipal and industrial customers. Roehl leads Ixom’s Watercare business, which supports customers across North America and around the globe with intelligent water solutions for making water safe to drink, reuse and discharge. Prior to joining Ixom, he served as vice president and general manager for Evoqua leading its wastewater technologies division.

Rachel Schneider
Vice President of Sustainability & EHS, Molson Coors Beverage Company

Rachel Schneider joined Molson Coors Beverage Company in 2022 as vice president of sustainability & EHS (environmental, health & safety). She leads the company’s global sustainability/ESG strategy and oversees environmental, health & safety for the Americas. Prior to joining Molson Coors, Schneider was at Harley-Davidson for 12 years, leading sustainability efforts and driving business and strategic planning. She made the switch to the corporate sustainability world after a 15-year legal career. She was an equity partner in the Environmental Law Group of Quarles & Brady LLP (Milwaukee office), specializing in environmental and other regulatory compliance matters, with an emphasis on remediation, transactions, and crisis management.

Kevin Shafer
Executive Director, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

Kevin Shafer is the executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, a regional government agency that provides water reclamation and flood management services for about 1.1 million people in 28 communities in the Greater Milwaukee Area, and is responsible for its overall administration, leadership, and direction. Shafer previously worked in private industry and for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He holds degrees in civil engineering and is a past president of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

Jim Stern
Executive Vice President, A.O. Smith Corporation

Jim Stern joined A.O. Smith Corporation as executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary on June 1, 2007. He is responsible for overseeing the corporation’s legal, governance, compliance, securities law, and government relations functions. Stern currently serves on the Board of Directors of Jason Industries, Inc. and currently serves on a number of charitable boards, including the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Fleck Foundation. He also served as a board member of Polar Ware Company, a privately‐held manufacturer of restaurant wares and beverage dispensing machines from 2007 until its sale in 2012.

Emilio Tenuta
Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer, Ecolab

Emilio Tenuta’s 36-year tenure at Ecolab includes 25 years of technical and marketing management experience in various industries including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, lodging, healthcare, primary metals and automotive. In the past 11 years, Tenuta has led Ecolab’s strategic sustainability journey focused on corporate responsibility, internal environmental stewardship and helping customers operate more sustainably. He is actively involved in advancing global sustainability practices, with a significant focus on water stewardship and climate.

Ifetayo Venner
U.S. Wastewater Treatment Practice Leader & Infrastructure Sustainability Leader, Arcadis

Ifetayo Venner has been responsible for the management, planning, modeling, design and startup of municipal wastewater treatment and reuse facilities throughout the United States. She has also engaged with teams in the water and transportation sectors to enhance infrastructure sustainability throughout the project lifecycle and to assess infrastructure project and program sustainability. She is immediate past president of the Water Environment Federation and an officer on the Board of Trustees and a member of the One Water Council for the U.S. Water Alliance.

Paul Jones
Board Member Emeritus

Paul Jones is the retired chairman, chief executive officer and president of A.O. Smith Corporation, (AOS-NYSE), a leading global supplier of water heaters and water treatment products for residential, commercial, and industrial applications with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company, with annual revenues of $2.0 billion, employs approximately 11,400 people and has operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, The Netherlands, China and India. Jones co-founded The Water Council and currently holds a seat on the board of Rexnord Corporation.

Rich Meeusen
Board Member Emeritus

Rich Meeusen is chairman of Badger Meter, Inc, a Milwaukee-based company that is a leading manufacturer and marketer of flow measurement solutions, with a primary focus on the water industry. Meeusen co-founded The Water Council in 2007 (formally incorporated in 2009) and is a pioneer of the water industry and has received many awards, most notably, the 2010 Business Leader of the Year award from the Harvard Business School Club of Wisconsin.

Dean Amhaus
President & CEO

Dean has served as the president and CEO of The Water Council since March 2010. His diverse, 40-year background in multiple sectors encapsulates a wide range of expertise in government relations, branding, fundraising, economic development and nonprofit management in Washington, D.C., and Madison, Wisconsin. Dean has also served as the president of the Spirit of Milwaukee, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing Milwaukee’s image, as well as the president of Forward Wisconsin, the state’s marketing economic development organization, and executive director of the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Commission and Wisconsin Arts Board. Dean began his career working in Washington, D.C., for a firm that advocated for federal policy issues for the arts, humanities and people with disabilities.

Beverley Ferrara
European Representative

Based in Ireland, Beverley serves as a more accessible point of contact with existing and potential European partners, represents the water cluster at trade and industry events, and cultivates relationships with potential investors across Europe. Prior to joining the team in January 2018, she was a Director with the Milwaukee 7, helping to market the Milwaukee region as an investment location to businesses around the globe. She has also worked in senior marketing and business development positions in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. She holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and English literature from Queens University, Belfast, and is a fellow of the U.K Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Joe Ferrara
Senior Consultant, WAVE Europe

Joe represents The Water Council’s water stewardship services, particularly WAVE: Water Stewardship Verified, to companies based in Europe. He is a senior business development executive with extensive experience driving business growth and profitability in global markets. Joe began his career at InSinkErator U.S. and spearheaded the company’s decision to explore sales growth outside North America. He successfully established a distribution network across Europe and led the company’s European HQ in the United Kingdom. After leaving InSinkErator, Joe joined the senior management team at Zerica Srl, an Italian manufacturer of beverage appliances. Joe received his MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona and holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arizona.

Karen Frost
VP Economic Development & Innovation

Karen is responsible for economic development activities and the suite of global innovation programs for The Water Council. She leads the organization’s international efforts and works closely with our European representative to serve partners and companies in Europe and beyond. She is an experienced connector and strong relationship builder and collaborator with the water tech and startup community, global partners and funders. She also led The Water Council’s five-year engagement with SBA’s regional innovation cluster program.

Matt Howard
VP Water Stewardship

Matt oversees The Water Council’s stewardship initiatives including WAVE: Water Stewardship Verified, water stewardship advisory services and comprehensive professional water stewardship training. Previously, TWC helped establish the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) System globally with specific oversight of North America. Matt created the world’s first professional credentialing program for water stewardship professionals and made the business case for use of the International Water Stewardship Standard (“AWS Standard”) in the North American marketplace. His 15+ years in sustainability program development and management include serving as Milwaukee’s sustainability director and leading sustainable manufacturing initiatives during his time in Washington, D.C., where he worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce and as a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has an MA from George Washington University and a BA from Valparaiso University. He is AWS and Lean Six Sigma accredited and serves on the WELL Water Advisory and the Wisconsin Governor’s Wetlands Study Council. He served on the U.S. EPA’s National Advisory Council on Environmental Policy and Technology from 2014-2019.

Amy Jensen
CFO & COO

Amy oversees the financial and operational activities of The Water Council, bringing more than 25 years of nonprofit management experience to her role. She is a CPA and earned her MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Amy was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s CFO of the Year award in 2008 and its Women of Influence award in 2020. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, TEMPO Milwaukee, the AICPA and the WICPA and has served on the boards of TEMPO Milwaukee, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Historic Third Ward Association.

Dr. Barry Liner
Chief Technology Officer

Based in Northern Virginia, Barry provides strategic guidance for The Water Council’s technical initiatives. Dr. Liner has supported the BREW since its inception as part of his previous role leading The Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) innovation initiative, including the Innovation Pavilion at WEFTEC, the world’s largest water quality conference.  A professional engineer, Barry has worked in almost all areas of the water sector including serving as an Assistant Professor and Director of International Engineering Programs at George Mason University, a water and sanitation consultant to the World Bank, and as a management consultant at Black & Veatch. Barry holds degrees in Civil Engineering, Urban Systems Engineering, and Economics.

Laura Mullen
Member Engagement Manager

As the member engagement manager, Laura is responsible for developing, managing and supporting member programs and services with a focus on growth and retention. Laura joined The Water Council in 2021 after 6 years in development at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. A graduate of Marquette University, she holds a degree in business with a specialization in marketing and a minor in psychology.

Stacy Vogel Davis
Communications Director

Stacy’s role is to communicate the work of The Water Council to members, stakeholders and the public through email, social media, blogs, public relations and more. She started her career in journalism, including several years as a reporter and editor for the Milwaukee Business Journal. Most recently she spent six years at the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, the nonprofit partner of the Milwaukee County Zoo. She has a degree in journalism with a minor in Spanish from Northwestern University.