Libsyn Directory

493 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 1

Release Date: 09/11/2026

503 Pinks and Blues: Beyond Industrial Water Week 2026

Scaling UP! H2O

Industrial Water Week 2026 has ended, and Trace Blackmore, CWT, challenges listeners to carry its focus on learning and mentorship into the rest of the year. This Pinks and Blues episode combines reflections on IWW26 and the AWT convention with listener questions about AI and professional development. Give continued learning a place on your calendar Trace proposes a specific challenge: choose one of Industrial Water Week’s five focus areas and schedule 30 minutes to improve your understanding. Those areas are pretreatment, boilers, cooling, wastewater, and careers. ...

502 Industrial Water Week 2026: Careers Friday

Scaling UP! H2O

Experienced water treaters carry knowledge that the next generation needs. For Careers Friday, Trace Blackmore, CWT asks them to pass it on. The Industrial Water Week 2026 finale connects industrial water treatment careers with mentorship, practical training, and curiosity. Pass on the reasoning behind the work Trace describes a mentor as someone you can call when a system presents a problem you cannot explain. Learning from another professional’s challenges, mistakes, and experience helped him solve problems and later mentor others. He also addresses professionals preparing to retire....

501 Industrial Water Week 2026: Wastewater Thursday

Scaling UP! H2O

A wastewater inspection appeared to expose a failed treatment program—until Trace checked where the sample had been collected. For Industrial Water Week 2026: Wastewater Thursday, Trace Blackmore, CWT, connects correct sampling, water reuse, and careful troubleshooting with the decisions water treaters make every day. Check the sample location before drawing conclusions In an early-career account, a plant operator faced a threatened shutdown after an inspector’s sample produced out-of-spec results. Trace reviewed logs, spoke with the engineer, and tested two locations. The...

500 Industrial Water Week 2026: Cooling Wednesday

Scaling UP! H2O

Cooling Wednesday brings a practical reminder: correcting a treatment problem requires understanding what caused it. For Industrial Water Week 2026, Trace Blackmore, CWT, celebrates Episode 500 with lessons on cooling tower foam, biocide feed verification, Legionella risk, and unexplained chilled water loss. Start with the feed history When a cooling tower produces enough foam to spread across the property and trigger low water shutdowns, Trace begins with the biocide feed logs. He compares the chemical remaining in the tank with calculated consumption and finds evidence of...

499 Industrial Water Week 2026: Boiler Tuesday

Scaling UP! H2O

Boiler Tuesday is a reminder that industrial water treatment exists to protect heat transfer efficiency. For day two of Industrial Water Week 2026, Trace Blackmore, CWT, connects feedwater preparation, condensate quality, and treatment distribution to the everyday decisions that keep steam systems working. Feedwater quality sets the stage Trace starts with a practical measure of boiler performance: how much heat from the flame reaches the steam? Feedwater conditions directly affect that work. He links inadequate feedwater heating with higher chemical demand,...

498 Industrial Water Week 2026: Pretreatment Monday

Scaling UP! H2O

is here—and Day 1 is Pretreatment Monday. In Episode 498, Trace Blackmore, CWT, opens the 2026 celebration with troubleshooting stories, returning guest greetings, and a new Detective H2O case that brings pretreatment performance into focus. Celebrate with purpose Take a photo with your favorite pretreatment equipment—a softener, RO, or filter housing—and post it with #IWW26. Then search the hashtag to connect with others doing the same work. Trace’s invitation makes the week visible and recognizes the people who keep downstream systems operating. Start with the pretreatment train At...

497 Pinks & Blues: From Sample to Solution

Scaling UP! H2O

A controller and a handheld meter give you different readings. Before you adjust blowdown or chemical feed, how do you determine which result deserves your confidence? Reliable water treatment testing starts with understanding the sample, the system, and the equipment behind the number. In Episode 497, “Pinks and Blues: From Sample to Solution,” Trace Blackmore, CWT, answers listener questions that build on Episodes 397 and 408. He connects testing with repeatable procedures so technicians can interpret results, make informed adjustments, and explain their decisions to...

496 Growing Through Change in Water Treatment with Mark Lewis, Part 2

Scaling UP! H2O

When a water treater can run a test but cannot yet diagnose a failing system, the next training decision matters. In Growing Through Change with Mark Lewis, Part 2, Mark Lewis of CRB Water joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to connect training choices with work in the field. Match Training to Experience Mark sees the space between AWT’s March and November training sessions as a chance to revise material instead of repeating the same presentation. He explains how Fundamentals and Applications, Program Designs and Operations, and Technical Training serve different levels of readiness....

495 Growing Through Change in Water Treatment with Mark Lewis, Part 1

Scaling UP! H2O

Change is unavoidable, but uncertainty does not have to control how water treatment professionals respond to it. Mark Lewis returns to share what he learned when Southeastern Laboratories was acquired by CRB Water—and how employees can remain valuable, informed, and open to opportunity during a business transition. Navigating an Acquisition from the Employee’s Perspective Southeastern Laboratories began exploring a buyer because its owners wanted to protect the company and approximately 30 employees. When CRB Water entered the picture, employees naturally wondered what...

494 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 2

Scaling UP! H2O

A strong convention outcome starts before the first session and continues long after the exhibit hall closes. Association of Water Technologies Executive Director Matt Coffindaffer explains how deliberate preparation, wider professional relationships, and volunteer service can turn AWT 2026 into practical value for an industrial water treatment career or business. Find the Right Place to Volunteer AWT offers yearlong committee service, shorter task-force assignments, and opportunities across technical research, marketing, membership, regulatory affairs, business resources, young...

More Episodes

Strong professional associations do more than provide programs and credentials. They create an environment where members can exchange knowledge, build trusted relationships, and prepare their businesses for what comes next. As the Association of Water Technologies enters a new operational chapter, Executive Director Matt Coffindaffer explains how AWT is strengthening that environment without losing the culture that makes it distinctive.

From the Arts to Association Leadership

Before entering association management, Matt built a career behind the scenes in theater. His experience designing scenery, lighting, and technical environments taught him how people with different skills can work together in service of a larger concept.

That same principle now shapes his leadership at AWT. Matt describes his role as a partnership with the board of directors: helping volunteer leaders make timely, consequential decisions based on reliable information while directing the staff and daily operations that turn strategy into member value.

Evolving AWT’s Operational Structure

After 20 years with Management Solutions Plus, AWT transitioned its association management support to Momentum Association Management. Matt explains that the change was driven by the organization’s long-term strategic goals and the need to align staff resources with the expectations of a growing membership.

Members can expect evolutionary improvements before larger changes take shape. Specialized support is being assigned to membership, CWT certification, committees, meetings, and exhibits. A new ticketing system will also help AWT track inquiries and connect members with the appropriate staff. With the annual convention approaching, customer service and a successful Oklahoma City experience remain the immediate priorities.

Expanding the Reach of the CWT Program

The Certified Water Technologist designation remains one of AWT’s most important professional programs. However, the number of certificate holders has remained around 300 to 350 for more than a decade, despite more than 4,500 professionals being within AWT’s member orbit.

Matt outlines a broader strategy for growth: examine potential barriers to eligibility, provide specialized administrative support, pursue ANSI accreditation, and work toward greater recognition of the CWT designation in bid specifications and regulatory requirements. The objective is to expand participation while preserving the credential’s rigor and professional value.

Making the Convention Work for You

Trace closes with a practical reminder: plan your agenda, make time for the exhibit hall, and use the Scaling UP! H2O button as a simple conversation starter. Attendees can continue those connections during the next Hang on October 1 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

The strength of AWT comes from professionals who contribute their knowledge, volunteer their time, and help one another succeed. Preparing intentionally for the convention allows you to take full advantage of that community.

Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

02:10 — Trace introduces the AWT Convention and Expo and explains why the gathering matters to industrial water treatment professionals.

03:00 — The episode’s convention-focused agenda covers preparation, networking, learning opportunities, and changes taking place within AWT.

05:00 — Industrial Water Week 2026 offers five days of themed education, from pretreatment and boilers to cooling, wastewater, and careers.

08:10 — Matt Coffindaffer joins the podcast and introduces his role as executive director of the Association of Water Technologies.

12:10 — Matt connects his background in the arts with association leadership, emphasizing service to a mission larger than any one contributor.

14:10 — Matt explains how his previous association management experience introduced him to AWT and its highly engaged volunteer community.

17:20 — AWT’s established programs, committed volunteers, and healthy organizational model distinguish it from associations requiring a complete turnaround.

23:30 — Matt describes AWT’s unusually collaborative culture and explains why its meetings and programs feel like a professional homecoming.

24:30 — The executive director’s primary responsibility is helping the board make informed decisions while strengthening organizational capacity.

28:50 — Matt explains how an association management company provides flexible access to specialized staff and additional event resources.

31:30 — Becoming AWT’s first direct employee allowed Matt to evaluate the organization beyond the limits of a consulting scope.

34:00 — AWT’s transition from Management Solutions Plus to Momentum Association Management reflects its strategic goals and future operational needs.

39:10 — AWT begins developing a broader plan to expand the CWT program while preserving the credential’s professional rigor.

41:30 — ANSI accreditation could strengthen the CWT program’s credibility and support broader recognition in legislation, regulation, and bid specifications.

45:20 — During the transition period, AWT prioritizes customer service, tracked member inquiries, and a successful convention experience.

49:10 — New committee liaisons and recurring leadership roundtables will give AWT volunteers more consistent operational support.

52:10 — Matt introduces Janessa Camps, AWT’s new director of membership and operations and a primary contact for member assistance.

54:50 — Trace explains how the Scaling UP! H2O “magic button” can help attendees start conversations and build new professional relationships.

57:30 — The next Hang, scheduled for October 1 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, gives attendees an opportunity to continue connections made at the convention.

Quotes

“I think the real common thread between the arts and associations is it’s about a group of people from all different backgrounds, but they’re, at their core, very passionate about the work that they’re doing.”

“I really do view the AWT as home.”

“It’s my job to make sure that they are making timely, consequential decisions based on the best data available.”

“I think over the next three to six months, you’ll see some evolutionary changes, but we’ll really start to see some significant changes in 2027 and beyond.”

“But we want to make sure that we’re maintaining the character and the rigor of the CWT while making sure that we’re not creating unnecessary barriers to adoption.”

Connect with Matt Coffindaffer