Background of WJTA-IMCA
The WaterJet Technology Association (WJTA) and Industrial & Municipal Cleaning Association (IMCA) members include high pressure waterjet and industrial vacuum equipment users, manufacturers, distributors, researchers, regulators, and consultants. WJTA-IMCA is international in scope with corporate and individual members throughout the world.
Every two years, one member is considered for its Pioneer Award. The Awards Committee of the WaterJet Technology Association (WJTA) – Industrial & Municipal Cleaning Association (IMCA) has selected Lydia M. Frenzel to receive the WJTA-IMCA’s highest honor, the 2015 WJTA-IMCA Pioneer Award. The Pioneer Award is presented in recognition of your contributions to the waterjet industry and to the achievement of the goals of the WJTA-lMCA, your high moral character, your strong personal and business ethics, and your dedication to the future of the waterjet industry and to the growth of WJTA-IMCA.
Acceptance Remarks by Lydia Frenzel
Thank you for that wonderful introduction. I particularly want to thank Dr. Mohamed Hashish from AquaFlow (formerly Flow International) for nominating me. It takes time to respond to request for nomination and write the letters. Thank you Dr. Hashish.
I grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas, as the middle daughter of a hardware store owner. I worked in the store putting appliances together as well as hunted and fished the rugged Coast area. When I found a deep interest in science, my Mother told me that I could be whatever I strove for, even in the sciences and engineering which were mostly closed to women in the 1960’s and 70’s.
My husband Charles, is an artist, a writer, and a scientist. Together we share a closely-knit vision of life that merges creative and personal interests, and have published 10 novels together.
By choice, my husband and I have no children. Our legacy are the women and men that we have known, nurtured, and challenged to be the best they can. Along our path, my path, my search for excellence within myself is a search for excellence in others.
My path has taken me from college research to pipe yards to coal mining in California to Waterjetting as the final frontier.
I founded the Advisory Council, an influence network which deals with emerging technologies and their social and economic effects. Along with new techniques including dustless abrasives, sponges, and water abrasive, a primary mission of the Council is to promote effective means of using high pressure waterjetting techniques in painting.
What does this mean? By promoting waterjetting, the Advisory Council sponsors and I are saving people from lung damage and lead poisoning, and protecting the environment. We change the world by promoting global standards for the industry. Along the way, we try to save part of the 600 billion dollars that corrosion costs us every year in the US.
The best way to lead is by SERVING.
I work to influence the paint maintenance industry all over the world by chairing standards committees for National Association of Corrosion Engineers, and the Society of Protective Coatings. I formulate the US position for selected International Standards Organization working groups on surface preparation and paint. I have served on the WJTA Board of Directors. It’s all volunteer work.
The Advisory Council members are willing to sit, shoulder to shoulder in front of an audience even though they are all competitors for the same business. Of course, they are sensitive to the bottom line, but they also look to see how the world will work 5, 10, 50 years from now.
Even though the members are competitors, they recognize the truth of the Advisory Council’s Credo: “Competition and cooperation are not mutually exclusive”. This is an influence network- to shoulder a higher responsibility. They have come together to build an industry.
Water in surface preparation to remove existing coatings and corrosion truly seems to be a winning situation to meet performance expectations. By the creation of a standard language, we establish the ground for improvement initiatives. “We Do the Basics Well.”
My search for excellence within myself is a search for excellence in others. Now I want to recognize and thank individuals who have brought Waterjetting and Coatings together and supported my efforts. They range from multinational to small, family owned businesses.
Mike Guin and Mel Guillory- Butterworth
Forest Shook, Ted Kupscznk, Jeff Shook, Jim Van Dam- NLB Corporation
George and Jennifer Rankin, – Aqua-dyne
Greg Mort and the late Richard Demmings- Ingersoll Rand
Mike Goecke and Denny Mesarvey – Hammelmann
Rick Schmid and Mohamed Hashish- Flow Waterjetting
Frank Moll- Hydrochem
Larry and Robbie Fulmer with sons Chris and Randy-who welcomed me into their family-Carolina Equipment and Supply
Jenny Houston- Turtle Skin
Charlene Yarbrough and her amazing staff at Cleaner Times for giving me a forum.
Jonell Nixon- Certified Coatings Inspectors
Craig Anderson, Paul Webster—Parker Polyflex
Willie Mandeno- for bringing me to the attention of the New Zealand Navy
Mark and Sue Weston- for the numbers of invitations to give keynotes to the Australasian Corrosion Association
Wayne Senick- Termarust Technology- Canada,
John Tanner-retired- Ameron Paint-,
Soren Johannsen- Denmark- retired- Hempel Paint,
Paul Whitehead and Jim McCarthy- PPG Paint,
Dr. John Kelly and Dr. Mike O’Donoghue- International Paint
Peter and Belle Petkas- HoldTight
James Johnson and Hap Peters- Chlor*Rid
Ed Smith- Hartmann Walsh Contracting
Richard Dupuy- UHP Projects
Doug and June Koppang- A-1 Able Services- FL
Sid Taylor- Incal Pipe Rehabilitation
Roland Lever- Cavi-Tech- who showed me the fundamentals of cavitation.
As a non-profit organization, we can always use more support. It’s the people who come together cooperatively that build the industry. So I invite you to get on board. There is still a lot of ground to be covered so that the industrial maintenance sector will understand that “Water is True Grit!”
Thank you again WJTA-IMCA for selecting me for your Pioneer Award
