NEWS: Leadership, transitions, and vision, a glimpse into the first 100 days of a new CEO

New presidents make their marks on America within the first 100 days of taking office. Does our new CEO expect to make her mark on water quality in her first 100 days?

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells was tapped as our new Chief Executive Officer this month and she will assume the role officially once current CEO Julius Ciaccia retires February 10. It's inauguration week, so we asked Kyle about her vision, the peaceful transition of power, and her plans for her first 100 days.

"My vision is really about leadership," Kyle said. As an eight-year District employee and former director of Chagrin River Watershed Partners, she emphasized the role the Sewer District must play as a leader in water quality.

"We need to continue to be leaders on key environmental issues that affect our rivers, streams and lake, but also on the real infrastructure investment it's going to take to maintain the progress we've made and the progress we need to make."

NEWS: $7.2 million to improve water quality by supporting local infrastructure investments

New program to fund community sewer projects that impact public health, environment

@neorsd file photo

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Trustees recently awarded $7.2 million to 12 communities as part of the agency’s newly-launched Member Community Infrastructure Program (MCIP).

The MCIP assists communities with local infrastructure improvements — including new sewer infrastructure, repairs to reduce infiltration and inflow (leaking pipes) and remove failing septic systems from the environment — to improve the region’s water quality, public health and the environment.

The Sewer District continues to invest billions of dollars into large, regional infrastructure projects such as Project Clean Lake, the 25-year capital program to drastically reduce the amount of combined sewage entering local waterways during heavy rains. In addition to Project Clean Lake, the Sewer District is also investing in new relief sewers, making improvements to existing interceptor sewers and solving stormwater problems that not only cause flooding and streambank erosion, but negatively impact water quality.

"The projects we are funding through the Member Community Infrastructure Program will address impacts to human health and the environment from aging local sewer infrastructure,” said Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, Deputy Director of Watershed Programs. “We are very pleased to partner with these communities to move these great projects forward."

WATCH: Kyle and Matt bring a serving of sewer science to @WCPN

Kyle and Matt served up a heaping helping of sewer science on today's Sound of Ideas on WCPN.

Deputy Director of Watershed Programs and soon-to-be CEO Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells and Watershed Team Leader Matt Scharver appeared with Mike McIntyre today to promote their Science Cafe presentation January 9.

PROFILE: "You'd think I just walked out with a PhD," retiring Weeden remembers a proud day 30 years later

Ray Weeden, a Westerly Security Officer in 1987, displays his certificate of completion of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation classes.

If ever there was a story of someone working their way to the top, it’s Ray.

Ray Weeden is nearing retirement as Director of Operation & Maintenance in February after more than 35 years of service.

Born and raised on the east side of Cleveland, Ray worked a variety of jobs out of high school, including security gigs. Following a downsizing at the UAW plant where he was a security guard, Ray was out of work for 13 months, and went back to school full-time. When he heard the Sewer District was hiring, he put in his application. “I started at the District on May 25, 1981, a day I’ll never forget.”

LIST: We found a can of soup at @neorsd HQ dated 2006. It's older than these 13 things.

Campbell's Chunky firehouse chili, oh how much you've missed.

A colleague found this expired can of soup dated 2006 tucked in the back of our community kitchen at @neorsd headquarters. What has this forgotten spicy beef and bean chili missed in the last 11+ years?

1. Two terms of President Barack Obama
2. Our 25-year Project Clean Lake green light and long-term savings
3. LeBron leaving Cleveland...
4. ...and returning...
5. ...and bringing home an NBA Championship. 
6. The launch of Twitter (2006)
7. The creation, suspension, and relaunch of our Regional Stormwater Management Program
8. The appointment of Ciaccia as our CEO...
9. ...and his retirement...
10. and the confirmation of his successor Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells.  
11. The digging of a 3-mile-long tunnel 200 feet underground
12. A memorable Cleveland Indians World Series run
13. The construction and operation of a LEED-certified Renewable Energy Facility at our Southerly Wastewater Treatment Center

The list could go on. And will go on, as we don't plan to open the can anytime soon.

NEWS: Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells to be appointed CEO, sees "opportunity to build upon successes"

Leadership, passion, commitment among words used to describe Dreyfuss-Wells as CEO Ciaccia prepares for February retirement

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells will be appointed Chief Executive Officer effective February 11. Dreyfuss-Wells will succeed Julius Ciaccia who, after more than nine years as CEO, will retire on February 10, 2017.

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells addresses
the City Club, 2016

"Under the leadership of CEO Ciaccia, the Sewer District has become one of the most renowned progressive environmental organizations in the nation," Dreyfuss-Wells said. "I would like to thank the Board of Trustees for giving me the opportunity to build upon those successes."

Dreyfuss-Wells has been with the Sewer District since 2008, and currently is the Deputy Director of Watershed Programs. In addition to her leadership role in the development and implementation of the Regional Stormwater Management Program, Dreyfuss-Wells played a critical role in the negotiations with the federal government of Project Clean Lake, the Sewer District’s program to significantly reduce the amount of raw sewage discharging into the environment.

She has led on the Sewer District’s Green Infrastructure Program, including the implementation of the grants program, which is designed to remove stormwater from the combined system as redevelopment activities occur.