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Scholarship Created in Memory of Utility Chief Engineer

Parul Dubey on May 8, 2023 - in News, People

Image- Eric Shaffer

 

Municipal Advisory Board Honors Member Eric Shaffer of Duluth and His Contributions

– Honorarium Covers MAB HDPE Pipe Training Tuition –

 

IRVING, Texas – May 8, 2023 – The Municipal Advisory Board (MAB) today announced the creation of a scholarship program in the name of Eric Shaffer, chief engineer at City of Duluth, Minnesota.  A nationally recognized expert on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for potable water and wastewater systems, Shaffer was a long-time volunteer and contributing member of the MAB.  He passed away in January 2023 from injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident. 

When attendance is approved by the utility, the Eric Shaffer Memorial Award pays the tuition for the MAB-conducted Fusion Seminar where students learn from experts and receive hands-on training in the proper fusion and electrofusion methods for HDPE water piping systems. 

The next class is scheduled for July 30 – August 4, 2023 at the Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a Certificate of Competency Completion from the college.  Applications for the class are being accepted by email to  [email protected]

Established in 2008, MAB serves as an independent, non-commercial adviser to the Municipal & Industrial Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI), the major North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry.          

          “Eric Shaffer was a stalwart of our industry,” said Camille George Rubeiz, P.E., F. ASCE, co-chair, Municipal Advisory Board and senior director of engineering, Municipal and Industrial Division of PPI.  “For more than a decade, Eric was an integral part of MAB, tirelessly giving his time and expertise to improve the water systems of not only Duluth but our entire country.  MAB members sought a way to honor his contributions  and unanimously agreed that a scholarship program would enable more students to attend the Fusion Seminar program he helped to create.”

          In addition to his work with the MAB, Shaffer was a key member of the City of Duluth.  Upon his passing, Mayor Emily Larson said, “Eric was a longtime employee with the City and a well-respected engineer whose reach went beyond the employees he worked with on a day-to-day basis.  Whether it was other departments or outside organizations, Eric’s professionalism and engineering expertise was respected and sought after by everyone he worked with.  He leaves a legacy that is hiding in plain site that impacts each and every citizen in the City.  As you drive around the city you will see water towers, sanitary sewer lift stations, improvements to the Lakewood water treatment plant, and the removal of lead drinking water pipes just to name a few of the projects he was involved in.”

Luis Aguiar, MAB co-chair and co-founder, Senior Associate with Hazen & Sawyer’s Miami-Fort Lauderdale area office and previously the Assistant Director Water Operations at Miami-Dade Water & Sewer, “We were always humbled by the amount of effort and the intellectual contributions Eric provided to our research and training groups.  He inspired us to go further, work harder and provide more essential information to the utilities.  Eric also always wanted to educate others.  So, it is very fitting that we honor him by enabling operators to heighten their HDPE knowledge and skills with this scholarship fund.”

          Additional information can be found at https://plasticpipe.org/MunicipalAdvisoryBoard

 

Municipal Advisory Board Fusion Seminars

The MAB-NWTC  Fusion Seminars include training on 4” DIPS high-density polyethylene (HDPE) water piping systems using both manual and hydraulic butt fusion procedures and electrofusion of couplers and saddles.

“This curriculum has been developed for HDPE utility employees such as Operators, Inspectors and Engineers with little to no prior experience in fusion,” explained Greg Scoby, PE, Chairman of the Municipal Advisory Board (MAB) Utility Committee and previously the Engineering Manager for the City of Palo Alto, CA.   “In 2020 and 2021, MAB surveyed utilities in the US and Canada and every utility selected this training as their number one priority.  As such, MAB, which is utility led and utility run, prioritized its projects and made this training the number one priority to continuously improve the installation of HDPE fusion and electrofusion joints.”

The classes, both instructive and mostly hands-on, are taught by experts in the plastic pipe industry.  Topics include standard electrofusion with couplers, standard electrofusion for saddles, manual butt fusion and instruction on using a hydraulic butt fusion machine.  Attendees also learn about the MAB accepted standards and qualifications for water utility work.

“We heard many favorable comments from those who have attended our fusion classes,” stated Camille George Rubeiz, P.E., F. ASCE, co-chair, Municipal Advisory Board and senior director of engineering, Municipal and Industrial Division of PPI.  “These have included, ‘The destructive testing shows how good these fuses really hold up.’  ‘Very hands on and applicable to what needs to be done in the field.’  ‘The instructor is very knowledgeable and I did enjoy his class.’  ‘Sufficient hands-on training, real life demonstrations by instructors.’  ‘Enough equipment for everyone to participate.’  I liked the practice time.’  ‘If you have any questions, the instructor helped clear the doubt, and I enjoyed being able to see how strong the pipe is and how well the fusion joint held up.’ ”

The class size is limited to 10 students.  The course is currently being conducted at the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, which has the facilities and equipment available for the group’s use.

Upon successful completion of the required written, visual, and destructive testing, students receive a Certificate of Competency Completion Card from the college and a Qualification Card will be issued from the utility (owner) that has sponsored the trainee to attend the class.  

About the Municipal Advisory Board:

The mission of the Municipal Advisory Board (MAB) is to improve the design, installation, and operation of municipal HDPE water piping systems through the creation of partnerships among utilities, researchers, designers, contractors, and the HDPE industry.  MAB serves as an independent, non-commercial adviser to the Municipal & Industrial Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc.    

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