As part of OCWA’s monthly series highlighting some of our dedicated employees and the important jobs they perform, this month we’re featuring Mike E. from our Operations Department. Each month we’re asking a different employee a series of ten questions about his/her background, what he/she does at OCWA and some of the employee’s most interesting work experiences.
1. What is your current position at OCWA?
Instrumentation Crew Leader
2. What other jobs have you held, both OCWA and non-OCWA position?
I started at OCWA in the position pump maintenance area, then moved to become an Instrumentation Mechanic. I also worked for my father’s company working on instruments at paper mills and Goldberg’s furniture store in North Syracuse delivering furniture.
3. When did you join OCWA, and what brought you here?
I started in 1990. OCWA at the time was growing and had two instrumentation mechanics. I enjoyed working with them and they taught me a lot.
4. What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I schedule and participate in work for my department which includes installing, inspecting, maintaining, repairing, troubleshooting, calibrating, programing, modifying, upgrading and testing a wide variety of electrical/electronic/instrumentation equipment and software related to pumping stations, water treatment plants, emergency back-up power, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. I also schedule training and purchase supplies for my work area.
5. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Keeping up with the latest technology and applying it for the betterment of the water system.
6. What has been your favorite project at OCWA?
Consolidating the OCWA and Onondaga County Water District SCADA systems when our two water systems merged in 2018.
7. Before working at OCWA, what was the most interesting/unusual job you’ve ever had?
I worked in Puerto Rico at a oil refinery rebuilding pneumatic instruments.
8. What three words best describe you?
Calm, cool, and collected.
9. What is your educational background?
I attended the International Technical Institute in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for Instrumentation after high school.
10. Why did you select the career you are in?
My father had his own company in the field that I’m in now. He influenced me to pursue a career in instrumentation.