SWPA Leadership
Pioneering Excellence
SWPA is the industry’s leader in providing accurate, up-to-date technical information about submersible wastewater pumps and the component parts and accessories in lift stations using solids-handling pump systems.
Now in its fourth decade of service, SWPA has become the recognized spokesman for the submersible pump segment of wastewater industry and looks proudly upon its long legacy of service. SWPA’s dedicated members and staff have worked diligently, particularly in recent years, to position the association as the premier resource for technical information on submersible sewage lift station systems in North America. The technical information created and distributed by SWPA is developed by knowledgeable specialists from the industry’s leading manufacturers of submersible pumps and component parts and accessories. This information is based on a systems approach for municipal and industrial applications and is designed to meet the needs of those who are responsible for designing, installing and operating lift stations using solids-handling pump systems.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Nic Atkins
Nic started working for Zoeller as a plant employee while finishing up a business degree at Indiana University Southeast in 2013. After spending time in Zoeller’s Customer Experience departments, and a Product Marketing Manger, he is now the Marketing Manger at Zoeller Company. His duties include helping with the direction of product development, locating potential growth areas, trainings and day to day operations.
John A. Evans
John A. Evans, President, Motor Protection Electronics – John holds BS and MS Degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida, and is a Registered Engineer in the State of Florida. He has worked in the wastewater industry for 33 years. Past responsibility included running the control panel division of E.K. Phelps, a wastewater Sales Rep firm for the State of Florida. His present responsibilities as the President of Motor Protection Electronics are focused on business development, design oversight, and production related activities.
Timothy Merke
Timothy Merkel has been involved in the water and wastewater industry for over 20 years with a focus on building partnerships in the wastewater business with distributors, vendors, and other key relationships across the industry. He has served at Secretary / Treasure for the Submersible Wastewater Pumping Association (SWPA) in the past and is currently the Chairman of the Marketing Committee for the organization. Timothy got his start in the water and wastewater market at Conery Mfg Inc in Ashland, Ohio in 2003; eventually serving as the National Sales Manager there followed by serving as the Engineered Sales Manager at Topp Industries in Rochester, Indiana from 2011-2017.
Since 2018, Timothy has served as the Business Development Manager at Metropolitan Industries in Romeoville, Illinois. Operating out of Ashland, Ohio, he continues to travel the United States in support of Metropolitan Industries including the East Coast branch of Emmons Metro located in Albany, New York.
Jessie Hinther
Jessie has spent the last 22 years being heavily involved in the pump industry. He began his career as a Product Engineer for Little Giant Pump Company’s fractional horsepower pump product and moved from there to Product Management, handling all of Franklin Electric’s sump, sewage, effluent, and grinder pump product lines. He has conducted training classes on submersible centrifugal wastewater pumps, designed low-pressure sewer systems, and has spent time as a Regional Manager and OEM Sales Manager. Jessie is now in a Product Management role teaching wastewater in the western U.S. Headwater branches. He has also been very active with the Submersible Wastewater Pump Association (SWPA) and is currently serving as the Past Chairman of the organization. He has led and participated in several pump training seminars conducted by this organization over the last 10 years, following SWPA’s model to educate the industry.
Jessie received The Chairman’s Award from Franklin Electric in 2010, recognizing him for outstanding performance.
Layla Wilhelm
Layla Wilhelm is a Product Manager at Crane Pumps & Systems, in Piqua, OH. Originally from Galway, NY, she earned her BS in Chemical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology. During her undergraduate, she participated in multiple co-op rotations – two at a tungsten powder processing facility in their research and development lab, and one at a polymer start up in their research lab. She also participated in RIT’s local chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, serving as Chapter President in her last year of school. Layla started at Crane Pumps & Systems after graduating as an Application Engineer, being promoted to Product Manager after a few years. She is currently pursuing her MBA from the University of Cincinnati. When she’s not working or going to school, Layla enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two dogs.
Dave Williams
Dave Williams is current President of SWPA and serves on the Liberty Pumps Executive Team as Director of Engineering responsible for R&D, Product Design, Quality, Warranty, and Intellectual Property aspects of the business. Dave holds a BS in Applied Physics from State University of New York at Geneseo and a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University. Prior to entering the wastewater industry in 2007, Dave held numerous positions in manufacturing engineering and quality management in the automotive industry.