Herald News Report
FAIRBORN – The City of Fairborn’s Utilities Superintendent Karen Hawkins is the cover story in the October 2015 issue of Treatment Plant Operator or TPO.
Beginning her career as a Fairborn police dispatcher/jailer, Hawkins has been with the city for more than 30 years. She moved to the Division of Water and Sewer in 1989, and has continued learning and implementing best practices for the benefit of Fairborn residents.
Her work has been recognized through various awards including City of Fairborn Employee of the Year, the Fairborn Area Chamber of Commerce City Award, the Ohio American Water Works Association (OAWWA) Richard F. Melick Award for training and in 2014, the OAWWA Operator Meritorious for Water Treatment award.
After winning the most recent award, TPO reached out to Hawkins for an interview regarding her career and successes in the water industry with the City of Fairborn.
“As a longtime resident of Fairborn, I have a vested interest in our community,” Hawkins said, “I want to make sure that we are providing water and sewer services that meet our customers’ needs at a reasonable cost. I was honored when asked by TPO to do an interview because I saw it as an opportunity to highlight not only my career, but also the proactive activities of our city to assure we can continue to meet those goals.”
Hawkins encourages her personnel to train and take courses that will assist them with their careers. Her supervisory style and self motivation have earned her praise from her staff for her dedication and thoroughness. For a complete look at her management and the success of Fairborn’s Division of Water and Sewer visit www.tpomag.com.
