Recent Awardees

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Excellence in Stormwater Management

City of Batavia

Awarded to a floodplain manager, an individual, a group of individuals, a consultant, or an agency who improved stormwater management or reduced urban flood risks through creative engineering, regulatory measures, or other approaches.

The City of Batavia has taken a proactive approach to stormwater management over the last 10 years, investing time and resources to improve its stormwater management and assets. This has been the most evident within the Mahoney Creek Watershed. The City has been working on planning and implementing projects to holistically manage stormwater runoff, reduce flooding, and improve water quality.

In 2021, Batavia started the development of the Mahoney Creek Watershed-Based Plan. The Watershed-Based Plan was written to include the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) nine key elements required to improve water quality. The planning documents identified numerous projects within the City of Batavia. Project implementation has already begun with the City investing nearly one million dollars to design and construct a project to create wetland detention at the Mahoney Creek Tributary’s headwaters.

In 2022, the City constructed the Kirk Road Stormwater Management Basin which created 7.6 acre-feet of wetland detention and cut the 100-year critical flow to the Mahoney Creek Tributary in half. After construction, the City noted a reduction in roadway flooding along the tributary and reduced yard flooding along the stream.

Outstanding Service Award

Sarah Wenzel, CFM, P.E.

Awarded to an IAFSM officer, a Federal, State, or Local Official, or a consultant who has gone above and beyond normal expectations and duties to promote or encourage IAFSM goals. This award may also be given to an agency that has inspired floodplain management efforts or implemented unique programs that encourage flood reduction.

Sarah Wenzel joined IAFSM in 2018 as one of two founding members of the IAFSM Young Professionals (YP) Committee. She has played an active role in growing the YP Committee from the ground up since 2018. For the last 3 years, she has served as the YP Committee Chair. During her time at IAFSM, she has succeeded in increasing IAFSM name recognition and visibility in universities, increasing young professional engagement with IAFSM, and expanding IAFSM offerings to young professionals. Sarah passionately strives to bring fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm to IAFSM.

Sarah was a driving force in the creation and consistent year-over-year expansion of the IAFSM YP Conference
Scholarship. The YP Conference Scholarship program has expanded under her guidance to include every University with stormwater, floodplain, and civil engineering programs in Illinois and prominent universities in surrounding states.

Sarah proposed the addition of the IAFSM Young Professional of the Year Award to promote the achievements of early and mid-career IAFSM professionals. This award will be recognized for the first time in 2024.

Mitigation Award

Ron Davis

This award is given to an individual or community that has encouraged flood hazard reduction through a buyout program, retrofitting, preparation of a mitigation plan, or other similar mitigation efforts.

Ron Davis is a seasoned professional in the field of disaster mitigation with a career spanning over three decades. He has made an incredible impact on the approach to hazard risk reduction and community resilience in the State of Illinois. Ron started with IEMA in 1995 in the aftermath of the Great Flood of 1993. In 2003, he earned the title of State Hazard Mitigation Officer and held that title for 15 years before taking a position at IDNR to run their mitigation program (2018).

His work has significantly advanced the state’s capacity to mitigate the impacts of natural and man-made disasters. As a leading figure in Illinois’ mitigation efforts, Ron’s contributions have not only safeguarded communities but also propelled the state into a position of national leadership in disaster mitigation and resilience planning.

Ron was instrumental in the development and promotion of Illinois’ State Hazard Mitigation Plan, a cornerstone
document that guides the state in reducing risk from natural hazards through proactive planning and action. Under his guidance, the plan has evolved to include climate adaptation strategies, making Illinois one of the first states to integrate climate change considerations into its hazard mitigation framework. This forward-thinking approach has served as a model for other states grappling with similar challenges.

Floodplain Manager of the Year

Paul Kendzior, PE, CFM

This award recognizes outstanding individual efforts and contributions at the local level. The award honors an individual responsible for the development of a distinguished local program or activity, or someone who struggles to implement flood hazard reduction at the local level in the absence of sophisticated programs and support.

Paul Kendzior has worked in the field of floodplain and stormwater management for the past 36 years. Paul started
his career at RJN Group completing Location Drainage Studies for various waterway crossings in IDOT’s District
1. He then transitioned to the public sector with the Village of Northbrook in 1995, leading the Village to Class 7 after initiating their application into the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). While at Northbrook, Paul also led the development of the Village’s first Master Stormwater Management Plan and two Addendums. All recommended capital flood reduction projects were funded by the creation of a stormwater utility fee. One example project is the award-winning Wescott Park Storage which involved the installation of a 23-acre-foot underground stormwater detention vault.

After arriving in Libertyville in 2015 as the Director of Public Works, Paul led the effort to apply for CRS program and ultimately elevated Libertyville to a Class 6 rating. At Libertyville, he also initiated the Village’s first Master Stormwater Management Plan in 2017. The Master Plan contained 10 capital flood reduction projects at an estimated total cost of $54 million. Once again, Paul assisted in the development and approval of a stormwater utility fee to fund the projects, of which three have been completed.

Floodplain Manager of the Year

Julie Lomax, PE, CFM

This award recognizes outstanding individual efforts and contributions at the local level. The award honors an individual responsible for the development of a distinguished local program or activity, or someone who struggles to implement flood hazard reduction at the local level in the absence of sophisticated programs and support.

Julie Lomax has been the Chair of the Community Rating System (CRS) Committee for the Illinois Association for
Floodplain and Stormwater Management (IAFSM) since 2015 and is the leader of the Illinois CRS Users Group.
As the CRS Chair, Julie has been instrumental in driving forward initiatives that have significantly improved floodplain management practices across Illinois. Her leadership has not only enhanced the participation of Illinois communities in the CRS program but also increased their access to reduced flood insurance premiums.

She has developed training programs, workshops, and resources aimed at local officials, professionals, and the general public, demystifying what it takes for a community to be part of the CRS program. Julie credits much of this success to the vast resources available to her through her IAFSM contacts and peers as well as pandemic creativity.

With the rise of virtual meetings and the 2021 Addendum to the CRS User’s Manual providing topics for meetings, it was now possible to get people together from the entire state via Zoom. Julie used this opportunity to invite subject matter experts to be guest presenters on various CRS topics at the CRS Users Group meetings. Additionally, Julie has been able to assist in the hosting of two field-deployed CRS training courses – one in 2019 and another in 2023.

Journalism or Public Education Award

Erin Conley, CFM & Marilyn Sucoe, CFM, P.E.

This award is generally given to a media outlet that has produced floodplain or stormwater management special features during the year. The award can include individuals or agencies who have contributed to public awareness of floodplain or stormwater management issues.

The state began issuing the quarterly e-newsletter, The Flood Record, in September 2020 to the 896 NFIP communities in Illinois. Marilyn Sucoe created the first email list from FEMA’s community contact database and the first email had over 400 failures. After weeks of phone calls to libraries and even volunteer fire departments, Marilyn was able to compile a successful email list. Erin and Marilyn have now grown the list to over 1700 email addresses. To date, there have been 15 issues of The Flood Record that cover everything floodplain-related including regulations, permitting, mapping, grants, and training opportunities. Some of the articles are even reprinted in The IAFSM Current. One Mayor called to say he was republishing an article concerning establishing Base Flood Elevations in Zone A floodplains in the town’s newsletter.

Starting last year, their outreach efforts expanded to include a series of webinars held most months of the year. These webinars have covered topics including elevation certificates, enforcement, floodway permitting, flood insurance, and substantial damage/improvement. While most of the webinars are only an hour long, longer webinars are being added to allow for a more in-depth discussion on some topics. The webinars provide credits for CFMs and PEs. Attendance at the webinars often reaches 100 or more.

Legislative Award

Senator David Koehler

This award honors Illinois law makers or local officials for their efforts in floodplain issues. The award can also be given to an individual who makes extraordinary efforts to encourage the passage of legislation or to a community that has adopted unique local regulations that promote floodplain management or flood damage reduction.

In 2022, State Senator Dave Koehler played a pivotal role in introducing the “Clean Sweep” program in Peoria and Fulton County. With an eye towards water quality, this initiative facilitated the responsible disposal of unwanted agricultural pesticides for a diverse range of stakeholders, including farmers, retired farmers, nursery owners, private pesticide applicators, structural pest control applicators, and landowners. Continuing the commitment to environmental stewardship, the senator successfully passed Senate Bill 3790. This landmark legislation led to the creation of the Renewable Energy Component Recycling Task Force, tasked with exploring sustainable options for recycling and end-of-life management of renewable generation components and energy storage devices.

This year, Senator Dave Koehler is taking the lead on several critical initiatives. Foremost among these is Senate Bill 1556, advocating for the adoption of a clean transportation standard in Illinois. This bill aims to empower the Environmental Protection Agency to establish rules for a credit marketplace for low-emission fuels, with the goal of reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector by 20% within a decade of adoption.

Additionally, the Senator is spearheading Senate Bill 2628 to grant the Illinois Department of Natural Resources the necessary authority to define procedures ensuring state agency compliance with the National Flood Insurance
Program. Recognizing a current deficiency in enforcing NFIP procedures for state agencies and state-owned properties, this bill aims to rectify this gap.

Young Professional of the Year

Chris Hanstad, CFM, P.E.

This award is to recognize the professional contributions of younger members. The IAFSM Young Professionals Committee established the IAFSM Young Member of the Year Award for the first time in 2024.

Chris Hanstad serves as the Senior Hydraulic Engineer in the Coordinated Hazard Assessment and Mapping Program (CHAMP) at ISWS, leading their hydraulic and hydrologic engineering team of seven engineers with unparalleled dedication and expertise. In the last several years he has successfully overseen data development projects totaling over $5 million. Notably, these projects were completed meticulously, adhering to FEMA specifications, and were both within budget and on schedule.

In addition to his role as a project leader, Chris has excelled in various capacities. He serves as the Principal Investigator for the MT-2 LOMR Review grants, successfully submitting grant applications and providing quarterly reports to FEMA. Chris’s meticulous review and processing of MT-2 cases showcase his commitment to ensuring the highest standards in his work.

Chris’s dedication also extends beyond project management. He contributes significantly to CHAMP outreach efforts for Floodplain 101 training and Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) mentoring tasks. His ability to communicate complex technical information effectively is well demonstrated through internal presentations at ISWS and externally at IAFSM conferences. In 2021, Chris earned IAFSM’s Best Presentation award at the annual conference.

Despite facing challenges such as tight project deadlines, Chris has demonstrated exceptional resilience and leadership. His ability to mediate conflicts, coupled with his open communication style, has contributed to a positive and collaborative work environment.

Chris’s management and leadership of his team have been exemplary, especially with the challenges of remote work and hybrid schedules. Bi-weekly H&H team meetings, which he leads, have played a crucial role in organizing the team responsible for completing FEMA data development projects and increasing informal interactions among team members.