FVOP Adds 20 Staff, Including Five Project Managers

F&V Operations and Resource Management, Inc. (FVOP) of Grand Rapids announced today the hiring of 20 new employees including five project managers due to growing client demand in Michigan.

Craig Shumaker, PE, senior vice president of FVOP, said there is still a critical need for skilled operators and project managers for new projects and expansion of existing projects.

“FVOP staffing has grown tremendously and the need for additional staff is critical,” Shumaker said as FVOP celebrated its 10th year in 2021 by exceeding 85 full-time equivalents for the first time. “Acquiring the right talent has been the most important key to our growth.”

FVOP provides operations assistance, management and training throughout Michigan and Indiana for municipal, industrial, and environmental systems, partnering with clients in operating facilities safely and efficiently. FVOP also supports its staff through training and on-going certifications to enhance their professional development.

New FVOP team members include project managers Abul Ahmed, Brandon Damon, Ken Dey, Doug Hartline, and Tom Miller. New hires also include operation specialists Charles Bittinger, Wrigley Bynum, Ethan Dolliver, Mike Hefferan, Brady Hufmaster, Jeff LaFave, Mary Lenardson, Dakota Nicholson, Jacob Pilczuk, Aaron Rose, Payton Shelafoe, Robert Sonefield, and Kirk Urban, and administrative/billing assistants Donna Gumowski and Elizabeth Peterson.

“We’ve added several experienced, highly-skilled staff with water and wastewater certifications along with entry-level operators,” Shumaker said.

Ahmed, who has a master’s degree in chemistry, is a project manager in southwest Michigan. He is an expert in water and wastewater treatment plant processes with more than 25 years of experience. He is also a published author and a member of the state licensing board.

Damon has 15 years’ municipal experience in the water and wastewater industry, including recent experience as superintendent of two wastewater treatment plants. Damon is a project manager and operations specialist in southeast Michigan.

Dey, who has more than two decades of water treatment experience, has a bachelor’s of science degree with a major in biology and minor in chemistry and management. He is a project manager serving mid-Michigan communities.

Hartline has 45 years of water and wastewater experience in the United States Air Force and various municipalities in Maryland and Virginia. He is a project manager serving east Michigan communities.

Miller joins FVOP with more than 35 years of managerial experiences in the wastewater, water, and public works field including three decades of contracted operations. He is a project manager serving southwest Michigan.

Bittinger, a firefighter and first responder, has five years’ experience as an equipment operator. He is providing industrial operations services in southeast Michigan.

Bynum is a mechanical specialist in southeast Michigan. He has previous wastewater operator experience and has served in the U.S. Department of Navy.

Dolliver, a northeast Michigan native, is an operations specialist and customer service representative in northeast Michigan. He has an associate’s degree in applied science.

Hefferan, a mechanical specialist in southwest Michigan, has over 15 years of experience in wastewater treatment. He also has an associate degree in water purification technology.

Hufmaster, a northeast Michigan native, is an operations specialist in northeast Michigan. He has an associate’s degree in general studies.

LaFave, who has nearly three decades of aviation experience including 14 in management, is an expert in hydraulics, pneumatics, and electrical work. He is a northeast Michigan water/wastewater field specialist.

Lenardson, who is a laboratory plant manager in southeast Michigan, has a bachelor’s degree in biology. She has more than three decades of chemistry experience previous as a quality assurance analyst, consulting chemist and laboratory manager.

Nicholson, who served eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a general specialist in southeast Michigan. He has facility managing experience and basic water support and maintenance technician experience.

Pilczuk, who has previous operations and repair services experience, joins FVOP part-time mechanical specialist. He has an associate’s degree.

Rose is an operations specialist in northeast Michigan. He comes to FVOP with maintenance, general labor and heavy operator experience.

Shelafoe is an operations specialist in west and central Michigan. The Upper Peninsula native has an associate degree in water resource management. The licensed professional has water and wastewater treatment plant operator experience

Sonefield, a water operations specialist in northeast Michigan, joins FVOP with a trades and military background in the U.S. Air Force Michigan Air National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves. He has two associate’s degrees including one in applied science.

Urban, a U.S. Army veteran, had more than 23 years of municipal employee experience. He has water and sewer department, excavation crew, and wastewater treatment plant experience and is licensed in wastewater and industrial stormwater operations.

Gumowski joins the FVOP administrative assistant staff with over 25 years of administrative/customer service experience. She will assist staff in handling records and billing.

Peterson, who previously worked as administrative assistant for the F&V East Michigan Group, joins the southeast Michigan staff. She will assist staff in handling records and billing and creating client newsletters.