Do you wonder about the future? I sure do.

Inevitably, whenever I am discussing the future of water with colleagues, the question comes up: Who will step forward to solve water challenges in the future?

If you have ever pondered this question, let me ease your mind by introducing you to five water professionals who are stepping forward—with big strides. Each is an inaugural recipient of AWWA's 5 Under 35 Outstanding Young Professional Award. This new annual award recognizes five young professionals who demonstrate outstanding service, leadership, and active participation to advance the water sector. Here are the inaugural 2021 award recipients:

• Jeff Blakely, American Pipe, Rocky Mountain Section (Colorado)
• Jihyon Im, CDM Smith, New England Water Works Association (New Hampshire)
• Amanda Jones, Marana Water, Arizona Section
• John Logan, Trinity River Authority of Texas, Texas Section
• Bob Parks, City of Independence Water Utility, Missouri Section

Jeff Blakely is literally a leader among leaders as he serves as chair of AWWA's Young Professionals Committee. Working closely with Jeff over the past several years, I have seen him lead in ways that people twice his age could not. He tells me his leadership philosophy is to help clear a path for others and then watch them work their magic. It seems to work, as Jeff was recently promoted to a regional sales manager position at American Pipe.

This month Jihyon Im (Ji to her friends) becomes AWWA's next Young Professionals Committee chair; she will also be its first Asian-American leader. If you have met Ji, you know she is a people-person—a characteristic that shapes her leadership style. For her, leadership starts by building relationships and then working collectively to make improvements by challenging the status quo—something she admits is hard to do. Ji says this approach is also reflected in her work at CDM Smith, where she works with others to find solutions to PFAS-related issues.

It is astonishing how much Amanda Jones gives of herself. Being altruistic is “just who we are,” she told me when talking of how she was raised. During the day, she is the water business services coordinator at Marana Water; in her spare time she teaches a module on water utility management issues at the University of Arizona. She also founded a group called Womxn in Water (learn more at www.womxninwater.org). Amanda is proud of her utility and its water; she says she is “always on brand” and loves “sharing the importance of the water sector with others.”

John Logan is a treatment plant engineer for the Trinity River Authority. He also gives what he gets. Two years ago, he became chair of the Texas Section's mentorship program, where he is both a mentor and mentee; he gives and gets. John shared with me that his first mentor provided opportunities and connections that he would not have been exposed to but for the program, and that experience cemented his passion for water. Today, he feels the greatest part of the mentorship program is that both the mentor and mentee learn from each other.

Bob Parks rolls up his sleeves and gets things done—an ethic learned growing up on a farm. Professionally he is a project management engineer with the City of Independence Water Department, where he makes sure water is delivered safely each day. He also volunteers for AWWA's Water Utility Council, where he is passionate about water policy related to source water protection. Bob is grateful that he can make a positive contribution to society and serve his community, even, as he puts it, “if they don't know [he is] there.”

Fortunately, there are countless emerging water leaders who are under age 35. Collectively they reassure us that water, and its future, is in great hands. Because of that, it's with pride that AWWA recognizes them—even if it is only five at a time!

你对未来感到好奇吗？我肯定会。

不可避免地，每当我和同事讨论水的未来时，都会出现一个问题：未来谁会站出来解决水的挑战？

如果您曾经思考过这个问题，那么让我向您介绍五位正在大步前进的水务专业人士，让您放松一下。每个人都是 AWWA 5 Under 35 杰出青年专业奖的首届获得者。这个新的年度奖项旨在表彰五位表现出色服务、领导能力和积极参与推动水务行业发展的年轻专业人士。以下是 2021 年的首届获奖者：

• Jeff Blakely，美国烟斗，落基山段（科罗拉多州）
• Jihyon Im，CDM Smith，新英格兰水厂协会（新罕布什尔州）
• Amanda Jones，Marana Water，亚利桑那分部
• John Logan，德克萨斯州三一河管理局德克萨斯分部
• Bob Parks，独立市水务公司，密苏里分部

杰夫·布莱克利 (Jeff Blakely) 在担任 AWWA 青年专业人员委员会主席时，实际上是领导者中的领导者。在过去几年中与杰夫密切合作，我看到他的领导方式是他年龄两倍的人无法做到的。他告诉我，他的领导理念是帮助他人扫清道路，然后看着他们施展魔法。这似乎奏效了，因为 Jeff 最近被提升为 American Pipe 的区域销售经理职位。

本月，Jihyon Im（Ji 对她的朋友）成为 AWWA 的下一任青年专业委员会主席；她也将成为其首位亚裔领导人。如果您见过季，您就会知道她是一个以人为本的人——这一特征塑造了她的领导风格。对她来说，领导力首先要建立关系，然后通过挑战现状来共同努力以取得进步——她承认这是很难做到的。Ji 说这种方法也反映在她在 CDM Smith 的工作中，在那里她与其他人合作寻找与 PFAS 相关问题的解决方案。

令人惊讶的是，阿曼达·琼斯 (Amanda Jones) 付出了多少。利他主义就是“我们是谁”，她在谈到她的成长方式时告诉我。白天，她是 Marana Water 的水业务服务协调员；在业余时间，她在亚利桑那大学教授一个关于水务管理问题的模块。她还成立了一个名为 Womxn in Water 的团体（更多信息请访问 www.womxninwater.org）。阿曼达为她的效用和水而自豪；她说她“始终坚持品牌”并且喜欢“与他人分享水务行业的重要性”。

John Logan 是三一河管理局的处理厂工程师。他也给予他所得到的。两年前，他成为德克萨斯分部导师计划的主席，在那里他既是导师又是受训者；他给予和得到。约翰与我分享了他的第一位导师提供的机会和联系，如果不是为了这个项目，他是不会接触到的，那次经历巩固了他对水的热情。今天，他觉得导师计划的最大部分是导师和受训者互相学习。

鲍勃·帕克斯卷起袖子把事情做好——这是一种在农场长大的道德规范。在专业上，他是独立市水务局的项目管理工程师，他负责确保每天安全供水。他还是 AWWA 水利公用事业委员会的志愿者，在那里他热衷于与源水保护相关的水政策。鲍勃很感激他可以为社会做出积极贡献并为社区服务，即使正如他所说，“如果他们不知道 [他] 在那里的话。”

幸运的是，有无数 35 岁以下的新兴水资源领导者。他们共同向我们保证，水资源及其未来掌握在大手中。正因为如此，AWWA 很自豪地认出了他们——即使一次只有五个！