Okatie, SC – March 20, 2018 – The Water Environment Association of South Carolina (WEASC) awarded Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) General Manager Ed Saxon the William T. Linton Service Award at its annual South Carolina Environmental Conference last week. The Linton Award is the highest and most prestigious of the many awards presented by the WEASC which hosts the conference with the state section of the American Water Works Association (SCAWWA,).
Established in 1969, the William T. Linton Award honors the late William T. Linton, executive director of the Pollution Control Authority of South Carolina, the forerunner of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The award recognizes an association member who contributes to the association’s objectives and devotes his or her career to the preservation and protection of the environment of South Carolina. The executive committee of the Water Environment Association of South Carolina chooses the nominees.
Ed Saxon, PE, grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, where he is the third of six children. After serving four years in the Air Force, Ed earned BS and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina, and has been a registered professional engineer in South Carolina for 36 years. Prior to joining Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) in February 1989, Ed worked for DuPont and Conoco for 12 years.
Ed’s expertise in the field has given him a seat at the tables of many water/wastewater and engineering professional associations at local, regional and national levels, most notably, as president of the South Carolina Water Quality Association and vice chair of the North American Society of Trenchless Technology.
During his tenure, he was part of unprecedented growth that saw capital assets increase in excess of $317 million, and operating revenue rise more than $49 million. Ed’s greatest professional accomplishments come from his deep reverence for the Lowcountry environment, including his part of the leadership team responsible for the Great Swamp Water Reclamation project, the award-winning expansion of the Hardeeville Water Reclamation Facility and the launch of the Savannah River Clean Water Fund.
His bottomless dedication to his community includes acting as board member and past president of the Sea Island Rotary Club; former board member and campaign chair for the United Way of the Lowcountry; and former Beaufort Regional Chamber and Economic Alliance boards. Since 1991, Ed has served as a Beaufort Water Festival volunteer, and was festival commodore in 2001. He currently serves as their finance chair. Other current commitments include board of the Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance, which is the economic development arm of a seven counties in southeastern South Carolina.
Ed is an active member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Lady’s Island, where he serves as a lector as well as observing Adoration every Tuesday at 5 am.
His large circle of friends enjoys playing golf, fishing trips to their fish camp and regular poker games with Ed. His staff of 180-plus knows that his office door is always open, and he is on a first-name basis with each one. He is quick to reach out in times of celebration as well as sorrow, visiting staff members who are hospitalized, as well as attending funerals.
Ed is a devoted husband and father, married to Melaine, and they have three children – Ryan, Eric and Jessica and one granddaughter, Bailey – the apple of his eye – who lives on the Big Island of Hawaii.
For more information about BJWSA, visit www.bjwsa.org.
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