ABWC Board of Directors - Officers

Donovan Neese is currently the superintendent of the Roosevelt Irrigation District. He was appointed to this position in 2011. He is a registered professional engineer and worked as a design and construction engineer in agriculture for ten years prior to coming to the District. Donovan also has a Master's of Business Administration.

Member of:

• American Society of Civil Engineers (since 1997)
• Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona (since 2011)
• Westside Area Managers (since 2011)
• Irrigation and Electrical Districts Association (since 2011)
• Member of the Colorado River Energy Distributors Association
• Member of the United State Committee on Irrigation and Drainage

Glen Vortherms is the General Manager of the Maricopa Water District (MWD) which was formally organized in 1925, as a political subdivision and an irrigation and water conservation district under Arizona state statutes and was successfully completed in 1927. MWD is the only privately financed reclamation project of its kind. MWD provides water and power to service an area of approximately 60 square miles. The lands within MWD which are still in agricultural are cropped with cotton, vegetables, fruits, citrus, grapes, and grain. There are, however, other markets which are served by MWD including trees, flowers, grass, hobby farms, and golf courses in those areas which urbanized and developed.  Glen serves as treasurer of the Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona and Coordinator of the Water Management Certificate Program.

Wade and his wife Kathy are the parents of five children. He is a fifth-generation native Arizonan, born in Safford and growing up in Wilcox. After a family move to Tempe, he graduated from Tempe High School. His Bachelor’s Degree is from the University of Arizona (1973) and his Juris Doctor Degree from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio (1977).

Wade has been in private practice in Yuma since 1978. He was a member of the Westover Law Firm until its dissolution in 1996. In that year he formed the Noble Law Office.

Clients include: Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, Yuma Irrigation District, North Gila Valley Irrigation and Drainage District and Unit B Irrigation and Drainage District.

Affiliations:

*  President National Water Resources Association 2011-2012 (NWRA)

*  Member NWRA Board of Directors

*  Chair NWRA Policy Development Committee

* Chair Resolutions Committee Colorado River Water Users’ Association (CRWUA)

*  Member Family Farm Alliance Advisory Council

*  Chair Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission 

*  Member Governor’s Water Augmentation, Innovation and Conservation Council 

*  Chair GWAICC Long Term Water Augmentation Committee

*  Member Arizona Delegation Colorado River Seven Basin States Principals

*  Member Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan Arizona Steering Committee 

*  Member Lower Colorado Multi-Species Conservation Program Steering Committee

*  Member Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona (ABWC) Board of Directors

*  Chair ABWC Policy Development-Legislative/Regulatory Affairs Committee

*  Adjunct professor University of Arizona - Yuma “Legal Issues in Agriculture”

*  Member Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame (2020)

*  Coordinator Yuma County Agriculture Water Coalition

*  Member case study committee and contributor: ”A Case Study in Efficiency - Agriculture and Water Use in the Yuma, Arizona Area” Yuma County Agriculture Water Coalition, March, 2015

Bill Plummer provides consulting services to irrigation districts, towns and cities in Arizona and has been involved in numerous water and water related programs in South and Southeast Asia for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the United Nations.  He has served in a number of policy and management positions in Washington, DC, Denver, Salt Lake City and Boulder City, Nevada with the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of the Interior. 

From 1978 to 1985 he was responsible for all Bureau of Reclamation activities in both the Upper (1978-1981) and Lower (1981-1985) Colorado River Basins.  He was the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources from 1988 to 1991 and General Manager of the Yuma Mesa Irrigation and Drainage District in 2006-2007.  He participates in the following organizations:

• Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona-Past President
• National Water Resources Association-Member, Board of Directors
• Family Farm Alliance-Member, Advisory Committee
• Central Arizona Project Association-President
• United States Committee on Irrigation and Drainage-Member, Long  Range Planning Committee
• International Boundary and Water Commission-Member, Colorado River   Citizens Forum, former Co-Chair
• Colorado River Water Users Association-Member
• Arizona-Mexico Commission-Member
• Town of Paradise Valley, Arizona-Member, Water Committee

He has BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and MS in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University.

Matt is a graduate of St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, MN) where he earned a degree in Business Economics and also earned his MBA from Dominican University (River Forest, IL). He is also a proud Class 25 graduate of Project CENTRL, a center focused on keeping rural Arizona healthy, vibrant, and sustainable. Matt and his wife, Alisa Beyer PhD, have four children and reside in Scottsdale, Arizona.

 Brenda Burman joined Central Arizona Project in 2021 and has been the general manager since January 2023, the first female to lead the organization. Burman has more than 25 years of experience working on Western water and natural resource issues, where she has been committed to finding collaborative solutions to secure reliable water supplies for communities, farms, tribes and the environment. Before joining CAP, Burman was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation and the first woman to hold that position. Burman has served in many other areas of the water community: in private legal practice; as the water and energy counsel for U.S. Senator Jon Kyl; as senior water advisor to an environmental organization; and in senior positions for water districts. Burman holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arizona College of Law and is licensed to practice law in Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. 

Bullhead City Councilman, Mark R. Clark participates in the following city/regional/state committees, boards, and organizations: 

Try-City Council, Bullhead City Water Advisory Committee, Chairman of the Mohave County Water Authority, Commissioner on the Arizona Water Banking Authority, Arizona Water Association, Agribusiness and Water Council of Arizona, Mohave County Industrial Development Authority, Board of Directors Vice President, Past member of the following organizations: Vice President of the Mohave County Airport Authority,  Real Estate Committee for the Mohave County Airport, Bullhead Regional Economic Development Authority (BREDA) Board of Directors, BREDA Administrative Committee & Finance Committee, Mohave County Sheriff Technical Advisory Committee, Association of Financial Professionals.  

Mark has been married for 42 years to Beth Clark.  He is a Tri-State resident for 20 years and earned his MBA from Indiana University.  He is a Certified Cash Manager (CCM), President QPC Inc. - a Water & Wastewater Resource Management and Land Development consulting company. 

Ed Gerak has nearly 15 years of experience in water and power issues.  Ed spent 10 years as the General Manager of the Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District (BWCDD), an IEDA member. In 2009, Ed began representing IEDA on the Colorado River Energy Distributors Association board, becoming president in 2015.  In 2017, Ed joined the Arizona Power Authority as Executive Director, managing the Hoover Dam power allocation for the state.  Ed sits on the American Public Power Board, representing Region 6. Ed received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University.  Ed is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Arizona. 

Elston Grubaugh joined the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District in July 2008 and assumed the duties of General manager on January 1, 2009.  A native of New Mexico, Elston has worked in the water and power areas for over 40 years, holding positions in Texas, New Mexico, California, and Arizona.  Elston holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Engineering from New Mexico State University and a Masters' Degree from Texas A&M University.  

Other Professional Activities Include:  

*Chair; Gila Gravity Main Canal Administrative Board

*Vice President; Irrigation & Electrical Districts Association of Arizona

*Member: Yuma County Flood Control Advisory Board

*Member, Tri-Valley Ambulance Board of Directors

Dr. KIRIL D. HRISTOVSKI is the Program Chair of the Environmental and Resource Management (ERM) Program and an Associate Professor of Engineering and Environmental & Resource Management Programs in the Polytechnic School, one of the six Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). He also serves as the Director of the ERM professional development program at the Polytechnic School. Dr. Hristovski holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (2007) and an MS in Technology (Environmental) (2003) from Arizona State University, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sts. Cyril and Methody in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (1998). His research focuses on topics related to environmental applications and implications of engineered nanomaterials, water and wastewater treatment and management, solid and hazardous waste, and international environmental management issues. He is actively engaged in researching the environmental challenges of the developing world and translating fundamental knowledge into simple and inexpensive solutions to address these challenges. Since 2007, he has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and over 100 conference papers/presentations in his areas expertise. He is an editorial board member of the Science of the Total Environment, Trends in Analytical Chemistry, and Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management Journals. He also serves as a section editor of the Macedonian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. He has served as an external advisor for environment, science, and education to the President of Republic of Macedonia, HE Dr. Ivan Ivanov. Dr. Hristovski is a recipient of a Presidential Medal of Merit for Macedonia (2016), Fulbright Fellowship (2012), the College award for outstanding faculty mentor (2011), and a U.S. Presidential Academic Award (1991). He is affiliated with the School of Sustainability and Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University as a Senior Sustainability Scientist, Global Security Initiative, School for Future of Innovation in Society, Global Security Initiative, Center for the Future of War, and the School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. He also serves as Principal Investigator/co-Principal Investigator on several multi‑university centers/networks such as NSF Engineering Research Center Nano-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT - Rice, ASU, Yale, UTEP), US EPA Life Cycle Nano (LCNano), and US EPA Design of Risk-reducing, Innovative-implementable Small-system Knowledge (DeRISK), which are related to environmental applications and implications of nanomaterials.  

Mr. Justice is a native of Arizona, and graduated from the University of Arizona, with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.  He raises cattle and citrus in Waddell, Arizona.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of Electrical District Number Seven and is President of the Irrigation and Electrical Districts Association of Arizona.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona.  

Leslie joined SRP in 2022, with more than 30 years of water resources management experience in Arizona and the southwest. Throughout her career, Leslie has worked on strategic initiative planning and implementation with Federal, States, Tribes, irrigation districts, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and others. Leslie received a BS degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and is a registered Professional Engineer.  

Jason Moyes is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Moyes Sellers & Hendricks.  His practice is focused in the area of natural resource law and the representation and defense of agricultural irrigation and electrical districts, small utilities, renewable energy developers, and other agricultural interests.  

He serves as general counsel for the Yuma Mesa Irrigation and Drainage District, McMullen Valley Water Conservation & Drainage District, Electrical District Number Eight, Tonopah Irrigation District, Harquahala Valley Irrigation District, Harquahala Valley Power District, and Aguila Irrigation District.  

He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor Degrees from Brigham Young University and is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Arizona and Nevada.  

Jason lives with his four children in Mesa, Arizona.

  Troy G. Schmitz is School Director and Professor in the W. P. Carey School of Business’ Morrison School of Agribusiness at Arizona State University. Dr. Schmitz also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance and the Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona. He is also a Senior Global Futures Scholar in the ASU Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation and is affiliated faculty in the ASU Center for Environmental Economics and Sustainability Policy. 

Professor Schmitz is co-author of a textbook titled “Agricultural Policy, Agribusiness, and Rent-Seeking Behaviour” (third edition 2023), three edited volumes on global food security, an edited volume titled “International Agricultural Trade Disputes: Case Studies in North America”, and an edited volume on agribusiness e-commerce. He was guest editor of a 2019 virtual issue on International Trade in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and is a member of the editorial review board for the Journal of International and Global Economic Studies. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles in over 25 different academic journals ranging from the American Journal of Agricultural Economics to the Journal of Political Economy. Professor Schmitz has published over 30 book chapters appearing in over 20 different edited volumes. 

Jeffrey Silvertooth grew up in northwest Oklahoma and Wichita, Kansas.  He has a B.S. in Agriculture (Agronomy) from Kansas State University, an M.S. in Agronomy (Soil Fertility) from Oklahoma State University, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science (Soil Fertility) from Oklahoma State University.  He has worked in a variety of roles over 30+ years to develop crop production management strategies (primarily irrigated cotton, chiles, and cantaloupes) that optimize the soil-plant system agronomically, economically, and environmentally.  He has been with the University of Arizona since 1987, as an Extension Agronomist for 14 years, and Head of the Soil, Water and Environmental Science Department for over 12 years.  In his current role, he provides overall program leadership and administrative and personnel  management for Arizona Cooperative Extension.  He is also responsible for the development of effective education programs and related translational and applied research programs dedicated to extending knowledge resources to the people of the State and region.  

 Dr. Michael E. Staten is Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the Interim Dean for the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences/Cooperative Extension at the University of Arizona. Dr. Staten’s prior positions in the college include serving as the Bart Cardon Associate Dean for Academic Programs (2015 -2023), and Director of the Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research (2008 – 2016).  Staten received his Ph.D. in economics from Purdue University’s Krannert Graduate School of Management. Dr. Staten has extensive research experience around consumer financial services markets, especially products related to consumer lending, credit reporting, credit scoring and credit risk evaluation, debt relief and rehabilitation, and consumer financial education. From 1990 – 2007 he directed public policy research centers at Purdue, Georgetown, and George Washington University, designing and publishing research on a wide range of consumer finance issues. He has made invited presentations on consumer financial issues at workshops sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, and Washington, DC think-tanks including the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution. Dr. Staten served as a Visiting Scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Payment Card Center from 2010-2013. He was Co-PI of the Congressionally mandated FACTA 319 study of the accuracy of credit reports for the Federal Trade Commission in 2010-2012 and was an appointed member of the Academic Research Council for the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from 2020–2022. 

 Richard has been a natural resources lawyer, a partner in multiple family-owned farming and ranching entities, and an Adjunct Professor of agricultural law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.  At ASU, he also serves on seven advisory boards involving three colleges and one university-wide program.   

Richard is a former trustee of the nationally recognized Farm Foundation.  In the Foundation’s Roundtable, he is now an Honorary Lifetime Fellow. Early in his career, he served on the USDA National Advisory Council for Rural Development. He later taught courses at the Morrison School of Agribusiness and is often credited with founding its Graduate Certificate Program in Water Resources Management. 

Following his parents' example, Richard committed himself to philanthropy forty-five (45) years ago.  He is generally recognized as a Co-Founder of the Morrison Institute of Public Policy at ASU, but his philanthropic efforts extend beyond that, including service as a Director and President of a private charitable foundation and as a Director of the Arizona Community Foundation.  As President of the private foundation, he endowed two professorships in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona.  He later personally established a professorship in water law at ASU’s College of Law. (Professor Rhett Larson, known to many of us, currently holds that position.) 

A decorated veteran, Richard was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2022. 

Dave Roberts was the Associate General Manager and Chief Water Resources Executive at the Salt River Project.   Dave oversaw several SRP functions including water supply planning and reservoir operations, water rights, water strategy, water measurement, groundwater resource management, including water banking, and water supply development and acquisitions.  Dave has been a member of a number of planning and advisory committees for rural watershed groups, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Arizona Department of Water Resources.  He is a member of the Arizona Municipal Utilities Leadership Institute, the Arizona Hydrological Society, the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona, the co-chair of the Environment & Water Committee of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, and the developer and Board manager of the Gila River Water Storage, LLC, SRP's partnership with the Gila River Indian Community which will bring 5,000,000 acre-feet of water to central Arizona.   

In 2007 Dave co-authored a paper which was published in the University of Arizona Water Law Review entitled, "Beyond the Colorado River: Is an International Water Augmentation Consortium in Arizona's Future?"  The research suggests Arizona and Mexico begin exploring a partnership to jointly begin the planning and development of a large desalination project to serve the growing water needs of northern Sonora Mexico and Arizona.  

Dave has worked for Salt River Project for 33 years.  Prior to coming to SRP, Dave worked for the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation.  

Dr. George Seperich holds the position of Professor at the Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus.  His academic interests include identifying necessary conditions for agribusiness economic development at the state level, corporate strategy and the development of management, and marketing agribusiness case studies as teaching tools.  

Dr. Seperich received his M.S. and Pd.D. degrees from Michigan State University.  He has co-authored a book, Introduction to Agribusiness Marketing, edited Case Studies in Agribusiness Management with several authors, and authored Food Science and Technology. 

 John was appointed to the Arizona Power Authority on February 6, 2017. At the end of February, 2016 John Sullivan retired from Salt River Project as Deputy General Manager and Chief Strategic Initiatives Executive. In his 45 year career at SRP he held senior executive positions with responsibility for strategic planning, electric resource planning and management, water resource planning and management, water construction, maintenance and operations, and inter-utility contracts. John continues to provide consulting part-time on water matters.

John has served on boards for: National Water Resources Association, Colorado River Water Users Association, Water for the West Foundation, Arizona Agribusiness and Water Council, Desert Botanical Garden, Arizona Town Hall, and Tempe United Way Campaign. He is a native of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Arizona. John and his wife have three adult children.

 James (Jim) Sweeney has worked in the irrigation and electrical utility field for over 37 years, retiring as General Manager of Maricopa Water District (MWD) in June of 2013 after 16 years at the helm.  Prior to his time with MWD, he served joint roles as the General Manager of the Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage District (CAIDD) and Electrical District No. 4 in Pinal County for nearly 21 years. Besides his years of service with the districts, Jim also served on a variety of boards and committees in support of water and agriculture throughout the state.   Jim was President of the Agri-Business and Water Council of Arizona, a board member on the Irrigation and Electrical District Association, Chairman of the Governor’s Livestock and Agriculture Advisory Committee and Co-Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee to the Governor’s Water Management Commission.

Jim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business from Arizona State University.