Gilliland receives 2008 Jim Current Award

Fort Scott Community College Environmental Technology Director Scott Flater recently attended the 89th Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Annual School to present the 2008 Jim Current Award.

The award recognizes those who exemplify professionalism in the industry of environmental technologies among the working ranks of either water or wastewater backgrounds. Current began working for KDHE in 1968, and by 1974 was a training officer for water and wastewater operators where he was instrumental in the onset of Kansas operator certification and training.

Mike Gilliland was the 2008 Jim Current Professional Excellence Award recipient. Gilliland started working for Osage City as a utility mainteanance worker in 1974. He was promoted to the position of natural gas superintendent in 1980, and later became the superintendent for the city's water and wastewater departments.

Currently, Gilliland is the director of utilities in Osage City. He is actively involved in municipal, state and national utility industry trade organizations and stays engaged in Kansas AWWA operator training efforts.

This year's ceremony was conducted Aug. 6 on the University of Kansas campus. An FSCC Environmental Technology Department Advisory Board created the Jim Current Excellence Award in order to ensure that Current's vision remained alive for the industry.