Introducing TRWA's 2021 Awards of Excellence Winners
T
exan water systems are built on merit and TRWA proudly salutes that spirit and determination with its annual Awards of Excellence. These awards are our way of honoring those individuals and rural water systems within TRWA's membership that exemplify excellence, dedication and achievement. This year's award winners were announced and recognized during the Opening General Session of RuralWaterCon 2021 in March. For those who were unable to attend the awards ceremony, we are proud to now be able to share their stories with you! Excellence in Administration Cynthia Raleigh, Business Manager, SS Water Supply Corporation Nominated by Carlos Febus, General Manager, SS Water Supply Corporation
membership tens of thousands of dollars while increasing the efficiency and productivity of her team. She inspires those under her charge to strive for the same level of excellence and professional achievement she demonstrates. One great achievement was transitioning their all paper-based records tracking system to a cloudbased digital documenting system, seamlessly archiving nearly 50 years of paper records in a digital format. Another notable achievement was streamlining the management of more than $20 million in cash and assets and consolidating 24 different bank accounts from 24 different banks into a single bank with three accounts. This achieved the same level of cash asset protection required by the system's bylaws at a greatly reduced cost. These newly consolidated accounts also generated 250 percent more interest income for the corporation, directly benefitting the membership. Cynthia created the conditions necessary to abolish "convenience fees" for members using electronic bill payment options, saving over 6,100 members an average of 3 percent per bill and recouping more than 50 man-hours per month. Her exacting attention to detail has resulted in five consecutive years of flawless financial, general liability and worker’s compensation audits conducted by third parties.
From left: TRWA Board President Chris Boyd, award winner Cynthia Raleigh, TRWA Vice-President Bruce Alexander, and TRWA Executive Director Lara Zent.
Cynthia has worked for SS WSC for nearly six years, and came to the system with more than 15 years of experience as a public works coordinator and project manager. "She has absolutely revolutionized the business administration, governance, and human resources policies of the corporation," said her nominator and General Manager, Carlos Febus. Her improvements not only brought the system “into the 21st Century, they also saved the 12
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Cynthia has hired and mentored seven full-time employees, ensuring they had the tools and training necessary to serve the membership. She updated all position descriptions under her purview to ensure that both management and employees shared the same expectations. She also implemented several employee engagement initiatives, such as a quarterly recognition program, monthly birthday taco breakfasts, weekly team meetings, and fitness incentives. These are just a few of the reasons outlined in her nomination that made Cynthia Raleigh stand out in her category and deserving of the Excellence in Administration Award!
