To be awarded entry to the distinguished group of Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (SSSSS) individuals must contribute in a meaningful way to NYWEA, WEF,  or to our entire industry as a whole.
The award – the mighty Golden Shovel pin – serves as a token of our gratitude for all their efforts.

2024 Award Winners:

Congratulations to Bryan Whipple on receiving the Golden Shovel!

Bryan is a well-known and respected 3A operator currently working for the City of Canandaigua at their
Water Resource Recovery Facility. Bryan started his career in Public Works in North Carolina installing
water and sewer mains as a contractor / laborer before joining the US Navy. He’s been a Water
Resource Recovery Operator since 2015 working at numerous facilities in upstate NY over that time.
Bryan has worked at facilities managed by Wayne County Water and Sewer, the Town of Ontario, and is
now with the City of Canandaigua. Bryan was the Chief WRRO for the Town of Ontario before moving to
the City of Canandaigua where he plays an active role in operating and managing the facility and is
engaged in the development of plans for ongoing improvements at the facility. Bryan is also active in the
local trail running community where he has participated in numerous events and is currently training for
both a 50k and 100k race in 2024.