In the Limelight: GM Keith Sommers on the 2022 WWD Young Pros List

June 21, 2022
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The teams at U.S. Submergent and SediVision are proud to announce that Keith Sommers, our General Manager, has been honored on the WWD Young Pros 2022 list. Since 2014, Water & Wastes Digest has saluted exemplary rising stars and young pros (age 40 or younger) from the municipal water and wastewater industries. You’ll find Keith’s interview published in the May issue of Water & Wastes Digest.

Cover of Water & Wastes Digest May 2022 issue containing the WWD Young Pros special section

Keith has been a tremendous asset to the team at US Submergent Technologies (USST) since joining us as an intern in 2016. Skilled in cost estimation, he has climbed the ladder quickly. In January 2022, Keith was promoted to U.S. Submergent Technologies’ General Manager.

When WWD, Water and Waste Digest, put out the call to honor young professionals in the industry, we knew exactly who to nominate.

We are so pleased to see Keith on this list of young stars in the water and wastewater verticals. Keith and other dedicated young professionals recognized this year are the future of the industry, and it’s great to know that the future is in dedicated and competent hands.

As Keith explains, “I am passionate about doing right by people and the environment. Both are good examples of how you get the results commensurate with the effort and care that you put into them. I think that my generation will bring a more diverse background of skills, experience, and education to the industry. Today there are many more ways to get involved with the industry compared to 15 or 20 years ago, so I think that will bring new perspectives on organization, management, and how to approach some of the stickier challenges this industry faces.”

Why Keith Sommers is an Ideal Candidate for Recognition on the WWD Young Pros List

Grit is usually a dirty word around here, but when you pair “grit” with “determination” you get two excellent traits to have in a team member. Keith Sommers exemplifies both.

When asked what has been the biggest lesson he has learned since entering the water industry, Keith said, “I’ve learned that the people who work in this industry are some of the hardest working people around. I’m continually impressed with the pride and ownership they take in ensuring their jobs get done and services continue functioning for their communities.”

  • Keith earned his Bachelor of Arts, Economics from New College of Florida (Sarasota) and his Master of Arts, Economics from the University of South Florida (Tampa).
  • Before joining us at USST, Keith worked with at-risk youth in a Sarasota, Florida, drug recovery and mental health services non-profit.
  • Starting at U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) as an intern in 2016, Keith assisted with estimating and submittals for bids, bringing his academic and analytical perspective to USST data.
  • Advancing from intern to Bid Coordinator (2017), to Estimator (2018), and then Senior Cost Estimator (2019), Keith has overseen the estimation of millions of dollars in projects, including over $36 million in 2021 alone, working hard to keep USST a competitive contender in the submergent cleaning marketplace.  
  • Keith made critical contributions as we launched SediVision® new wastewater industry technology that provides complete visibility, even in full wastewater tanks.
  • This past January, Keith’s hard work and skill earned him a promotion to General Manager of USST, where he now leads the company’s Operations team.

We’re proud of Keith and his attentive service to clients and projects. Most importantly, we’re honored to call him our teammate. Please join us in congratulating Keith on all of his advancements and achievements and his well-earned recognition on the 2022 WWD Young Pros List!

To learn more about Keith and other members of the team at U.S. Submergent Technologies, visit Team. Collectively, the men and women of USST’s leadership bring over 100 years of experience in water infrastructure, solid/liquid waste and recycling, sustainability, operations management, and project management to every client project and commitment they serve.

#under40 #wastewater #technology #wastewatertreatment #wastewatermanagement #leadership


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