WARRENVILLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fuel Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTEK), a technology company providing advanced engineering solutions for the optimization of combustion systems, emissions control, and water treatment in utility and industrial applications, announced today the appointment of William (Bill) Decker as Vice President Water and Wastewater Treatment Technologies, effective March 15, 2023. In this newly created position, Decker will lead the growth and development of Fuel Tech’s Dissolved Gas Infusion (DGITM) technology, including business development, sales and marketing, and new product development and commercialization.
Decker brings to Fuel Tech more than 30 years of engineering, operational, and financial experience serving industrial and municipal water and wastewater clients across the United States and around the world. He joins Fuel Tech from Aqua-Aerobic Systems, a global leader in the design, application, and manufacture of water and wastewater treatment equipment and systems, where he served as Vice President & General Manager Equipment Service Group since 2012. Prior to that, Decker was President of Aquionics, a supplier of UltraViolet (UV) disinfection systems, and he also held positions of increasing responsibility at Ashbrook Simon-Hartley, a global provider of water and wastewater treatment services.
Decker was selected five times by multiple U.S. Secretaries of Commerce to serve on the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC), including twice as Chairman. ETTAC makes recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce on issues that affect export competitiveness of U.S. environmental technologies.
In November 2022, Decker was elected Chairman of The Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA), a Washington D.C.-based non-profit trade association representing water and wastewater technology and service providers since 1908. WWEMA works closely with Congress and other regulatory agencies, monitors legislative actions, testifies before Congressional committees, and advocates for funding to meet environmental goals.
Decker earned his BSCE, Civil Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy and served as a USAF Civil Engineering Officer for 6 years following his graduation. He rose to the rank of Captain prior to his honorable discharge. Decker is currently pursuing a M.S. degree in Occupational Safety and Health.
“Bill’s wealth of relevant experience and industry relationships make him the ideal candidate to guide our DGI business and introduce Fuel Tech’s innovative water treatment solutions to municipal and industrial customers worldwide,” said Vincent J. Arnone, President and CEO of Fuel Tech. “I look forward to collaborating with Bill as we launch this exciting new business initiative and address the important global issues of water pollution and water sustainability.”
“Fuel Tech’s best-in-class Dissolved Gas Infusion technology offers a flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective water and wastewater treatment solution,” said Mr. Decker. “I am excited to be part of a company with a rich history of technological excellence, quality and integrity, and I look forward to helping foster the growth of this effective and exciting water treatment solution.”
About DGI
Fuel Tech’s DGI technology is an innovative alternative to current aeration technologies. DGI utilizes two patent-pending technologies to ensure optimal gas delivery to target water and wastewater process applications: a next generation pressurized saturator for gas transfer to a slipstream of water; and an innovative delivery system to distribute an oxygenated slipstream of water that virtually eliminates gas loss from the targeted reservoir. DGI addresses a variety of issues, including regulatory compliance, water preservation, as a replacement for chemicals to treat wastewater, odor reduction, and improving overall water quality for humans and wildlife. DGI’s addressable markets include water and wastewater treatment, agriculture and irrigation, reservoirs and natural waters, industrial process water conditioning, pulp and paper, food and beverage facilities, upstream oil & gas, and landfill leachate.
About Fuel Tech
Fuel Tech develops and commercializes state-of-the-art proprietary technologies for air pollution control, process optimization, water treatment, and advanced engineering services. These technologies enable customers to operate in a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable manner. Fuel Tech is a leader in nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction and particulate control technologies and its solutions have been installed on over 1,200 utility, industrial and municipal units worldwide. The Company’s FUEL CHEM® technology improves the efficiency, reliability, fuel flexibility, boiler heat rate, and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling, corrosion and opacity. Water treatment technologies include DGI™ Dissolved Gas Infusion Systems which utilize a patented nozzle to deliver supersaturated oxygen solutions and other gas-water combinations to target process applications or environmental issues. This infusion process has a variety of applications in the water and wastewater industries, including remediation, aeration, biological treatment and wastewater odor management. Many of Fuel Tech’s products and services rely heavily on the Company’s exceptional Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling capabilities, which are enhanced by internally developed, high-end visualization software. For more information, visit Fuel Tech’s web site at www.ftek.com.
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and reflect Fuel Tech’s current expectations regarding future growth, results of operations, cash flows, performance and business prospects, and opportunities, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Fuel Tech has tried to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “will,” and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. These statements are based on information currently available to Fuel Tech and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in Fuel Tech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K in Item 1A under the caption “Risk Factors,” and subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which could cause Fuel Tech’s actual growth, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance and business prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements. Fuel Tech undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events, developments, or changed circumstances or for any other reason. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in Fuel Tech’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
