CONTECH engineer joins Stormwater360
28 Aug 2008
Top CONTECH engineer down under...
Stormwater360 welcomes Jeremiah Lehman on-board
PROFILE : Jeremiah Lehman
Age: 32
From: CONTECH Stormwater Solutions USA
Job: Stormwater Project & Technical Engineer
When did you become involved in the stormwater industry?
My stormwater career began six years ago, when I joined Stormwater Management Inc. in Portland, Oregon. Developers of the StormFilter, the company was acquired by CONTECH several years later.
What did your position at CONTECH encompass?
I started out in the R&D department, running field tests on StormFilter units to develop performance data for regulatory approval. In my most recent role, I was responsible for interpreting regulatory design and performance requirements for our sales and design teams—ensuring that our products met the local requirements in a number of Western States.
What were some of your career highlights at CONTECH?
The field testing I was involved in initially led to the StormFilter’s approval by the State of Washington’s Department of Ecology. It was the first system to meet the State’s rigorous performance requirements, and the approval led to several years of double-digit sales growth. Recently I worked on a 428-cartridge StormFilter system treating the parking lot of a high-profile ski resort in Lake Tahoe.
How did the move to New Zealand come about?
Through CONTECH I had always heard good things about what the Stormwater360 guys were doing in New Zealand and Australia, so when the opportunity arose for a new technical engineer in NZ, I jumped at the chance. Taking the position in New Zealand was not only an excellent career experience, but also a great opportunity for personal growth for me and my family.
How did you find adjusting to the country?
Fortunately, I played club-level rugby at university, so that’s a leg up. There’s a coastline in every direction, the seafood’s great, people are quite polite, and everyone at Stormwater360 has been very supportive, so I’d say we’re adjusting quite well.
What projects have you been working on since you got here?
I have mainly been working on large subdivision and infrastructure projects. I was fortunate to walk into some pretty exciting projects straight off the plane.
How do projects here compare to projects you worked on in CONTECH?
CONTECH is a very large company compared to Stormwater360. Accordingly, projects here require a very personalised approach, and there is more opportunity to be involved in every step of the project as a result.