SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER COMMITTEE APPOINTS ADAN ORTEGA JR. AND JASON GIANQUINTO TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                 
December 12, 2011                       

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER COMMITTEE APPOINTS ADAN ORTEGA JR. AND JASON GIANQUINTO TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES
New Board Members Bring Informative Perspective to The Southern California Water Committee

Los Angeles, CA – The Southern California Water Committee (SCWC) announced today the appointment of Adan Ortega Jr. and Jason Gianquinto to join its diverse and well-respected Board of Trustees. The SCWC is one of the most respected organizations dedicated to educating Southern Californians about the region’s water needs and our state’s water resources.

“The Southern California Water Committee is very pleased to have Adan Ortega and Jason Gianquinto serve as board members. Mr. Ortega’s expertise on water quality and regulatory requirements , as well as Mr. Gianquinto’s agricultural perspective from Kern County, will be valuable assets to our diverse team of water leaders,” said Charley Wilson, Chairman of SCWC.

Adan Ortega Jr. is the current managing partner of Water Conservation Partners, Inc. and sole proprietor of AOA, a public and government affairs practice. Formerly, Mr. Ortega was the deputy director at the firm of Rose & Kindel working with various agencies of the City of Los Angeles, the Water Replenishment District in Los Angeles County, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Honeywell International, Calleguas Municipal Water District, the California Metals Coalition and the California Charter Schools Association.

Jason Gianquinto is the current deputy general manager of the Semitropic Water Storage District. He is actively involved in Kern County water issues through his participation on the board of the Kern County Farm Bureau. Mr. Gianquinto is a licensed civil engineer in the states of California and Arizona and has fifteen years of professional engineering experience in the water and wastewater industries.

SCWC, founded in 1984, has been a voice for Southern California throughout the past quarter century, navigating complicated water issues and playing a critical role in building water policy consensus throughout the region and the state. Since its beginning, the SCWC has been the only organization in the region bringing the diverse interests of local government, water agencies, business, labor and agricultural organizations together on California’s water issues. The organization has played a leading role in launching regional public education and policy development efforts on critical water supply issues, including urban water planning, stormwater capture and water recycling, infrastructure planning and water quality.

SCWC has recently  launched a regional public education and outreach program focused on the vulnerabilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the solutions offered with implementation of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. More information on the program, entitled “Delta Disrupted,” can be obtained at http://www.socalwater.org/delta-disrupted.
The Southern California Water Committee is committed to the advancement of its members. To learn more about the Southern California Water Committee, visit our website www.socalwater.org.
For a complete list of board members, please visit http://socalwater.org/about/board-of-trustees.
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Established in 1984, the Southern California Water Committee is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public education partnership dedicated to informing Southern Californians about our water needs and our state’s water resources. Spanning Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Ventura and Kern Counties, the SCWC’s members include representatives from business, government, agriculture, water agencies, labor and the general public. Visit us at www.socalwater.org and find us on Facebook.