To quote his memorial, “Tom was a driving force at the California Water Environment Association.” In 1987, he served as president of the California Water Pollution Control Association, now known as CWEA. He was the first Asian American to hold the position of president at CWEA. According to his family, this was one of his proudest career achievements, celebrated by his colleagues who affectionately referred to him as “Emperor” instead of “President” during his tenure.
Tom was awarded the Water Environment Federation Bedell Award in 1983 for his dedicated support and leadership of our Association. He was inducted into the CWEA Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (5S) in 1978 in recognition of his contributions to the wastewater treatment industry and CWEA. Additionally, Tom was inducted into the Order of the Silver Cover in 1987 for his long-term dedication to the Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention, Stormwater (P3S) Committee.
During his active involvement in CWEA, Tom owned and operated Anlab, a subsidiary of Dewante & Stowell Engineering. He also taught microbiology for the nursing program at Sacramento City College during the 1970s.
Tom conducted significant research in genetic hybridization on allium (i.e., onions and garlic) as the director of Empire Farms Research in Nevada during the 1990s. During this time, he also served as an independent consultant for the California Garlic & Onion Research Advisory Board and provided consulting on agricultural projects in Egypt, Germany, and Thailand. Later in his career, Tom focused independently on chemical research, including the development of a non-corrosive acid that he found to be useful in various applications.
As noted in his memorial, Tom was always willing to help without expecting anything in return. Whether volunteering to conduct a 5-S ceremony, chair and produce a CWEA conference, lead a committee, or solve a technical issue, Tom was ready and eager to volunteer.
According to his obituary, Tom was born in Sacramento on January 8, 1941. Tom spent his earliest years at Camp Amache (Granada War Relocation Center) in Colorado, where his family was interned when he was one year old. After WWII ended, he returned to the small Sacramento River town of Courtland with his parents, Kenji and Patricia, and his younger sister, Jeanne. “Tom enjoyed a close-knit relationship with his family, fishing with his father and hunting for abalone every summer with his parents along the shore in Point Arena.”
Tom passed away on October 28, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Catherine; daughter, Lori; sons, Eric and Alex; daughter-in-law, Courtney; and his only granddaughter, Alexis.
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