Following more than a dozen years as the head of Great Basin Water Co. and Bermuda Water Company, Wendy Barnett has quietly retired from her position as president of the two major utilities and new president Sean Twomey is now settling into Barnett’s place, with an announcement to that effect released to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
“Great Basin Water Co. (GBWC) and Bermuda Water Company (BWC), members of the Corix Group of Companies, announce that Sean Twomey has been named the new president. Twomey is a professional engineer and utility veteran who has been with Corix for 12 years. He replaces longtime GBWC and BWC leader Wendy Barnett, who retired after a successful fourteen-year career with the company,” the news released stated.
Great Basin Water Co. is one of three water and sewer utilities serving the Pahrump Valley, with its service territory in Nevada including four divisions, Pahrump, Cold Springs, Spanish Springs and Spring Creek, while Bermuda Water Company serves the residents of Arizona in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave and the surrounding Mohave County.
Twomey has ascended to his new position in a time of upheaval for not just the utilities but for the entire country, with the COVID-19 pandemic still taking center stage in most of everyday life. He will undoubtedly have many challenges to tackle as the newly named president but, as detailed in the news release, he is no stranger to the pandemic response.
In addition to his operations role, Twomey has also served as a member of the the COVID-19 Incident Command Team, the driving force behind Great Basin Water Co.’s response to the pandemic. He now heads that team and he expressed his optimism and excitement over the next phase of his career.
“I am honored to accept this position and look forward to immediately contributing to the focus on operational excellence and customer engagement of the Nevada and Arizona teams. We have great people in our company, and I am a big believer in the value of building connections both internally and with the communities we serve,” Twomey was quoted as stating.
Twomey comes with a degree in process and chemical engineering from the University College Cork in Ireland. Following his graduation, Twomey relocated to Miyagi, Japan where he worked as a research and development engineer for Alps Electric.
In 2008, Twomey joined the Corix Group of Companies, beginning his tenure as a project engineer focused on water and wastewater treatment and moving through the ranks to eventually become the vice president of operations for Canadian Utilities.
In 2015, Twomey added another educational feather to his hat, earning a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Calgary, Haskayne School of Business.
“Throughout his 12-year tenure with Corix, Sean has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, technical skills and strategic focus,” Catherine Heigel, Corix executive vice president and chief operating officer for Regulated Utilities, stated. “I know he will bring his best in serving our Nevada and Arizona customers.”
The Pahrump Valley Times requested a parting statement from Barnett but GBWC Vice President of External Affairs Michael Phillips explained that, with Barnett’s retirement effective as of the end of July, the utility was unable to contact her for comment.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com