A Tribute to Curtis L. Truss, Jr.
Some careers are measured by the positions a person holds. Others are measured by the lives they influence. The career of Curtis Truss Jr. is undoubtedly the latter.
After more than four decades of dedicated service to Ohio's water and wastewater profession including more than 35 years as Executive Director of the Operator Training Committee of Ohio (OTCO) Curtis leaves behind a legacy that reaches every corner of our state. Thousands of operators have entered the profession, earned certifications, advanced their careers, and strengthened their communities because of his unwavering commitment to education and excellence.
Curtis often reminded students that OTCO's purpose was never simply to prepare them for an examination. His goal was far greater.
"We're not here to help you pass the exam. We're here to make you a better operator."
That philosophy became the foundation of his life's work.
He believed operators should understand not only what they do, but why they do it. He taught that a well-rounded operator could adapt, solve problems, lead teams, and ultimately better protect public health. Whether the topic was drinking water treatment, wastewater operations, distribution systems, asset management, GIS, regulatory compliance, or emerging environmental challenges. His leadership helped ensure that Ohio's operators remained among the best trained in the nation.
Curtis also recognized that the future of the profession depended on developing the next generation. Long before workforce shortages became a national concern, he championed internship opportunities and partnerships between utilities and students, believing that practical experience was just as important as classroom instruction. His commitment opened doors for countless young professionals who have since built successful careers serving their communities.
Those who have worked alongside Curtis know him as a passionate educator, a trusted mentor, a respected leader, and a steadfast advocate for the water profession. He challenged people to think critically and never lost sight of the responsibility that comes with protecting public health.
His influence extends far beyond the classroom. It lives on in every operator who approaches their work with professionalism, integrity, curiosity, and pride.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, instructors, staff, students, alumni, and the entire Ohio water and wastewater community, we extend our deepest gratitude to Curtis for his extraordinary leadership, his decades of service, and his lasting impact on this profession.
Thank you for believing that education changes lives. Thank you for investing in people. Thank you for strengthening Ohio's water and wastewater industry for generations to come.
As you begin this well-earned retirement, may you take great pride in knowing that your legacy is not measured only by the years you served, but by the thousands of professionals you inspired and the countless communities that are safer because of your life's work.
Congratulations, Curtis, and thank you for an exceptional career. Your legacy will continue to flow through every community served by the operators you helped shape.
HISTORY OF OTCO
In August 1937, the Ohio Public Health Council adopted mandatory certification regulations requiring every political subdivision, public institution, and corporation operating a water or sewage treatment plant to place those facilities under the responsibility of a trained individual whose ability to perform the duties required, and had been certified by the regulatory agency. At the time this was the Ohio Department of Health and later became the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
After World War II, shortages of trained personnel developed and certification examinations revealed the need for an effective education program.
In 1947 a committee consisting of representatives of AWWA Ohio Section, the Ohio Sewage and Industrial Waste Treatment Conference, Ohio Department of Health, and The Ohio State University met to study the educational needs of water and wastewater plant operators and to establish a training school. A school was started in 1948 under the direction of Professor W.D. Sheets of The Ohio State University, Water Resource Department.
In 1964, the training activities became a non-profit organization titled The Operator Training Committee of Ohio, Inc. Professor Sheets later became the first Executive Director for Operator Training Committee of Ohio, Inc.In 1983, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) awarded OTCO a wastewater training grant [Section 109(b)(3)] of the Clean Water Act. OTCO had now become the US EPA recognized Environmental Training Center for the State of Ohio.
OTCO’s philosophy has always been to make broad comprehensive training available in order to produce well-informed, technically qualified water and wastewater personnel who are firmly grounded in the fundamentals--not just to train individuals for passing examinations.