SACRAMENTO, CA, June 01, 2007 -- The Board of Directors of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has announced the appointment of Timothy Quinn as executive director for the 460-member statewide association. The announcement follows a nationwide recruitment and selection process conducted over the past four months. Quinn starts on July 2, 2007.
Steve Hall, ACWA's current executive director, will go on leave later this month and will retire at the end of the year after leading the organization for 15 years.
ACWA President Randy Fiorini said, "We conducted a very thorough search and believe Mr. Quinn brings to ACWA extensive experience and expertise on California water issues on the regional, state and national levels. During his career, he has worked closely with many of our members throughout the state."
Quinn served with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for 22 years as the district's primary representative for statewide issues. During this period, he helped to create the Drought Water Bank under Gov. Pete Wilson, worked to negotiate the 1994 Bay-Delta Accord and the Monterey Agreement.
"I am looking forward to the privilege of serving as executive director of such a far-sighted, well respected institution of truly statewide importance," Quinn said. "The challenges we are facing in California water today are daunting. It is imperative that ACWA continue to play a central role in forging sustainable solutions that work for all California water users, from the Oregon border to the Mexican border."
Quinn joined Metropolitan in 1985 as the district's chief economist. In 1990 he became director of State Water Project and Conservation. He most recently served as deputy general manager, State Water Project where he was responsible for assisting the general manager in conducting the district's external projects.
Before joining Metropolitan in 1985, Quinn was a project manager at the Rand Corporation, specializing in research on natural resource and environmental policy issues. He also served on the staff of the non-partisan President's Council of Economic Advisors in both the Ford and Carter administrations.
Born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, and raised in Colorado, Quinn earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Colorado in 1974 and his master's and doctorate degrees in economics from UCLA in 1976 and 1983 respectively.
ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 460 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com.
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