Board of Directors
The Water Tower at Gwinnett
The Water Tower at Gwinnett (TWTG), a 501(c)4 organization, focuses on The Water Tower's real estate development and infrastructure.
Melvin Everson
Director
Melvin Everson currently serves as the Vice President for Economic Development at Gwinnett Technical College. As a long time Georgia resident, Melvin Everson has been heavily committed to Georgia. Born in Abbeville, Georgia, Melvin Graduated from Wilcox County High School in 1957. Mr. Everson went on to earn his Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminology from Albany State University and he’s a Graduate of the John E Reid School of Interrogation & Investigation in Chicago, Illinois and the Coverdale Leadership Institute.
Mr. Everson's experience includes serving 14-years with JC Penny as an Investigator, human resource representative and customer service management associate and 23-years in the US Army having served both Active and Reserve where he received numerous awards and medals. He is a former Snellville City Councilman and Vice Mayor, former Georgia State Representative serving House District 106, and a licensed Ordained Minister
Mr. Everson has been married for 37 years to Mrs. Geraldine McAdoo Everson and they have one son, and two grandchildren
Jennifer Fennell
Secretary
Jennifer Fennell, a native of Atlanta, is the Senior Business Development Manager with Jackson EMC. In this role, she is responsible for growing Jackson EMC’s footprint in Gwinnett County and serving existing commercial members’ needs as they arise. Jennifer is a member of the Sugarloaf Rotary Club, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Partnership Gwinnett’s Redevelopment Council, Georgia Economic Developers Association, Southern Economic Development Council, and Council for Quality Growth. Jennifer holds leadership positions serving as the Goal One Chair for Partnership Gwinnett, Secretary of both the Gwinnett Police Foundation and Sugarloaf Rotary and is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett. She is a “Double Dawg” with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia. Jennifer, her husband and three children reside in Lilburn.
Jann Joseph, Ph.D.
Treasurer
Dr. Jann L. Joseph is the President of Georgia Gwinnett College. Her career has focused on increasing educational opportunities and student success. She graduated from the University of the West Indies - St. Augustine with a bachelor’s of science in agriculture and a master’s of philosophy in plant science. She taught with the Ministry of Education for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, where she also served as Agricultural Science department chair.
Joseph later graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a doctorate in curriculum and instruction in science education. Her teaching, research and administrative experience included three universities in the upper Midwest before being named president of GGC in 2019.
Nick Masino
Chair
Nick Masino is the President & CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett, located in Duluth, Georgia. Masino joined Partnership Gwinnett in 2007 and most recently served as Partnership Gwinnett’s Chief Economic Development Officer where he oversaw the business recruitment and retention efforts for Gwinnett, as well as the implementation of the Partnership Gwinnett Strategy. To create this community-focused economic development (ED) organization, Masino worked with public and private leadership to commission ED studies in 2011 and 2016; and spearheaded the implementation efforts of the initial plan in 2007—which has since brought approximately 250 company expansions or relocations, more than 23,000 new jobs and more than $1.7 billion in investment to Gwinnett. A leading authority on local and state economic development, Masino is regularly sought after for prominent speaking engagements throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia. In addition, he has spoken internationally, in Incheon and Seoul, South Korea and Wuxi, Chongqing and Qingdao, China, representing Georgia on government, economic development and international business subjects. As a result of his extensive expertise in the economic development arena, Masino is a preferred interviewee for regional and local television, radio, newspaper and magazine outlets.
Jessica Rantamaki
Director
Jessica Rantamaki of Geo-Hydro Engineers has resided in Gwinnett County since 2014. Her firm works with both public and private entities to develop projects throughout the Southeast. She has served on the Board of Directors for Associated Builders and Contractors and participated in the Leadership Gwinnett Program as a graduate of the Class of 2020. Jessica is currently pursuing a degree in Public Administration at Georgia Gwinnett College, and she is active in many organizations such as CREW (Commercial Real Estate for Women) and ULI (Urban Land Institute). She also actively volunteers at Annandale Village in her hometown of Suwanee, Georgia, where she resides with her husband Rick and two dogs. Jessica often enjoys running and hiking through the various Gwinnett County parks and trail systems. She considers Gwinnett’s green space “a true gem that brings tourists, residents, and economic development to the community.”
Ron Seibenhener
Director
Ron Seibenhener retired from Gwinnett County Government in 2019 where he served as Director of the Department of Water Resources and was the driving force behind the creation of The Water Tower.
Daniel R. Sosebee III, CPA
Director
Daniel is an Associate Member of Moore Stephens Tiller (MST). He specializes in assurance and attestation services for closely held businesses and not-for-profit organizations. His expertise includes a variety of industries such as automotive dealers, distribution, manufacturing, construction/contractor and technology as well as serving on a number of significant non-profit engagements, including charitable organizations and private foundations.
Daniel obtained his BBA in accounting from Georgia College and State University (where he also was a member of the men’s golf team), and completed his Master of Accountancy at Kennesaw State University.
Daniel is a member of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is actively involved with his church, Christ Place in Oakwood and community affairs including the Gwinnett Chamber Chairman's Club and Partnership Gwinnett, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Gwinnett Leadership Forum and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning.
Prior to joining MST, Daniel honed his leadership, team building and entrepreneurial skills through the family business, Sosebee Auto Supply, learning under the tutelage of his father, grandfather and uncle.
The Water Tower Institute
The Water Tower Institute (TWTI), a 501(c)3 organization, focuses on The Water Tower's programming in applied research, technology innovation, workforce development, and community engagement.
Paul Bowen, Ph.D.
Director
Dr. Paul Bowen recently retired from The Coca-Cola Company where he served in various capacities. His 20 plus year career included roles in CCNA as a technical expert on water/wastewater treatments, a role as a Global Technical Lead in water/wastewater and a leadership role as Director of Sustainable Operations. His primary focus was on improving water efficiency, developing water reuse, and promoting compliance with corporate wastewater standards. Prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company, he was an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma and a Vice-President with Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. Paul served on the Water Environment Federation Board of Trustees and also served as WEF President. Currently he is retired in Clemson, SC, works part-time for GHD.
Glen T. Daigger, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, NAE
Director, Interim RAC Chair
Dr. Daigger is currently Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan and President and Founder of One Water Solutions, LLC, a water engineering and innovation firm. He previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for CH2M HILL (now Jacobs) where he was employed for 35 years, as well as Professor and Chair of Environmental Systems Engineering at Clemson University. Actively engaged in the water profession through major projects, and as author or co-author of more than 200 technical papers, five books, and several technical manuals, he contributes to significantly advance practice within the water profession. He has advised many of the major cites of the world, including New York, Los Angles, San Francisco, Detroit, Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Beijing. Deeply involved in professional activities, he is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Water Research Reuse Foundation (WRF), and a Past President of the International Water Association (IWA). The recipient of numerous awards, including the Kappe, Freese, and Feng lectures and the Harrison Prescott Eddy, Morgan, and the Gascoigne Awards, and the Pohland Medal, he is a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a Distinguished Fellow of IWA, and a Fellow of the Water Environment Federation (WEF). A member of a number of professional societies, Dr. Daigger is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineers.
Terrell S. Gibbs, Ph.D., P.E.
Treasurer
Dr. Gibbs currently serves as the department head of CERM’s Environmental Business Group. Dr. Gibbs has over 19 years of progressive and diverse environmental sustainability experience, specializing in water resources. Specific areas of expertise include water/sewer/stormwater infrastructure design and management, reservoir site yield analysis, utility operations and management, water and sewer master planning, watershed and source water assessments, and water and sewer utility operations and program management. An active community advocate, Dr. Gibbs’s community involvement includes serving as a member of the South DeKalb YMCA Board of Directors and as board chair for the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation.
Linda MacGregor, P.E.
Director
Linda MacGregor is the Director of Water Resources for the city of Gainesville Georgia. The $80M utility provides water service to 58,000 customers throughout Hall County as well as wastewater and stormwater services in the City. Prior to joining the city in 2016, Ms. MacGregor served as the Chief of Watershed Protection at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the Water Resources Director at the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority. She did master planning, design, and project management during her 20+ years in consulting engineering. She enjoys genealogy, piano, and sports car racing. She holds a degree in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from Vanderbilt University and is a licensed professional engineer.
Nick Masino
Immediate Past Chair
Nick Masino is the President & CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett, located in Duluth, Georgia. Masino joined Partnership Gwinnett in 2007 and most recently served as Partnership Gwinnett’s Chief Economic Development Officer where he oversaw the business recruitment and retention efforts for Gwinnett, as well as the implementation of the Partnership Gwinnett Strategy. To create this community-focused economic development (ED) organization, Masino worked with public and private leadership to commission ED studies in 2011 and 2016; and spearheaded the implementation efforts of the initial plan in 2007—which has since brought approximately 250 company expansions or relocations, more than 23,000 new jobs and more than $1.7 billion in investment to Gwinnett. A leading authority on local and state economic development, Masino is regularly sought after for prominent speaking engagements throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia. In addition, he has spoken internationally, in Incheon and Seoul, South Korea and Wuxi, Chongqing and Qingdao, China, representing Georgia on government, economic development and international business subjects. As a result of his extensive expertise in the economic development arena, Masino is a preferred interviewee for regional and local television, radio, newspaper and magazine outlets.
Eileen O'Neill, Ph.D.
Chair
Dr. Eileen O’Neill works on issues of water, innovation, and leadership. Before setting up her own company in September 2019, she was Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, (U.S) and the organizer of WEFTEC, the world’s largest annual water quality conference and exhibition. In that capacity she led a staff of more than 100, oversaw an annual budget of $28+ million, and served as the Secretary of the Federation’s Board of Trustees.
While at WEF for 28 years, Dr. O’Neill served as Executive Director for more than six. During her WEF career, she held a variety of positions overseeing programs including as the only female and non-engineer to have served as WEF’s staff technical lead, its Chief Technical Officer. She believes in the power of research and science and also of partnership and collaboration and brought this to her work at WEF and as an officer of the Water Environment Research Foundation and the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation. She is passionate about growing the cadre of women leaders in the water sector and beyond.
Before joining WEF, Dr. O’Neill worked in academia and environmental consulting in the U.S. and in Europe. She has a B.S. in soil science from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (U.K.) and a Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Aberdeen (U.K) and holds the Board Certified Environmental Scientist Credential (with a specialty certification in environmental chemistry) from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists.