Rosemary Burbulis Smud, a sales engineer with AMERICAN Ductile Iron Pipe, has announced her candidacy for presidency of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the largest nonprofit scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water.

“Rosemary is the consummate professional, a strategic thinker with a keen business sense and demonstrated ability to lead,” said Van L. Richey, president and CEO of AMERICAN. “She is a tremendous asset to AMERICAN and to the professional and community organizations she serves, including AWWA. The association would be fortunate to have her as president.”

In her bid for the nomination, Rosemary addressed members of the association at its 2013 summer annual board of directors meeting in Denver, Colo. She emphasized the need for the association to develop and execute a strategic plan, to embrace technology as a means of growing the association and improving member services, and to identify and tap new revenue sources to ensure continued funding for the association and its programs.

Smud, who currently serves as an AWWA vice president, has held various offices on the sectional and association levels of the organization, including service provider director-at-large on the AWWA board of directors, vice president on the board of directors for the Manufacturers and Associates Council, and member of the Young Professionals Committee, the Materials Performance Committee and the Corrosion Control Committee.

“I got involved with AWWA through the Young Professionals Committee and have worked to get more young professionals and students involved in the association,” Smud said. “It’s exciting to see an enthused group of young people taking an interest and driving positive change in our organization.”

Smud acknowledges however that while there are many new avenues for the association to explore, there are many proven programs that continue to provide a solid foundation for the organization. “I will bring a fresh, new perspective while holding true to those things that made this organization one of the most respected in our industry,” she said.

A native of Auburn, Ga., Smud attended college in her home state, graduating from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering in 2003. She began her career with AMERICAN the same year. In 2010, she received her MBA from University of California, Davis.

In addition to AWWA, Rosemary is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Northern California Pipe Users Group, the Sacramento Area Water Works Association, and United Contractors.

In her leisure time, Rosemary enjoys yoga, snow skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, gardening and camping.

She and her husband, Aaron, have one daughter, Savannah.