Who We Are

MWTR’s founder, began inspecting water storage tanks/towers 1987, as a fledgling NACE inspector for AEC Engineers, Minneapolis, MN. Climbing, evaluating, and inspecting water towers during their rehabilitation was a great learning experience on the principals of water storage, their function, and project delivery. Great mentors, like John Buzek, PE AEC President and AWWA Storage Tank Committee Contributor, and Jack Kollmer, Coatings Manager, early NACE Level III inspector, fueled a desire to grow in the field, which led to further experience in NDT certifications in ultrasonic thickness testing and weld inspection. Later, the challenge of marketing AEC’s services to new clients, and engineering partners, brought additional education and experience – and the attention of the local Tnemec Coatings rep agency. Beginning in February of 1990, accepting the opportunity to represent Tnemec Company in Minnesota was a life changing event. Converting his experience and training on inspection, and engineering services towards tank coating consulting and sales was a natural transition for Tom. This early understanding of water tank/tower design and engineering served him well, over the next 27 years, volunteering on numerous CSI, AWWA and ICRI associations added add’l knowledge and certifications. As Owner of Protective Coatings Intermountain, Tom presided over a multi-million-dollar territory, obtaining significant influence in Tnemec’s core markets, for nearly two decades. Finishing in the Top-10 of Tnemec representative organizations annually and achieving National sales records in Fluoropolymer sales (2011) with retirement in 2017. A family move to Kansas followed, thereafter Tom then accepted a sales position back with his AEC Engineering co-workers, present day KLM Engineering of St. Paul, MN in 2018. Opening a new region was a real challenge and honor. KLM entrusted Tom to advance, promote and produce additional KLM revenues in this new region. Tom secured new and rehab water storage work for KLM in AR, CO, IA, KS, MO, NE, and NM – exceeding $2M in new engineering revenue. In early 2023, Tom relocated with his family to Arizona, after acquiring CW Divers of Farmington, New Mexico – in the dream of establishing a new family business, applying all his life experience on helping the Region's water storage tank management community and increasing tank life cycle, earned over a lifetime of service and dedication.