Arthur von Wiesenberger
Moderator and Water Master The International Water Tasting & Competition
Noted water expert and consultant

Well known for Nipper’s, his highly successful champagne and caviar club in California, von Wiesenberger added water tastings to his wine tasting business in the late 1970s. He is a past president of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, the American Institute of Wine and Food and the Society of Wine Educators.  His books include Champagne & Caviar, A Pocket Guide to Bottled Water and The Taste of Water.  The original Water Master of the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting, von Wiesenberger has served in all but three festivals through the 29 years.  Among his consulting clients are Anheiser-Busch and Perrier.

FEATURED SPEAKERS for 2019

TOPIC: Controlling Sediments and Nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay from the Susquehanna River Watershed

Scientific studies performed in the past several years concluded the most feasible approach to control sediments and nutrients from entering the Chesapeake Bay from the Susquehanna River Watershed is to control sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen at their sources, especially in Pennsylvania.  Others have advocated an approach to dredge the Conowingo Dam pool to control the sediments and phosphorus.  The author’s position, which will be presented, is that both approaches should be implemented as soon as possible.  Strategies to implement these approaches will be presented.

Robert (Bob) J. Andryszak, PE, Director, Wastewater, RK&K, has been a municipal wastewater treatment engineer for 45 years and has been responsible for the design of numerous nutrient removal projects at facilities that discharge to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.  He has managed designs for small, medium and large-sized facilities, including those in Baltimore City, to meet Maryland’s stringent enhanced nutrient removal standards.

He is a lifelong resident of Baltimore City and County and has been an active boater, fisherman and explorer on the bay and tributaries for nearly his entire life.  He’s passing that legacy on to his children and grandchildren, so he has a vested interest in “Saving the Bay”.

Bob is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering in Baltimore.  He also has a civil engineering degree from Hopkins.  He has served on the Water Environment Federation’s Task Forces in the re-writing of its Manuals of Practice on nutrient removal, municipal wastewater treatment and pumping stations.

TOPIC: The Bottled Water Industry’s Role in Response to Natural Disasters and Other Emergency Situations

The bottled water industry has always been at the forefront of relief efforts during natural disasters and other emergencies. Throughout the years, bottled water companies have immediately responded to the need for clean water after natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, flooding, and wildfires) and other emergencies (e.g., lead contamination, boil alerts) that compromise the availability and safety of tap water. Joe Doss will discuss the bottled water industry’s role in providing safe drinking water to those impacted by these events. 

Joe Doss—2019 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient has been the President and CEO of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) in Alexandria, Virginia since 1999.  Mr. Doss has extensive experience in association management and food and drug, government affairs, public relations and legal issues. He has a proven track record of strategic thinking and planning, managing complex and controversial issues, and building consensus among diverse (e.g., large and small) member companies.

His previous positions include: Senior Vice President and Director of Public Affairs, Consumer Healthcare Products Association (formerly the Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Association); Counsel at the law firm of  Covington & Burling; Assistant General Counsel and Director of State Government Relations, Consumer Healthcare Products Association; Government Affairs Representative, National Stone Association; and Legislative Analyst, LEGI-SLATE of Congress.

Mr. Doss has a B.A. in government from The College of William and Mary and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.  He has completed an executive management course at the Center for Creative Leadership. Mr. Doss is a member of the Bar in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He serves on the Board of Directors at the International Council of Bottled Water Associations and is a member of the Food and Drug Law Institute and the American Bar Association.

Topic: Functional Water and the Emergence of Hybrid Health Enhancing Water and What It Means to the Water Industry. 

Kenneth J. Guoin, founder of Ophora Water Technologies, has had a lifelong commitment to restructure denatured and devitalized water, restoring its life giving-properties to cleanse and nourish the human body. In 1976, during his senior year at the University Of Michigan, he patented his first organic water purification system for pools and spas – producing the first, truly 100% chlorine free pool spa system in the industry.

Mr. Guoin has spent over thirty-five years researching and developing functional water technologies including alkaline, ionized, hydrogen, and oxygenated water improvement modalities. He currently holds four pending patents in advanced water restructuring, including a revolutionary invention for infusing high levels of low deuterium, stable and bound oxygen into water.

Henry “Bob” Hidell–is the Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of Hidell International providing consulting services to the beverage, drinking water, food and nutrition industries since 1972. His professional expertise spans the spectrum of business, technical, and educational services with specific expertise in the formulation of business strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and turnkey development of beverage bottling facilities. He is a recognized expert in international economic and business development, and is the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient.

 2018 Winners