“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” – Sir Issac Newton
Participating in WCDA’s final meeting of 2025 in Boston earlier this month was the perfect way to close out my first year as executive director. Among the record-setting attendance in Boston, we were fortunate to have eight past presidents join us for this meeting—representing nearly half of WCDA’s history. These are some of the giants who come to my mind when reflecting on the above quote from Sir Issac Newton.
During the meeting, we celebrated the many accomplishments that WCDA members helped to achieve in 2025, including an impactful year for education, reaching more than 1,800 attendees across North America, an advocacy breakthrough in California with the approval of SB 598 which allows the use of CM/GC delivery for water projects, publication of a new research report, “Mastering Risk Discipline,” and much more.
Another milestone that occurred in Boston was approval of WCDA’s 2026-2028 Strategic Plan. A new component of this plan was the addition of values. One of these values is stewardship, which we define as being “passionate champions and stewards of water collaborative delivery as we create enduring benefits for our profession and our communities.”
The past presidents pictured here exemplify stewardship, and the foundation they built over the past 20 years provides enduring benefits that contribute to WCDA’s current and future success. As we look toward 2026, we hope you will join us in celebrating two decades of driving progress in collaborative delivery for the water sector at WCDA’s 20th Anniversary Symposium. The symposium’s tagline, Celebrating the Past and Charting the Future, pays homage to the giants of our industry while envisioning a future for water in which collaborative delivery stakeholders lead the way in building better projects, together.
On a personal note, many thanks to everyone for making my first year with WCDA a great one! The warm welcome you provided throughout the year has been appreciated, and the spirit of collaboration, commitment, and contribution that WCDA members demonstrate on a daily basis is truly inspiring. I am looking forward to continuing our good work together in 2026.
Thank you for your support of WCDA and best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season!
In collaboration,
Barb Martin
Pictured: WCDA Past Presidents (from left): Pete Tunnicliffe, David Kinchen, Leofwin Clark, John Doller, Steve Gates, Mike Watson, Marlea Tichy, Michelle Green, 2025 President, Tom Visosky