Home > News Bytes > DRBC Recognizes, Honors Dr. Ken Najjar at March 2019 Business Mtg
DRBC Recognizes, Honors Dr. Ken Najjar at March 2019 Business Mtg

At the March 13, 2019 business meeting, Ken Najjar, Ph.D., P.E., was recognized and honored with a special resolution for his outstanding contributions to managing and protecting the water resources of the Delaware River Basin over the course of his distinguished engineering career.

Dr. Najjar plans to retire from DRBC on April 1, 2019.

DRBC Commissioners and staff extend their deepest appreciation for his dedicated service to the Basin community and the DRBC, and for his friendship. Best wishes for a well-deserved, happy, healthy, and enjoyable retirement with your family!

Dr. Ken Najjar (left) listens as DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini reads the special resolution. Photo by DRBC. 
Dr. Ken Najjar (left) listens as DRBC Executive Director
Steve Tambini reads the special resolution.
Photo by DRBC. 

A RESOLUTION honoring Kenneth F. Najjar for his outstanding contributions to managing and protecting the water resources of the Delaware River Basin over the course of his distinguished engineering career.

WHEREAS, in March of 2002, after 24 years of consulting as a principal, manager and project engineer within the Basin, Ken brought his talents to the Delaware River Basin Commission as its Planning and Information Technology Branch head and later as its Director of Water Resources Management; and

WHEREAS, during his 17-year career at the DRBC, Ken led or helped to advance multiple initiatives, including development of the annual Water Resources Program, improvements to DRBC’s information technology and network capabilities, management of federal, state and non-governmental grants and contracts; coordination of watershed management plans; and the design and construction of two projects that better aligned the Commission’s headquarters facility with DRBC’s mission – a stormwater retrofit and the Ruth Patrick River Garden; and

WHEREAS, Ken led the development and publication of DRBC’s State of the Basin reports in 2008 and 2013 and its soon-to-be-released 2019 report; helped to develop and successfully implement the Commission’s Water Loss Accountability (Water Audit) program launched in 2009; was a key player in the expansion of the DRBC Special Protection Waters program during the period 2005-2008 to include the 76-mile-long reach of the main stem from the Delaware Water Gap to Trenton; and helped to develop DRBC’s proposed natural gas development regulations released in 2010 and in 2017; and

WHEREAS, throughout his career, including during his tenure with DRBC, Ken helped educate the region’s future engineers and scientists by teaching practical and theoretical aspects of environmental science and engineering at Villanova, Penn, Temple, Rutgers, Rider, TCNJ and Mercer County; and

WHEREAS, in collaboration with other DRBC representatives, Ken contributed significantly to the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) revision led by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and published in 2019; and

WHEREAS, Ken brought leadership and collaboration skills to his work on the DRBC’s behalf with the group Common Waters (to protect headwater regions of the Basin), the Christina Basin Clean Water Partnership, Schuylkill Action Network, New Jersey Clean Water Council, New Jersey Water Supply Advisory Council, Delaware Water Supply Coordinating Council, and Upper Delaware Council; and

WHEREAS, Ken’s colleagues and collaborators at DRBC and across the Basin community appreciate the leadership, technical expertise, management skills, good judgement, depth of experience, honesty, and integrity that Ken has brought to his working relationships, and above all, recognize the light of his intellect, good humor and big heart;

WHEREAS, Ken will officially retire from the DRBC on April 1, 2019; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED that the Commission members and staff extend their gratitude to Ken Najjar for his dedicated service to the Basin community and the DRBC, and for his friendship. We wish Ken and his wife Mary good health and much happiness as they embark together on a well-deserved retirement.

ADOPTED: March 13, 2019
View resolution (pdf 70 KB)

Dr. Najjar poses with Steve Tambini and the Commissioners.  (from L to R) Kenneth Kosinski (alternate, N.Y.), Michele Putnam (alternate, N.J.), Steve Tambini (DRBC Exec. Dir.), Dr. Najjar, Lieutenant Colonel Kristen N. Dahle (alternate, federal gov't.), Bryan A. Ashby (alternate, Del.), and Aneca Atkinson (alternate, Pa.).
Dr. Najjar poses with Steve Tambini and the Commissioners.
(from L to R) Kenneth Kosinski (alternate, N.Y.), Michele Putnam (alternate, N.J.),
Steve Tambini (DRBC Exec. Dir.), Dr. Najjar, Lieutenant Colonel Kristen N. Dahle (alternate, federal gov't.),
Bryan A. Ashby (alternate, Del.), and Aneca Atkinson (alternate, Pa.). Photo by DRBC.