October 2026 - Alan Branson
What do you find most fascinating / challenging about the water industry?
The most fascinating thing about the water industry to me is its broad range and complexity. I have never had a boring day ever since I acquired my first water softener and thought, "Oh my, there has to be a future in a product like this!" From that day until now, I have never stopped learning new and exciting things we can do and technologies we can use to improve the lives of people everywhere, and I truly believe we are at the very beginning of the impact our industry will have on the world. The challenge is education: Educating both the public and legislators on the role of a water treatment specialist, and training people within the industry to implement new and existing technologies to address the daily challenges that seem to pop up.
What is your hobby and why?
One definition of a hobby is an activity one engages in when at leisure for the purpose of pleasure. I am not sure I know what leisure time is. I love to do so many things, and I get so much pleasure from them—perhaps everything I do is a hobby. I love to farm, write songs, create in my wood shop—basically, create anything. So, I also love creating my company and everything that goes with that. But the one thing I love more than any other is helping others grow and reach their full potential. Watching another life blossom and grow into full bloom right before my eyes is the greatest reward I know of, and it truly brings me great joy and pleasure.
Have you had a mentor in the industry and what valuable lesson / catch phrase has that person passed to you?
I have been so blessed to have so many great mentors over the years who have helped and taught me so much that it would be unfair to name just one. Barb Becker, John Levin, Jo Grace, Bob Boerner, Don McGhee, and Kelly Parks have all helped me accomplish my goals in many ways. But Perry Ratcliff gave me the one-liner that changed everything when he said, "Alan, there are a lot of ways to make more money than this, so if you’re just trying to make money, you’re on the wrong track." That’s when I realized I was doing this because I loved helping people and building this great industry. At that point, I understood my passion and dedicated myself to working in that direction.
My Dad. I lost him too soon during COVID. I was working so intensely to build my life, and while he was always a source of encouragement on the phone, we were physically far apart. I always thought there would be a day when I could spend days on end talking with him about everything life had brought us, but he was gone before I got that time.
