Representative Awards

Over the years, WWE and our staff have been the proud recipients of an array of awards and honors.

Ethics Awards for Our Company

WWE received the American Business Ethics Award for strong commitment to ethical practices in everyday operations and philosophies and the integrity of our responses to crises and challenges. The award was sponsored by the Society of Financial Services Professionals.

WWE received the Colorado Ethics in Business Award for professional business practices, fair play and public service. WWE CEO  Jonathan E. Jones, President Ian Paton, Chief Engineer Wayne Lorenz and CFO Kenneth R. Wright are deeply honored to lead the first consulting engineering company to receive this award.

Awards for Our Projects and People

2022 EWRI 2022 Founders’ Award - Received by Jonathan Jones (along with Eric Strecker, Ben Urbonas, and Mike Cook [posthumously]) in 2022 at the 2022 World Environmental & Water Resources Institute Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

2022 EWRI Lifetime Achievement Award - Received by Jonathan Jones in 2022 at the 2022 World Environmental & Water Resources Institute Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bruce Tschantz Public Safety at Dams Award - Received by Kenneth Wright in 2019 from the American Association of State Dam Safety Officials.

Outstanding Stormwater Research Project Award - Received by WWE in 2018 from the California Stormwater Quality Association for our work on the International Stormwater BMP Database in collaboration with Geosyntec Consultants and the Water Research Foundation.

el Nombramiento de Docente Extroadinario Honorario - Received by Kenneth Wright in 2017 from the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco.

Outstanding Colorado Woman in Engineering - Jennifer Keyes was honored in February 25, 2014, by the ACEC of Colorado.

New Face in Engineering - Hayes Lenhart was honored in February 25, 2014, by the ACEC of Colorado.

2013 Outstanding BMP Implementation Award - Received by The Santa Susana Field Laboratory’s Stormwater Biofilter Project from the California Stormwater Quality Association on September 10, 2013.   WWE CEO Jon Jones participated in this project as a member of the SSFL Expert Panel.

2012 Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award - Received by The Greenway project in Sioux Falls from the Eastern Chapter of the South Dakota Engineering Society at the Society’s banquet in March 2013. WWE has worked on floodplains for this project for several years with Confluence, a firm in Sioux Falls.

Honor Award for Professional Achievement - Given to our project, the Smoky Hill River Renewal Master Plan, in 2012 by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Colorado Chapter’s 2011 Professional Design Awards.

Outstanding Woman in Engineering - Received by Jane Clary in February 2012 from the ACEC of Colorado.

APWA Environmental Design Award - In January 2012, the Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual, Volume 3, won an award from the Colorado Chapter of the American Public Works Association in the Environmental Design category. WWE helped the Mile High Flood District develop this manual.

Lowell Thomas Award - Received by Ken and Ruth Wright in October 2011, from the Explorers Club, for their paleohydrological investigations.

Honorary Doctor of Science Degree - Awarded jointly to Ken and Ruth Wright from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in May 2011.

Top 20 under 40 - Awarded to Andrew Earles by Engineering News-Record (Mountain States) in February 2011.

Doctor Honoris Causa Degree - Awarded to Ken Wright from The Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria in Lima, Peru, in 2009.

2008 Person of the Year - Awarded to Jane Clary, chosen by The Green Industries of Colorado (GreenCO).

Ancient and Honorable Order of the Water Buffalo - In August 2008, the Water Section of the Colorado Bar Association inducted two of our long-time staff members, Ken Wright and Bill Lorah.

The 2008 President’s Award - Received by Ken and Ruth Wright for supporting water-related education in Colorado from the Colorado Foundation for Water Education.

The Friend of the District Award - Received by Ken Wright from the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (now the Mile High Flood District) in March 2008.

Honorary Diplomas - Awarded to Ken and Ruth Wright in 2007 by Bertolt Brecht College of Lima, Peru,

2007 Land Stewardship Award and the 2007 President’s Award of Excellence in Design - Received by WWE and Design Studios West from the Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects on October 19, 2007. The awards were for our work on the Estes Park Riverwalk.

Order of Merit for Distinguished Services - Received by Ken and Ruth Wright on October 10, 2007, from Peruvian President Alan Garcia Perez.

Honorary Professor Award - Received by Ken Wright in October of 2007 from the Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru.

Best Paper on Nuclear Decontamination, Decommissioning, and Reutilization Top Award - Received by engineer Ian Paton in 2006 for the scientific paper he presented at a meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) held in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Distinguished (Honorary) Membership by the American Society of Civil Engineers - Received by Ken Wright in October 2006.  Fewer than 600 Distinguished Members have been inducted since 1853.

2006 Outstanding Woman in Engineering - Patricia Flood named by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado on February 28, 2007.

2006 Engineering Excellence Honor Award - Received by WWE for the urban drainage study we performed for the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, from the American Consulting Engineers Council of Nebraska.  We performed this study as a subconsultant to JEO Consulting Group, along with Black & Veatch and the Heartland Center for Leadership Development.

Gold Hard Hat Award for an “Outstanding Retail/Commercial Project” - Received by The Broadmoor Events Center in Colorado Springs in 2005 for a project for which WWE managed construction dewatering.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Received by Kenneth Wright in 2005 as one of three people given this award by the Environmental & Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers.  The award honors “life-long and eminent contribution to the environmental and water resources engineering disciplines through practice, research, and public service.”

CDPHE Hall of Fame - In September 2004, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inducted the Florida Water Conservancy District into its Hall of Fame for nonpoint source projects. The award was for design and implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to reduce stormwater runoff from areas burned during the Missionary Ridge fire in 2002.  WWE designed the remediation program.

The Orley Phillips Award - Received by Ken Wright in 2004 for outstanding contributions to the field of engineering by the American Council of Consulting Engineering Companies of Colorado.

2003 State-of-the-Art of Civil Engineering Award - Received by Jon Jones, with Eric Strecker of Geosyntec Consultants and Ben Urbonas of the Mile High Flood District, from The American Society of Civil Engineers for their services that created the International Stormwater Best Management Practices Database.

Jack Starner Memorial Award - Received by our client, the Everist Materials Aggregate Operation in Summit County in 2003 for outstanding achievement in mined land reclamation. The award is sponsored by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board to honor outstanding reclamation of aggregate/construction materials operations and exceptional efforts in preserving and/or enhancing the environment.  WWE designed the reclamation.

Honorary Professor of Engineering - In 2002, Ken Wright awarded by Peru’s National University of Engineering for his contributions to cultural patrimony at Machu Picchu.

The George Washington Award - Received by Kenneth Wright in 2002 by the American Council of Consulting Engineering Companies of Colorado.

Honorary Member for the Contribution to Archaeological Studies - WWE was awarded by The Peruvian Center for Andean Studies for work at Machu Picchu in 2002.

Civil Engineering History and Heritage Award - Received by Ken Wright in 2001 from the American Society of Civil Engineers, for his work at Machu Picchu.

Award of Recognition - Received by Ken Wright in 2001 for engineering research at the Machu Picchu archaeological site, from the Municipal District of Machu Picchu.

Outstanding Graphics Presentation Award - Received by WWE in 2000 for a display depicting our Pine Lake Restoration project, from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado.

Stephen H. Hart Award for Preservation of Cultural Heritage - Received by WWE in 1997 in recognition of our historical research in Mesa Verde, from the Colorado Historical Society.

Environmental Excellence Award - Received by WWE in 1996 for our Lena Gulch Stabilization and Re-channelization project in Jefferson County. from the International Erosion Control Association

Top honor in the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado’s Engineering Excellence Awards Program - Received by WWE In 1970 for preparing and publishing the Urban Storm Drainage Manual for the Denver Regional Council of Governments. The Manual has served as a model for many communities for five decades.