The people in pollution industries

Tim Dace has been promoted to vice president of heavy industrial operations at Murphy Co., St. Louis, Mo. Dace, who joined the company in 1989, is responsible for Murphy's heavy industrial business segment, including project work for oil refineries, power plants, steel mills and chemical plants.

Walter Groff has been promoted to senior vice president at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, Texas, where he will head the new Office of Automotive Engineering. Groff also will serve as the acting vice president of the Automotive Products and Emissions Research Division. Groff, who has worked for the company for 34 years, will oversee two divisions that account for about one-third of SwRI's technical staff and research revenues.

Ken Hollidge has been named vice president and general manager of USFilter's Dewatering Systems business, Holland, Mich. Hollidge comes to USFilter with more than 20 years of general management experience in the manufacturing systems business. He has been responsible for companies that design and build automated assembly, material handling, metal cutting and welding systems for users of capital equipment worldwide.

Mark Johnson was named senior associate at Gannett Fleming's Malden, Mass., office. Johnson, who is experienced in all aspects of environmental management, is responsible for directing the company's Industrial Environmental Services Division and associated business development activities. He also provides environmental risk management consulting to Fortune 500 clients nationwide.

Christopher Campman was named the national solid waste practice leader for Gannett Fleming's Valley Forge, Pa. office. With more than 32 years of experience, Campman is responsible for coordinating Gannett Fleming's overall solid waste activities and planning efforts.

Donald Birnesser also joined the Valley Forge facility as a project manager. He has 27 years of experience and is primarily involved with projects for waste management facilities, as well as air quality and environmental projects.

Alfred Kovalik, an associate with Leggette, Brashears & Graham Inc., Trumbull, Conn., has been named president of the Connecticut Society of Professional Engineers, the state chapter of the national organization that represents more than 500 licensed professional engineers. Kovalik also serves as president of Groundworks Bridgeport, a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the environmental enhancement of Bridgeport's urban landscape.

Gary Lang has joined Marathon Sensors, Cincinnati, Ohio, as director of the company's Combustion Products Group. Lang will lead sales and marketing for Marathon's line of combustion trim products, which include oxygen sensing and control instruments. He will work with the company's internal sales personnel and applications engineers to serve the company's global customer base and network of representatives.

Barry Perlmitter, president and managing director of BHS-Filtration Inc., Charlotte, N.C., has been named to the board of directors of The American Filtration and Separations Society. Perlmutter, who brings more than 20 years of experience in the science of filtration and drying, has published articles about the chemical, pharmaceutical, environmental, energy, water, HVAC and process industries.

Michael Skorija has been appointed to the position of supply chain manager NAFTA, for Draeger Safety Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. Skorija will be responsible for all NAFTA hub operations, which include the United States, Canada and Mexico and will concentrate his efforts in the areas of planning, procurement operations and warehousing. His plans include creating supply chain synergies across the organization.