The Ralph Macchio Lifetime Achievement Award, the wastewater industry’s highest honor, was presented for a final time last week at the Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show in Indianapolis.
During the annual meeting of the National Association of Wastewater Technicians, the award was presented to COLE Publishing — the company that founded the International Liquid Waste Haulers Equipment & Trade Show, which later became the WWETT Show.
Jena Kendall, daughter of recently deceased COLE Publishing co-founder Bob Kendall, accepted the award. Given Bob’s passing, the decision was made to make 2026 the final year for the award. Bob and the award’s namesake, Macchio, were its first two winners.
“Thank you on behalf of my brother John and me. It’s an honor to receive this final award,” Jena said in her remarks. “It’s incredible to see how this show has grown. Dad always said this was the best industry to have a show for — humble people doing hard jobs. I’ve seen so many give their hearts to this industry. I loved watching Dad in his element here. As I got older, I’d walk the show floor with him, and he always made sure people were heard and felt like they were getting value out of the show. I know he and Uncle Pete (other COLE Publishing co-founder who passed away in 2022) are up there having a toast to the industry right now. Thank you to the COLE Publishing team for supporting this and carrying forward what’s made this company special.”
