Neil J. Desmond, CWS-VI, of Pentair Water in Sheboygan, WI, has been elected president of the Water Quality Association (WQA), an international trade association representing 2,400 companies in the household, commercial/industrial and small system water treatment industry. Desmond was elected to the one-year term in March, during the association's business meeting at their annual water industry conference, WQA Aquatech USA. Desmond has been a member of the WQA since 1988 and was vice president from 2005-2006. He is a member and past chairman of the Government Relations Committee and is also a member of the Manufacturer/Supplier Section.

Separately, Water Specialist Emeritus Ray E. Cross has issued a $300,000 challenge to WQA members as a way to benefit the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF). Celebrating attendance at his 60th consecutive water quality convention, Cross announced his decision to bequeath up to $300,000 of his estate to the WQRF Endowment Fund in the form of a challenge grant to WQA members. For every new dollar contributed to WQRF through April 1, 2007, Cross will match it, up to $300,000. As of late May, WQA members had donated nearly $53,000 in response. A list of current donors as well as additional information is available on WQA's website at www.wqa.org.