Cindy L. Wallis-Lage, P.E.
President, Water Business
Office Location: Kansas City, MO
Education
MS, Environmental Health Engineering, University of Kansas, 1990
BS, Civil Engineering, Kansas State University, 1985
Professional Registration: PE – 1991, KS, 12114
Professional Associations
Chi Epsilon
Water Environment Federation
America Water Works Association
International Water Association
Global Water Intelligence
WateReuse Association
S. Water Alliance
Water For People
Value of Water Campaign
Year Career Started: 1986
Year Started with B&V: 1986
Cindy Wallis-Lage is President of Black & Veatch’s global water business and a member of the company’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. She is responsible for the leadership and management of the company’s global water business that includes a workforce of more than 2,800 professionals based around the world, including in North America, South America, the UK, Asia Pacific and India.
Well known in the water industry for her expertise in water reuse, wastewater treatment and biosolids, Wallis-Lage has been involved in more than 100 projects worldwide, helping public and private entities successfully develop, enhance and manage their water, wastewater and stormwater facilities and infrastructure. Her experience with process design and wastewater-engineering projects has allowed her to coordinate and direct technical specialists in both fields. Wallis-Lage has been involved in both municipal and industrial projects in which her responsibilities have included assessment of treatment deficiencies, development and selection of process alternatives, pilot plant design and operation, data interpretation, and report preparation and presentation.
A licensed professional engineer, Wallis-Lage joined Black & Veatch in 1986 and progressed through the ranks from her starting point as a design and process engineer. She has held various positions in Black & Veatch’s water business, and prior to beginning as President in 2012, served as the Executive Managing Director of the water business’s Technical Solutions group, which reinforced the company’s commitment to lead with technology. The group has a broad range of technical capabilities that include water technology-related treatment planning and design, environmental sciences and remediation, information technology and asset management, and water conveyance and supply. The group also addresses energy solutions, including renewable sources and energy optimization, as well as heavy civil elements needed for hydropower, dams and tunnels. Prior to her Technical Solutions role, she served in various technical roles as Chief of Water Technology Group, Director of Wastewater Treatment Technology and a Senior Process Technologist.
Wallis-Lage is an active leader and a frequent speaker at many industry forums and events. She serves on several committees for various water industry associations. She is currently on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Water Alliance and serves on the Leadership Council for Water For People. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Water Research Foundation and the WateReuse Association.
On the basis of her experience and expertise, Wallis-Lage is recognized as a foremost expert in the treatment and reuse of water and wastewater resources, and is a frequent moderator, facilitator and speaker at global events developed to confront the world’s most vexing water industry issues. She has also authored or co-authored more than 50 papers, 20 technical articles and seven textbook chapters and served as editor of the Fifth Edition update of White’s Handbook of Chlorination and Alternative Disinfectants.
Using her position, passion and knowledge, Wallis-Lage is a champion of the world’s water resources. She advocates understanding water’s true value and promoting its resilience so that communities may achieve their social, economic and environmental sustainability goals.
Her leadership has earned her recognition in the industry and business communities. In October 2006, she received the Professional Engineering Award from Kansas State University. In the same year she was also honored with the WEF George Bradley Gascoigne Medal for Research in Wastewater Treatment Plant Operational Improvements. In September 2009, Wallis-Lage was honored as a recipient of the Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Emerging Leaders Award from DiversityMBA magazine. In 2013, Wallis-Lage received the Pearl Award from the central region Girl Scouts of America for STEM leadership. She has been named among the Top 25 Global Water Leaders and has received several local and national STEM-related honors. Wallis-Lage has been recognized with the Groundbreaking Leadership STEMMy Award from the Kansas City Central Exchange (2017), the Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award from the Society of Women Engineers (2018) and a Women Who Mean Business honor from the Kansas City Business Journal (2019).
Wallis-Lage is also an active supporter of educational initiatives. She has served on the Civil Engineering Advisory Council for Kansas State University and the Engineering Advisory Council for Kansas State University, In 2013 she was named the Alumnae Fellow for the College of Engineering at Kansas State University. She has been an invited speaker to several collegiate Schools of Engineering so share her passion for engineering and women in engineering. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri. An invited speaker on careers in engineering to local grade and high schools, Wallis-Lage was quoted in the book 21 Things Every Future Engineer Should Know, A Practical Guide for Students and Parents.
Wallis-Lage earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Kansas State University in 1985, and a Master of Science degree in environmental health engineering from the University of Kansas in 1990.
