WQA taps executive from A. O. Smith's North America Water Treatment division to provide consumer insight, knowledge and expertise for the advancement of the water treatment industry
MILWAUKEE, Wis., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A. O. Smith Corporation (NYSE: AOS), a leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, today announced the appointment of Derek Mellencamp from its North America Water Treatment division to the Water Quality Association's (WQA) board of directors. As general manager and chief marketing officer of Aquasana, maker of award-winning water filtration products for the home and an A. O. Smith company, Mellencamp is the latest water quality expert from A. O. Smith to serve in an advisory role for the not-for-profit trade association over several decades. Widely recognized for its Gold Seal program, which has been certifying products that contribute to the safe consumption of water since 1959, WQA's educational and certification programs have provided industry-standardized training and credentialing for the water treatment industry for nearly half a century.
"Overall awareness around water quality issues has been steadily climbing in recent years, along with the number of Americans choosing to take action by filtering their water at home," says Mellencamp. "Between alarm bells over the sheer volume of PFAS hotspots across the country, lead in pipes and leaching from buried cables, and microplastics in our water and food supply — water concerns are much more frequent and highly visible. It's now more important than ever for leaders like the Water Quality Association and A. O. Smith to provide consumers with the accurate and unbiased knowledge they need to make informed decisions when purchasing a water filter, as well as hold the industry accountable to ensure access to high-quality filtration solutions that do what they say they do."
A seasoned sales and marketing executive, Mellencamp has built his career on understanding and catering to the needs of consumers. At Aquasana, he has overseen the company's direct-to-consumer (D2C) business since 2010, including being acquired by A. O. Smith in 2016. Unlike other manufacturers, the company's unique business model provides an open line of communication to its end-users, providing insight into emerging contaminants, what consumers are seeking in a water filter, gaps in the market and more. By listening to its customers, Aquasana was able to identify PFAS as a growing concern early on and develop the first drinking water filtration systems certified to address it nearly a decade ago. Before entering the residential water filtration industry, Mellencamp held several sales and marketing leadership roles in the U.S. and Europe at Dell Technologies – a first to pioneer the marketing-centric D2C business model, which ultimately revolutionized the personal computer industry.
"As industry participants through WQA, we are the leading voices of water quality improvement and share a commitment to public health and safety by continuously improving consumer awareness, industry standards, product certifications and overall change," said Sam Karge, A. O. Smith's president of North America Water Treatment and former president of WQA. "Derek's vast knowledge of the water treatment industry, coupled with his extensive experience and unique proficiency in direct-to-consumer marketing, will help WQA elevate consumer education on the vital role quality water filtration plays in ensuring safer, healthier drinking water and overall wellness," added Karge.
WQA is the leading voice of the residential, commercial, industrial and small community water treatment industry, representing more than 2,500 manufacturers, suppliers and dealers of water quality improvement products and services worldwide. Mellencamp's appointment further strengthens the company's long-standing relationship with WQA and enhances the long legacy of A. O. Smith water quality experts serving in advisory and leadership roles for the nonprofit association. Current and previous members include Becky Tallon, water treatment engineering director, and Kurt Gruett, operations director at Water Right; along with five former WQA presidents: Sam Karge, Richard Mest, Amanda Moore and Jim Stern from A. O. Smith; and Jamie Wakem, chairman and vice president of sales at Atlantic Filter.
For more information, visit aosmith.com and wqa.org. To learn more about Aquasana and the company's award-winning family of water filtration systems for the home, visit aquasana.com.
About A. O. Smith
A. O. Smith Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. For more than 150 years, the company has reinvented itself through continuous innovation and adapting to market demands. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AOS), A. O. Smith is one of the world's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products. For more information, visit www.aosmith.com.
About Aquasana
Aquasana, an A. O. Smith Corporation company (NYSE: AOS), is dedicated to improving the overall health and wellness of every home by providing cleaner, healthier water through its best-in-class filtration products. Aquasana's family of award-winning premium water filters – including whole-house filtration systems, shower filters, under sink and countertop filters, and reverse osmosis systems – provide easy and immediate access to healthy water at home.
Media Contact
Cindy Young Vanhoutte, A. O. Smith, 1 512-585-0394, [email protected], www.aosmith.com
SOURCE A. O. Smith
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