Richard A. Mest is president of Master Water Conditioning Corp., a manufacture of a variety of water treatment products, services, and technical support for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. His responsibilities include executive decision-making, product development, identifying new technology opportunities, educational program development, and customer training. He has worked at the company since 1978.
Mest is an active member in the Water Quality Association and is a past president. He is on the Water Quality Research Foundation Board of Directors, where he serves as vice president, and is a member of the Water Systems Council, where he serves on the board of directors as immediate past president. Mest is also a member of the Oregon Ground Water Association, where he serves on the board of directors, and Lifetime Wells International, where he serves on its board of directors. He previously served on the National Sanitation Foundation task force for the development of testing protocol for the water softener testing standard 44. He continues to serve on many water quality and water resource industry committees and task forces where he guides policy, government affairs, consumer outreach, and technical advancement.
In addition, Mest is an avid educator and has performed seminars for water treatment-related trade associations, health departments, and children’s programs. He has written many technical articles on water treatment technology, as well as seminar formats approved for state certification continued education. He recently received WQA’s “Award of Merit” and “Key Award” for his dedication to educating members of the water industry.