Jim Gardner was elected to his first 6-year term on the Board of Water Works in 2000 and was re-elected in 2006.

Jim has been a principal of HGF Architects, Inc., an architectural firm in Pueblo the past 44 years. The firm has been involved in many of the larger projects in Southern Colorado. Jim spends most of his time in design and project management.

Jim also serves on several Boards and Committees in the community, such as the HARP Foundation and the State Hospital Citizens’ Advisory Board. Jim and his wife Ann have three interesting and well-educated daughters. Jim served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, spending most of his service time stationed in the western Pacific.

Nick Gradisar is a graduate of the  Drake  University School of Law and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1977. Nick is a member of the American Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association, Pueblo County Bar  Association, Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Directors 2000-present) and American  Association for Justice.

He is a lecturer and author of legal education materials on Mental Disabilities Law for the Colorado Judicial Conference, Colorado County Attorney's Association and in-service for local agencies.  In 2007 he was appointed by the Governor as the Public Trustee for Pueblo County.

His extensive community service includes  membership on the Board of Directors for the Southern Colorado Chapter, American Red Cross (Chairman 2000-2002); Board of Directors of Mental Health Association of Pueblo; and the Board of Directors of Action 22 (Chairman 2004).

Nick has two children, Tracy Mosco and Doug Gradisar, both of whom live in Pueblo, and  four  grandchildren.

Having had a long standing interest in politics and government, Nick also enjoys golf, fishing, skiing and, from time to time, getting on his mountain bike in Crested Butte.

Kevin McCarthy, a 4th generation Pueblo native, has served as a member of the Board of Water Works since 1988, the longest service of any current Board member.

Kevin was employed in the family funeral business from 1973 to 2004, at which time he changed careers to open Andy McCarthy's Sports Grill in Pueblo.  He is currently engaged in independent consulting in the marketing field.

A graduate of Pueblo Central High and Colorado University, Kevin is married to Susan and has four children and four grandchildren.

In addition to his long, distinguished service with the Board, Kevin has provided Pueblo with leadership through extensive community service.  He was a charter member of PEDCO, served on The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Board of Direcotrs from 1984-1985, and served in that capacity again in 1993.  Pueblo Kiwanis, Pueblo Elks Lodge No. 90, YMCA, Parkview Hospital, Neighborworks and the American Water Works Association are other organizations that have benefited from his involvement.

He has noted several "high water marks" during his more than 21 years of service on our Board, including creation of the water development fund and the relationship-building that has occurred between the employees' union and the Board.  Believing that the Board of Water Works is a regional leader in water policy and needs to stay in the forefront on issues such as instream flows, long term storage and water development, Kevins is rightfully proud of his service to the Pueblo community.

Dr. Thomas Autobee, currently serving as Board President, has operated his dental practice in Pueblo since 1977. His Pueblo County roots go back even further to his great-great-great grandfather, Charles Autobee. Charles was one of the original settlers in this area in 1828, running the first agricultural farm in Colorado. Tom is married to Betty Pacheco-Autobee, and four daughters, one son, and a grandson round out the Autobee family. Aside from his professional life, he enjoys fly-fishing along the Arkansas River, golfing and traveling with Betty.

A community advocate for twenty-plus years, Dr. Autobee is a founding member of the Latino Chamber of Commerce and has been involved in a number of educational programs in the Pueblo City Schools and School District 70. He is currently serving on the Wells Fargo Bank Community Board and has given his time and service to such groups as the Parkview Medical Center Board, the State Fair Commission, the Southeastern Colorado Dental Society, and numerous others. He sees, as his primary responsibility, looking out for the best interests of Pueblo and its citizens.

Mike Cafasso was appointed Vice President of Operations for St. Mary-Corwin Hospital in March of 2011. He draws upon 30 years of innovative business leadership and community involvement to help guide and implement the St. Mary-Corwin strategic plan.

Mike most recently served as Colorado President of The American Bank of Commerce (ABC) where he built commercial banking operations throughout the state. Prior to joining American Bank of Commerce, Mike led Pueblo Bank & Trust as CEO, COO, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, and Director of Marketing.

A vigorous supporter of the community, Mike has shared his leadership skills as an active member of the St. Mary-Corwin Board of Trustees, is the former Chair of the Catholic Diocese of Pueblo’s Foundation Board as well as the immediate Past President of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  His other civic duties include serving on the advisory board for the Colorado Department of Health - Suicide Prevention, and as a board member of both the Pueblo Suicide Prevention Center and Sangre de Cristo Hospice organizations.

Mike moved to Pueblo as a college student at Colorado State University – Pueblo (then the University of Southern Colorado) to pursue his education and play hockey.  From 1976 through 1993 Mike was a team member, coach and general manger for the Pueblo Ravens, a semi-pro hockey club. Returning to the sport in 1998, he was the team assistant coach for the Pueblo County High School team. Upon receiving his B.S. degree from Colorado State University – Pueblo in 1982, he continued his education by receiving a diploma from The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado in 1994, the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, N.C. (Leading Creatively), the Disney Institute (The Disney Approach to Managing People and The Disney Approach to Managing Creativity and Innovation), and the Ritz Carlton (Customer Service Quality Training Program) and is a member of the Association for Managers of Innovation.

Mike is married to Becky Cafasso, who is retired from Pueblo City Schools where she served as athletic director at the high school level. They are the proud parents of one son, Josh, two daughters, Sabret and Gitana, and one grandson, Jehan.

Alan C. Hamel began his career with the Board of Water Works of Pueblo as a high school student in 1960. He was employed for two summers before being hired as a fulltime pump station operator in 1962. He moved up through the organization, eventually holding various management positions before accepting the Executive Director post in 1982. Doing the math, he’s been in that job for 29 years and working for the Water Board for a total of 51 years!

Alan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from CSU-Pueblo. Always active in community affairs, he is currently vice-chair of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo and from 1994 to 2001 served on the Historic Arkansas of Pueblo Commission (past chair. He has also served as an ex-officio Board member of the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation since 1993.

The list of his work in the water community on a statewide basis is most impressive:

• Recently re-appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to the Colorado Water Conservation Board
• Director with the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District for 16 years (past chair and current advisory member)
• Board member with the Colorado Foundation for Water Education (current treasurer).
• Member, State Interbasin Compact Committee for 3 years (vice-chair)
• Founding member, Arkansas Basin Roundtable (past chair).
• Member of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative since its inception
• Member of the American Water Works Association (George Warren Fuller awardee in 2003)
• Rocky Mountain Section group of AWWA (Council member, trustee).

Alan was appointed by past Governors of Colorado to serve on the following: 

• Colorado Water Conservation Board (vice chair)
• Colorado Water Resources Power Development Authority
• Front Range Water Forum & Arkansas River Coordinating Committee (1995-1996).

In 2009, the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce recognized Alan’s contributions to the Pueblo business community by naming him the Charles W. Crews Business Leader of the Year. On January 29, 2010 the Colorado Water Congress honored Alan with their prestigious Wayne N. Aspinall “Water Leader of the Year” award. 

Terry R. Book was appointed Deputy Executive Director effective July 1, 2009, and has been employed by the Board since 1978.  Previously, Mr. Book was the Board’s Director of Operations from 1991 to July 2009.  Prior to holding that position, he was the Board’s Division Manager of Transmission, Distribution and Engineering from 1985 to 1991, the Board’s Division Manager of Transmission & Distribution from 1982 to 1985 and the Board’s Civil Engineer from 1978 to 1982.  Terry is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.  He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Colorado and holds a Class 4 Colorado Water Distribution Certification.

Terry serves as President of Pueblo Rotary #43 and is Water Chairman for the Colorado Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection Systems Certification Council.