September 24, 2012
09/25/12 On Friday September 21st at the fall Northwest Indiana District of American Water Works Association (AWWA) meeting in Schererville, City of Plymouth Water Department employee Jeff Yeazel received the John N. Hurty Award from IDEM representative, Liz Melvin for his 30 years of service in the Indiana waterworks industry.
The John N. Hurty award is named after John Newell Hurty, M.D. Dr. Hurty was the State Health Commissioner of the Indiana State Board of Health for seven consecutive terms (1896 to 1922) spanning a period of 26 years. Dr. Hurty, a pioneer dedicated to fighting water borne diseases, was instrumental in the formation of an organization of community water systems operators which was the forerunner to the American Water Works Association (AWWA).
Dr. Hurty was considered a most influential Secretary to the Board because of his zest for his work and accomplishments during his administration. Initially, his competency in school allowed him to begin his long association with health, drugs and sanitation at age 16 when he went to work for Colonel Eli Lilly. When Dr. Hurty withdrew from the company, he set up a drug store at the corner of Ohio and Pennsylvania Streets with a chemistry laboratory “the first of its kind in Indiana.”