Page 6 - JanFeb2022 Vol 39 No 6

TCAPWA/SWANA CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS By Lisa Hood Skinner & Klair Kimmey
2021 Conference Overview

Last November, and after a year’s delay due
to lengthy COVID quarantines, the host City of
Collierville cooked up a tasty recipe for success in
Memphis.
A dash of the Delta blues, a sultry pinch of
Memphis soul and a large helping of professional
development and fun served up a variety of
memorable experiences for 300+ attendees and
vendors at the Tennessee Chapter of the American
Public Works Association (TCAPWA) and Solid
Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
Annual Conference.
The three activity-filled days of networking,
professional development and charitable giving
were hosted at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown
Hotel and the newly renovated Renasant
Convention Center, serving as the site for the
annual conference and exhibition hall activities.
Conference activities were a mix of the usual
competitions combined with new experiences,
ranging from the yearly (and highly competitive)
golf tournament and Equipment Rodeo, to a
behind-the-scenes tour of the Memphis Zoo and
its water operations, to a Young Professionals
bowling party in the mermaid-and-shark-
decorated Fish Bowl within the huge Bass Pro
Shops’ Memphis Pyramid.
Monday: Sunny Golf and Zoo Facilities Tour
The mild weather made for hot competition in
the annual golf outing at The Links at Galloway.
After an early lunch, golfers began the day’s
competition with an 11 a.m. sunny shotgun start.
Fifteen teams sped off through the golf course in
search of those winning scores, and a good time
was had by all. Team photos are on page 12.
Meanwhile, a group of conference attendees and
family members spent the afternoon on a private
facility tour of the Memphis Zoo, where they viewed
the zoo’s impressive back-of-the-house operations
center for water filtration and salination. Along
the way, their guide, Gary Couture, Water Quality
Manager for over 11 years, pointed out many of the
zoo’s most impressive animal exhibits, including its
monkey habitat, polar bear pool, elephant sanctuary
and sea lion pool and show.
Tuesday: Chilly Rodeo, Packed Exhibit Hall
Opening, YP Bowls “Under the Sea”
Out on Mud Island, chilly temperatures and
brisk winds were the order of the morning as
competitors demonstrated their skills at the
Annual Equipment Rodeo. The field of 65 Public
Works operators was treated to a steaming
barbeque lunch provided by Team Waste and
entertained by the hot licks of a lively banjo and
6 TPW January/February 2022