HIS - Key Persons
Mr. W. B. Smith, P.E., CFM, President of HISINC, L.L.C., has been a registered professional engineer since 1978. Mr. Smith has been involved in the development of hydropower projects since 1976. Mr. Smith was educated as a hydrologist, and has used this expertise in all of the hydroelectric projects and stormwater projects over his 30-year career. Mr. Smith is also a Certified Floodplain Manager in both Oklahoma and nationally.
Previous to creating his own consulting firm, Mr. Smith was a Corporate Vice President and Senior Project Manager for The Benham Group for over 25 years. His responsibilities included developing and reviewing contracts, developing project scope, work packages, project schedules and manpower allocations, initial and draft reports, construction plans and specifications, quality control reviews, contract administration, oversight of project construction, etc. for both major hydroelectric projects and stormwater/floodplain management projects.
Mr. Smith was presented the 1996 Newsmaker Award from Engineering News Record for his accomplishments on the Arkansas River Hydropower Projects, and was listed in International Who?s Who of Professionals in 1995. Mr. Smith was the 2008 receipient of the Dr. Kenneth Henwood Award from the National Hydropower Association for lifetime achievement in the hydropower industry. In 2009, Mr. Smith was presented the Charles Don Henderson Memorial Award from the Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association (OFMA) for long standing contributiions to floodplain management in the State of Oklahoma. In 2011, Mr. Smith received the W. Kenneth Morris Honorary Lifetime Award and the Ronald D. Flanagan Gold Project Award for the creation and coordination of the OFMA Disaster Response Team (DRT).
Mr. Smith was President of the National Hydropower Association (NHA) from 1988-1989 and was an active member of NHA's Board of Directors for over five years (1984-1989). He also served as Vice President, Creator and Chairman of both the FERC Committee and the International Committee. Mr. Smith was also chosen to represent National Hydropower Association as a technical specialist on CORECT Trade Missions to the Caribbean Basin (1987), to the Pacific Rim (1990, 1991, and 1993) and to Panama (1994).
Mr. Smith has been involved in numerous feasibility studies, design, and construction of over one billion dollars in construction of power-related projects in his career.