Meet Our Water Industry Professionals

AUC Group consists of experienced professionals who help our clients overcome every challenge. Clean, safe water makes life possible. It sustains people, families, industries, and the ecosystems that surround them. The water industry attracts remarkable people, and AUC employs some of the best from around the world. Meet our dedicated team of water and wastewater industry stars.

  • Roger Lappo

    Senior Vice President

    Roger Lappo serves as the General Manager for AUC Group where he oversees all AUC operations. Mr. Lappo is a versatile business executive with extensive experience in management, sales, and operations. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Lappo was the Regional Vice President of Schneider Electric, General Manager of Johnson Controls, and Director of Strategic Accounts at Siemens Building Technologies.

  • Hugo E. Salinas, P. E.

    Project Manager, Design

    Hugo Salinas joined AUC Group in 2016 as the Project Manager of Design. He oversees the internal design team in preparing engineering drawings and specifications for wastewater treatment plants during the preliminary and submittal phases. Mr. Salinas is responsible for the process design of wastewater treatment plants and for preparing technical specifications and design reports. He assists in the preparation of bid proposals and reviews local, state, and federal regulatory requirements for compliance.

    Prior to joining AUC Group, Mr. Salinas worked as a Project Manager for DAC Engineering where he supervised and coordinated the design team of engineers, drafters, and designers to produce construction documents for commercial developments. While there he designed water and wastewater infrastructure improvements for the Harris County MUD No. 165, including a 2,200 gallons per minute sanitary sewer lift station replacement, new Water Treatment Plant No. 4 and the expansion of the Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 1 from 1.0 million gallons per day to 2.0 million gallons per day.

    Mr. Salinas has also worked as a Project Engineer for Odebrecht Environmental Inc. and Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., where he began his career.

  • David Rolen

    Lead Sr. Project Manager

    David Rolen joined AUC Group in 2016 as a Project Manager. He provides leadership on many projects with responsibilities including overseeing budgets, communicating with clients and organizing design schedules. He also selects and coordinates fabricators and works with general contractors during the installation of plants.

    Prior to joining AUC Group, Mr. Rolen worked for 8 years as a Project Manager and Department Manager for engineering consulting firms, Terracon Consultants and Aquaterra Engineering. He had a wide range of responsibilities that included business development and personnel management, project management, project estimating, development of proposals and statements of qualifications, client communication, review of quality control data and development of methodologies to investigate project profitability and improve “go-no go” decisions on prospective clients. Some major projects in which he was involved include the LSU Tiger Stadium South End Zone Expansion, Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets, American Creosote Works Superfund Site and Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.

  • Gary Sommer

    Controller

    Gary Sommer is the Controller for AUC Group where he is responsible for all accounting-related activities. Key tasks include managing the company’s cash flow, acting as a liaison for annual audits, monitoring internal controls, assisting in budget preparation, minimizing financial risk, ensuring compliance, identifying cost savings and offering leadership to the financial team. Mr. Sommer has been with AUC Group since 2019 and is a licensed CPA. Prior to joining the company, he spent 20 years in public accounting working with small, mid-sized and large private businesses within Texas and Michigan whose clients include oilfield services, retail, manufacturers, and various professional service corporations.

  • Tim Williams

    Project Superintendent

    Tim Williams is the Project Superintendent for all Water and Wastewater Construction at AUC Group, where he is responsible for managing the construction projects and achieving targeted budgets. In addition, Tim oversees the day-to-day management of personnel, equipment and material purchasing, coordinating and scheduling of subcontractors, quality control of projects, and provides technical support to construction supervisors. He has been with the company for over 18 years and is an expert in his field.

  • Amir Ghobadi, Ph.D., P.E.

    Senior Process Engineer

    Amir Ghobadi joined AUC Group in 2021 as the Senior Process Engineer, bringing over 10 years of experience in water/wastewater treatment for Industrial and Municipal applications. He possesses a wealth of expertise in various areas including unit operations, primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment systems. He is well-versed in both chemical and biological treatment systems, as well as proficient in utilization of membrane filtration and membrane bi-reactor systems (MBR). Dr. Ghobadi is a key contributor to the Engineering team focused on researching, proposing, and developing cutting-edge engineered treatment solutions tailored to our client’s requirements. He is a certified Professional Engineer and graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Chemical Engineering and later received a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering.

  • Nathan Kirton

    CAD Manager

    Nathan Kirton serves as the CAD Manager at AUC Group, where he has been a key contributor since 2017. With a background in design, drafting and engineering, Nathan rapidly progressed from CAD Designer to Lead CAD Designer, and ultimately to his current role. His experience in design, hydraulics, and structural elements has been instrumental in numerous projects. In addition to his expertise in manufacturing and design attained from previous positions, Nathan also brings experience from his brief time in the financial sector. His management skills, honed at previous companies, have seamlessly transitioned to AUC Group, further enhancing his leadership and commitment to excellence.

  • Dave Carrington

    Business Development Manager

    Dave Carrington serves as the Business Development Manager for AUC Group’s booming Texas market. He brings over 32 years of experience in water/wastewater environmental solutions, business management, and project coordination. Prior to joining AUC, Mr. Carrington held various sales and management positions at Smith & Loveless, Newman Regency Group, US Peroxide, Earth Science Labs, and Trojan Technologies. Mr. Carrington has an impressive track record in exceeding sales goals and developing effective go-to-market strategies. He is highly respected amongst his peers and has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri – Columbia.

  • Preston Warner

    Business Development Manager

    Preston Warner serves as the Business Development Manager for AUC Group, covering the Greater Houston area. His experience in construction management and outside sales of pumps, tanks, filters, and accessories makes him a valuable contributor to the company. Prior to joining AUC Group, Mr. Warner held various positions at Toll Brothers, National Tank & Equipment and SpawGlass, ensuring quality, safety and exceeding client expectations while being innovative and offering sustainable solutions for the environment and community. Mr. Warner graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Science and Management with a minor in Business Administration.

  • Don Henderson

    Business Development Manager

    Don Henderson is a seasoned Business Development professional with over 30 years of experience in strategic business planning and relationship cultivation. With a demonstrated history of success, he has adeptly led cross-functional teams through the design, analysis, planning, and issuance of large bond transactions within the municipal market. As the former President of Buckshot Strategies, Mr. Henderson spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at securing funding for diverse infrastructure projects. Now, Mr. Henderson introduces the innovative AUC solution to the Central Texas region, leveraging his extensive experience and insights. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance and Economics from Southwestern University.

  • Leslie May

    Senior Marketing Manager

    Leslie May is the Senior Marketing Manager for both AUC Group and Seven Seas Water Group. She joined the company in 2017 after serving in various marketing roles in the oil and gas industry. Mrs. May is responsible for creating and implementing marketing strategies, developing sales copy, liaising with company stakeholders, planning events, and managing the website and social media activity. She ensures brand consistency and promotes the company and its services, targeting the correct and appropriate audiences. Mrs. May graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies.

Ready to Be Valued? Join Our Team.

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Our team members share a consuming focus on water because they understand its importance and have discovered the joy of working in the industry. Water makes life itself possible, but life should be about more than just survival. The satisfaction of working in the water industry comes from freeing people to live their best lives and enabling businesses to pursue their core missions without ever again having to worry about water.

AUC’s mission attracts the right stuff. We are a diverse, extended family of like-minded individuals working together to treat wastewater and deliver safe, clean drinking water in order to make communities and environments livable. Many of our team members stay with us for a lifetime, sharing knowledge, growing together, and keeping each other on the road to excellence as they roll up their sleeves and get to work.