Thomas V. Cech has been the Executive Director of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District in Greeley since 1982. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Kearney State College, and a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level water resources courses at the University of Northern Colorado and at Colorado State University. He has been honoured with the Groundwater Advocate Award from the National Groundwater Association, the National Headgate Award from the Four-States Irrigation Council, the Groundwater Foundation's Edith Stevens Groundwater Education Award, and the Universities Council on Water Resources Award for Public Service in Water Resources.