Edmond, Oklahoma’s Public Works Director, Herb Blomquist ’78, was recently awarded the American Public Works Association (APWA) Public Works Executive (PWE) credential. The PWE credential is the third highest level of APWA’s Donald C. Stone Center for Leadership Excellence. Blomquist is the third public works professional to receive the PWE credential among 47 public works professionals from across North America who have participated in the APWA Public Works Executive program.
As Edmond’s Public Works Director, Blomquist leads, directs and manages a 130 person Public Works Department, and participates on the city’s management team in the development of a strategic plan and other policy processes. He is also responsible for planning, training, operations, and administration of the department including managing a budget in excess of $10 million and an equipment fleet of over 450 vehicles for the city of almost 85,000 citizens.
Blomquist’s career includes 13 years of experience in the public works profession, part of which included his service as the Public Works Director in Watertown, South Dakota for eight years. He also has nearly 20 years of experience in the United States Army as an Army Officer, where he served in various positions of increasing responsibility at both command and staff level. Blomquist earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the United States Military Academy in 1978; a Master’s in Business Administration from Oklahoma City University in 1991; and a Master’s in Public Administration from Norwich University in 2012.