People of Xylem: Veterans leading with mission focus to protect communities during water emergencies

Solving complex water challenges like flooding from a natural disaster requires teamwork, fast action, and an unwavering focus on protecting communities. For Ken Albaugh, Senior Director of Sales and Services, Xylem WSS, and former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, those values are second nature. He has built a strong mission-driven team that includes several fellow military veterans, who bring the same sense of purpose to their work every day.

As Xylem observes Veterans Day 2025 in the United States, Ken and his colleagues reflect on how the skills they developed through military service, such as leadership, teamwork, adaptability and mission focus, strengthen their work in dewatering. Together, they act quickly to help customers overcome flooding challenges and protect the communities they serve.

Ken Albaugh, Senior Director of Sales and Services, Dewatering
Antioch, Tennessee

What skills and lessons from your military service have been most valuable in your role at Xylem?

I completed my service with the U.S. Marine Corps more than 30 years ago, and I still draw on those lessons every day. The most valuable skill I gained was how to work effectively as part of a team, bringing together people from different backgrounds to achieve a shared mission.

One of the great things about Xylem is that our people come from all across the globe, but we’re all working towards the same goal: to solve water, whether that’s reducing water scarcity, making communities and businesses more resilient to flooding and severe weather, or making water more efficient and affordable – we’re all focused on delivering impact together.

Working in dewatering often means responding to urgent or high-pressure situations. How did your military experience prepare you for that?

From the very first day of boot camp, you learn how to deal with stress – how to analyze, take action and problem solve in intense conditions. The military teaches you how to push your limits, both physically and mentally. You learn that you’re capable of far more than you think.

That experience directly translates to our work in dewatering. We often respond to emergencies – a hurricane approaching, a major water main break, or a flood that’s threatening homes and businesses. In those moments, our customers are counting on us to act fast. My military background helps me and my veteran colleagues execute calmly under pressure. As one of my colleagues and fellow veterans, Joe Herbst, Director, Sales & Services, says, “It's always a good feeling when your customers count on you to solve their water problems.”

Hurricane Helene Spotlight: 

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene caused significant damage to communities in North Carolina. Xylem responded by providing three Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) solutions to an emergency filtration system created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The system removed sedimentation caused by the storm from the source water for the city of Asheville’s treatment plant in Black Mountain, N.C.

Xylem also delivered four additional DAF solutions to the city’s other treatment plant and delivered all the pumps, piping, and filter presses and provided many support functions. The job could have easily been a 12-to-18-month design and build project. But partnering with USACE and local water operators, Xylem had the DAF solutions installed and working in less than 50 days, providing urgent water treatment to a recovering community.

Do you think that the water sector offers a meaningful place for veterans to apply their skills and continue a mission of service?

Absolutely. The water sector, and Xylem specifically, is a great place for veterans to find purpose after military service. The work we do is fundamental to the communities we serve, and it offers the same sense of mission and teamwork that many veterans value.

At Xylem, there are countless examples of veterans who’ve transitioned into leadership roles and technical experts who continue to grow the business while building meaningful careers. Xylem invests in its people with training, educational support and mentoring, and fosters a culture where everyone can bring their unique strengths and have a voice. I tell my team that if you work hard and take care of your customers, there's plenty of opportunities to advance.

Laura Lowe, Service Center Manager
Carterville, Illinois

What skills and lessons from your military service have been most valuable in your role at Xylem?

There are many key skills from my military experience that apply to our dynamic work in dewatering: leadership and teamwork, discipline and decisiveness, adaptability and problem-solving. I was often in situations where quick thinking and clear communication were essential to mission success. That experience translates directly to solving urgent dewatering issues such as unexpected system failures, unforeseen changes in the application of information, availability of equipment – you name it!

Working in dewatering often means responding to urgent or high-pressure situations. How did your military experience prepare you for that?

One moment that stands out was an emergency response to severe flooding in a municipality, the worst we’d seen in over 15 years. The floodgates and river doors had to be quickly closed to prevent a major disaster. There was no time to wait for materials or equipment to arrive; we had to act fast. We rallied together, using what resources we had locally and coordinating regional assets to mount a swift response. Over 15 of our pumps were deployed, working in challenging cold, wet conditions to set up the complex systems with hoses and equipment needed to manage the crisis safely and effectively, all without a single injury.

Do you think that the water sector offers a meaningful place for veterans to apply their skills and continue a mission of service?

Absolutely. The water sector offers a powerful way for veterans to apply their skills – leadership, discipline, strategic thinking, and resilience – while continuing a mission of service that benefits communities. Many of the challenges in this sector mirror military scenarios; working in water is a sector where veterans can make a lasting impact.

Seth Morris, Regional Director, Sales & Services
Albany, New York

What skills and lessons from your military service have been most valuable in your role at Xylem?

Surrounding yourself with good people and a solid team is a recipe for success in any role. I was put into a leadership position early as a junior military officer in the U.S. Air Force. I quickly learned the value of listening to the experiences and opinions of senior enlisted members. Leadership isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about knowing where to go for answers and being willing to ask for help. That mindset has served me well at Xylem, where teamwork and trust are essential to solving challenges for our customers.

Can you share a time when you or your team helped a customer in an urgent or high-pressure situation?

In late summer 2018, we experienced a flash thunderstorm in Albany, NY. The surge of stormwater caused a 60-inch combined brick sewer line to collapse in the city, creating a sink hole in the middle of a busy street. Within 24 hours, Xylem’s dewatering team mobilized two 18’ and 12’ pumps and a regional setup crew to work alongside local utility workers. Together we engineered a bypass system that redirected the flow so the city could safely repair the pipe. The fast response was a testament to the expertise and agility of the utility team and Xylem’s dewatering team, and how well we worked together.

Do you think that the water sector offers a meaningful place for veterans to apply their skills and continue a mission of service?

Without question. Maintaining critical infrastructure requires quick decision-making, adaptability and teamwork, skills that also define military service. The water sector offers the opportunity for veterans to apply their skills and experience to work that directly benefits people and communities.

Applying mission focus to solving critical water challenges

Together, Ken, Laura, and Seth exemplify how veterans bring leadership, teamwork, and mission focus to Xylem’s dewatering teams – helping communities respond quickly to flooding and other water emergencies. As Xylem celebrates Veterans Day, their stories highlight the meaningful impact veterans continue to make in protecting people and solving critical water challenges. Their experiences also reflect Xylem’s commitment to inclusion and belonging, fostering a culture where different perspectives and life experiences strengthen our collective impact.