Meet the Team
With over 100 years of combined experience, we've got a well-seasoned team at the helm.
Nic Sneed
President
Joe Wenn
Sales Manager
Brandon Palmer
Field Operations Manager
Maggie Sneed
Business Manager
Larry McCarthy
Engineer Manager
Christina Schaffer
Administrative Assistant
Chris Dranka
Office Manager
Dwayne Thies
Sales Engineer
Cody Schwolow
Shipping & Receiving
Our Approach
In 1969 the water treatment industry was in its infancy. Two chemists believing that they could supply superior service with client specific products, began Industrial Water Management, IWM Corporation, in a facility about the size of a single car garage.
The chemists developed products with simple to follow “recipes.” Friends and neighbors pitched in to help manufacture the products. In that simpler time, with Rockford, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the primary markets, the “shipping department” consisted of the salesmen’s automobiles. Invoicing and payroll, both done manually, were the tasks of family members.
From the beginning, IWM’s philosophy was that equipment upgrades were always preferable to adding more chemicals when helping clients improve their operations. IWM was an early leader as a supplier and manufacturer of water treatment equipment. Beginning with simple filtration, gradually, IWM’s water treatment solutions have grown to include water softeners, dealkalizers, reverse osmosis, electrodeionization (EDI), and non-chemical treatment systems.
From our humble origins in 1969, continuous growth has necessitated several moves to larger and more suitable spaces. IWM’s current location in Elgin, Illinois has been home to the company since 1978. It has been renovated numerous times to ensure that we are able to continue to meet the needs of our clients.
In 1991 new ownership took over from the company founders in a seamless transition. IWM is proud to maintain a knowledgeable and experienced field staff of water treatment specialists. Veterans of over twenty-five years are joined by other field staff, each with over 10 years with the company. Each specialist, when first hired, works in production for up to 6 months before going into the field. A water treatment specialist with hands-on experience in manufacturing better knows how, where, and why to apply a specific product. All of our field staff are very well trained in the use and repair of the equipment in our product line. Each specialist is responsible for servicing any equipment he or she sells.
In 1995, IWM Corporation initiated a program of “pump-in” deliveries to our largest water treatment clients. We pump our products into onsite storage facilities. The pump-in service includes monitoring of treatment stock by the client’s IWM water treatment specialist. The client never runs out of material and doesn’t have to worry about stock levels or ordering. IWM arranges deliveries in an organized manner affording savings in manpower and fuel. Within 18 months, the program was so successful that IWM applied it to moderate-sized clients, too.
In 2000, IWM Corporation developed a full service and treatment program. All chemical treatments, field services, lab services, test materials, and delivery charges were invoiced monthly based on a contract of an annual fee determined by the specific client’s needs. The advantage to the client’s accounts payable department is that it can budget precisely and avoid large periodic/seasonal invoices.
Nearly 50 years after IWM Corporation began, our unwavering commitment to innovation, rigorous scientific principles, and sound engineering practices continue to guide IWM’s mission today and into the future.