Our Core Purpose

To Help Facility Managers optimize the total cost of their water systems by improving safety and efficiency.

Integrity. Innovation. Independence. Market Leadership.

Who We Are

Phigenics was founded in 2004 by Ashton McCombs, Dr. William McCoy and Jay Reading with the vision of "Optimizing operational efficiency and improving safety in building water systems to produce balanced systems that save money and enhance the quality of life."

The three founders left the water treatment industry and started Phigenics as an INDEPENDENT and innovative company that helps facility owners and managers develop and implement comprehensive water management programs.

Phigenics also provides independent verification and validation services to ensure programs are safe, efficient, and defensible while optimizing operational (water, chemical, energy) and capital costs.

The company is the leading independent provider of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-aligned and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) S&C 17-30-aligned water management programs.

Clients such as Atrium Health, Walmart, Mandarin Oriental, University of Calgary and Veterans Health Administration trust Phigenics to help keep their water and energy costs down and their patients and customers safe. Phigenics has industry-leading experts and provides Legionella Testing Services, with clients in all 50 states. Download our Company Brochure.

Industries we serve

Healthcare Icon-1 - v2
Healthcare
(Hospitals and Long-term care)
icon-government
Government
icon-education
Education
Hospitality Icon - v2
Hospitality
icon-manufacturing
Manufacturing
icon-food
Food & Beverage
icon-retail
Retail

Our Team

Founders
Ashton McCombs
Founder - In Memoriam
Dr. William McCoy
Chief Technology Officer

Tenure with Phigenics

Co-founded Phigenics in 2004.

Prior Experience

Prior to Phigenics, 20 years in commercial development, management of technology, intellectual property development and R&D for large multi-national corporations (Rohm and Haas Co., Great Lakes Chemical Company and Nalco Chemical Company).

The International Water Association published Bill's full-length book entitled Preventing Legionellosis in 2005.

Published 26 patents, 3 patent applications (pending), 8 book chapters and over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Calgary
  • M.Sc. from the University of Hawaii
  • Executive Management Education from the University of Michigan
  • Two undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and Microbiology from California State University, Long Beach

Affiliations and Certifications

  • Non-Transient, Non-Community Public Water Supply Operator, IDPH I.D. #11890
  • Member (appointed) to World Health Organization committee to write a global guideline entitled Legionella and the Prevention of Legionellosis, Published 2007.
  • Board of Directors, ALDA Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Symposium Chairman (appointed) of National Association of Corrosion Engineers, for the 1997 meeting of T-7A-16 (Application/Misapplication of Biocides).
  • Chairman (elected), Technical Advisory Committee, Engineering Research Center, National Science Foundation, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, 1992-1994. Directed activities of the Advisory Board, especially in strategic planning.
  • Chairman (appointed), Joint Task Group, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 17th ed., Section 9216, Direct Total Count by Epifluorescence Microscopy. 1990. Led the group that wrote a method that has now been adopted as a standard.
  • Vice-Chairman (elected), National Association of Corrosion Engineers, Work Group T-7A-16c: Biocide Effectiveness Monitoring in Cooling Water Systems.
  • Editor (invited). Member of the Board of Editors for the research and review journal International Biodeterioration, covering the fields of biodeterioration control and biodegradation-biotechnology, 1989-1991.

Analytical Laboratory Certifications

  • USEPA: National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, Registry No. 17595
  • CDC: Environmental Legionella Isolation Technique Evaluation (ELITE) program, Certified 1/16/09
  • Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE), Indoor Air Quality Association, 2004
  • Certified HACCP Manager, NSF International and Experior, 2005

Awards

  • Suez Trophy of Merit (the highest innovation award given by the group), Brussels, December 2002
  • 2002 Grand Prize Management Innovation Trophy, Suez Group, Brussels, December 2002
  • Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Management and Science, International Water Association, Berlin, 2001
  • Inventor of the Year Award, The Intellectual Property Law Association, Chicago, May 2001
  • 2000 Grand Prize Technical Innovation Trophy, Suez Group, Paris, December 2000
  • Governor’s Pollution Prevention Award, The State of Illinois, 1999
  • R&D 100 Award, Research and Development Magazine, 1998, 40(10):140
  • Rohm and Haas Computer Applications Research Award, November 1986
  • Rohm and Haas Performance Merit Award, January 1986
  • Environmental Protection Agency Post-Doctoral Fellowship, 1982-1984
  • NOVA Foundation Scholar, Full Graduate Research Scholarship, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1981
Jay Reading
Chief Sales Officer

Tenure with Phigenics

Co-founder of Phigenics. 

Prior Experience

Jay has over 25 years of water treatment experience in a variety of positions. The first 20 years were spent at Nalco Chemical Company in progressive areas of increased responsibility: Sales Representative, Account Manager, Area Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager and General Manager. Specific areas of focus were the light industrial and institutional water treatment marketplaces. Jay has an extensive background in the following areas:

  • Cogeneration
  • Chill Water Storage
  • High Purity Water
  • Steam Generation
  • Waste Treatment
  • HVAC and Process Cooling
  • Potable Water Treatment (Scale/Corrosion Control, Secondary Disinfection)
  • Facility Water Hygiene
  • Chemical and Non-Chemical Water Treatment Strategies

Over the last four years, Jay has focused on helping facilities lower the cost to process water and improve water safety in facilities in the institutional, food and beverage, light industrial, retail and university markets from an independent perspective. The above goals are accomplished by building facility water management programs that take full advantage of in-place equipment, readily available (proven) technologies and existing facility personnel resources.

Clients with Water Management Programs utilizing Phigenics’ resources and Jay Reading’s leadership will see a 2-10% reduction in energy used to process water and a 20-50% reduction in water treatment expenses (water, chemical, sewer and operating expenses). In addition, Jay has been instrumental in building into Phigenics Water Management Programs a HACCP (Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Points) based water safety plan to prevent bacteria pathogens (Legionella, AFB, etc) from harming employees and customers.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, University of Washington
  • Suez Executive Leadership Program

Affiliations and Certifications

  • Certified HACCP Manager
  • Certified Indoor Environmentalist
  • Life Loyal Sigma Chi

Awards

  • District Manager of the Year, Nalco Chemical Company, 1992 and 1997
  • General Manager Leadership Award, Nalco Chemical Company, 1995
Leadership Team
Missy Cain
VP of Technology

Tenure with Phigenics

Melissa (Missy) joined Phigenics in 2006 as a Market Specialist and Principal. From 2007-2009, Missy was the Market Development Manager, serving healthcare and university clients while also providing marketing and technical support to Phigenics.
Missy has served Midwestern clients as a Regional Manager since 2010. She facilitates Comprehensive Water Management Programs (WMP) that help corporate and site-level organizations optimize the total cost of their water systems by improving safety and efficiency.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining Phigenics, Missy spent five years in the healthcare industry with Abbott Laboratories’ Diagnostics Division. As a Senior Scientist, her scope of work focused on resolving technical issues, implementing cost improvements and utilizing statistical process control to drive results.

Education

  • Bachelors of Science (B.S.), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2000

Affiliations and Certifications

  • Non-Transient, Non-Community Public Water Supply Operator, IDPH, I.D. #15008
  • Certified HACCP Manager
  • Member, American Hospital Engineers Society (ASHE)
  • Member, Association of Professionals in Infection Control (APIC)
  • Member, Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)
  • Member, Practice GreenHealth
  • UW Alumni Association Member
Michael Doyle
VP of Higher Education and Government Sales
Brian Flannigan
Sr. VP of Marketing

Tenure with Phigenics

Brian joined Phigenics in 2014 as Vice President of Business Development and Principal.

Prior Experience

Brian has over 34 years of experience working in the industrial water treatment and environmental management areas. He has worked extensively in water treatment chemical program design and modeling for boiler, cooling water and wastewater treatment plants in the mining, steel, power, automotive, chemical, refining and paper industries. He has also worked with light industrial customers in the food and beverage, semiconductor, plating, wood products and textile industries. Brian has held various executive leadership positions during his career and has been involved in supply chain, sales, marketing, engineering and general management activities.

Education

  • University of Pittsburgh, BS Chemistry

Affiliations and Certifications

  • HACCP Certified Manager
  • Suez Executive Leadership Program
Monica Keil
Sr. Marketing Director
Kristy Maher
Chief Financial Officer

Tenure with Phigenics

Kristy joined Phigenics in 2005 as an employee and Principal.

Prior Experience

Kristy started her career in the public accounting field and then moved into the solid waste industry. She has 23 years' experience in financial analysis and reporting, with industry experience in the waste, trucking and manufacturing fields.

Education

  • Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting from University of Texas Arlington

Affiliations and Certifications

  • Illinois CPA Society
  • Certified HACCP Manager – 2006
  • Various community involvements, including STC Kick-A-Thon, Tri-Cities Family Services, Living Well Center, Salvation Army, CUSD #303 PTA board member, and St John Neumann Church
Brandt Moffatt
VP of Sales
Joseph Peters
VP of Sales
James Schafer
Sr. Director of Human Resources
Kellen Utecht
Sr. Marketing Director
Sales Leadership
Josh Aslanian
Regional Manager - Northeast
Bill Bluethmann
Regional Manager - Great Lakes
Marty Detmer
VP of Corporate Sales

Tenure with Phigenics

Marty joined Phigenics in 2005 as the first employee and a Principal.

Prior Experience

Marty has over 35 years of healthcare and project management experience in roles ranging from sales to Area Vice President. Prior to Phigenics, Marty implemented projects and managed project management teams. Throughout his career, these projects delivered necessary change to the healthcare industry; with Phigenics, Marty has continued to deliver results of safe and cost-efficient Water Management Programs.

Education

  • Executive Management Program, University of Chicago
  • Masters in Administration, Loyola University of Chicago
  • Bachelors of Arts, University of Notre Dame

Affiliations and Certifications

  • Non-Transient, Non-Community Public Water Supply Operator, IDPH, I.D. #15065
  • Certified NSF International and HACCP Manager for Building Water Systems
  • Member, Healthcare Engineer Society of Northern Illinois (HESNI)
  • Member, Assoc. for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
  • Member, Football Monogram Club, University of Notre Dame
  • Volunteer, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
  • Past President, Glenbard West High School Boosters
Margaret Jasinski
Regional Manager - Florida
Leslie Savoie
Regional Manager - Midwest
Adam Thornton
Regional Manager - Midsouth
Scott Whipp
Regional Manager - Southeast

Tenure with Phigenics

Scott joined Phigenics in July 2012; he is a Regional Manager serving clients in the Southeast.

Prior Experience

Scott has worked in the water management/treatment field since leaving the U.S. Army in 1991. During his five years with the military, he worked in numerous capacities, including serving as an Assistant Basketball Coach for West Point. After serving in combat during the Gulf War, Scott decided to leave the military and joined Nalco Chemical Company. His 21-year career with Nalco includes 12 years in the Environmental Hygiene Group. This particular business group focused on helping clients to reduce risk in water and air applications. He was part of the initial group that started and developed this business segment for North America.

During the past two decades, Scott has served clients in numerous markets:

  • Healthcare
  • Higher Education (including K-12)
  • Commercial Real Estate
  • Power & Energy
  • Food & Beverage
  • Manufacturing
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Light Industrial
  • Automotive
  • Hospitality
  • Paper

Education

  • B.S. Industrial Engineering, West Point, 1988

Affiliations and Certifications

  • Certified HACCP Manager
Erika Wilson
Regional Manager - Big Sky
Brooke Winter
Regional Manager - Pacific
Technology Leadership
Lesley Leonidas
PASL Director
Megan Schifer
Director of Support Services
Molly Scanlon, PhD
Director of Standards, Compliance & Research
Why the name Phigenics?

The meaning of the word “Phigenics” relates to the Founders’ vision: Optimizing operational efficiency and improving safety in building water systems to produce balanced systems that save money and enhance the quality of life.

The word “Phigenics” is a combinational play on the word “phi” (we also use the symbol for phi, φ, in our logo) and the suffix “-genics”. φ refers to an optimized system in which components are continuously in balance. Discovered by ancient Greek mathematicians, this ratio, φ, shows up in an array of balanced systems and has been called “The Golden Mean” or “The Divine Proportion”. An interesting aspect of φ is its relation to probability and risk. The Italian mathematician, Fibonacci, first described the predictive value of numbers in his famous Fibonacci series, which approaches the numerical value of φ. His work established the basis for what has become the science of risk analysis and risk management.

The suffix “-genics” means “producing, forming or causing to produce or form”. For example, biogenic means “produced from a biological source” and pathogenic refers to something that produces disease.

Thus, Phigenics is about using the predictive power of risk management processes to produce for our clients balanced systems that optimize safety and operational efficiency.

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