Freese and Nichols Adds Water/Wastewater Treatment Leader in Oklahoma

TULSA, Okla. – Freese and Nichols, Inc., continues to strengthen its regional service offerings with the addition of Robert “Wick” Warden, PE, to lead water/wastewater treatment in our Tulsa office. His role will include the growth, development and project leadership for our treatment practice in the Oklahoma and Arkansas markets.

Warden has more than 15 years of experience as a designer and process engineer. He spent three years with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Financial Assistance Division as an engineer for the board’s grant and loan programs. He also has worked on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Warden grew up in Louisiana near the Arkansas state line and frequently traveled to Oklahoma to visit family. After attending both Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma, he started his career in the state, working on projects for Oklahoma City, Lawton, Edmond, Durant, Stillwater, and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

His experience extends to projects for public and private clients in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee and other states. He has led multidiscipline teams in the development, design, and management of water purification and resource recovery projects in small and large-scale facilities. His skills include client service, business development, biosolids, and residuals handling, advanced treatment process design, plant hydraulics, pump station analysis/design, sanitary sewer evaluations, energy management/optimization, cost estimation, financial assistance, and construction management.

“Wick is a great fit for our team, and he’ll help us bring local service in the water and wastewater treatment area to clients in the Oklahoma/Arkansas region,” said David Jackson, PE, Freese and Nichols’ Treatment Practice Leader. “He has deep connections in Oklahoma and familiarity with many of our current clients, plus a wide range of design and management experience.”

Warden is licensed as a Professional Engineer in Oklahoma, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, and Arkansas. He has master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Oklahoma State University and is working on a Doctor of Philosophy in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at OSU.

He is active in water policy on a national level, serving on the Water Environment Federation’s Municipal Resource Recovery Design Committee and Residuals and Biosolids Committees. He also is a member of the Water Environment Federation Water Leadership Institute, Class of 2019.