Forty-five years of doing the unglamorous work well

Mike Sams co-founded the EMS Construction division in 2015, keeping installations, repairs and emergency work in-house.

His crews build and maintain the same systems EMS operates every day.

Mike and his wife Kim live in Mineral Bluff, Georgia.

Adela Gentry brings over two decades of hands-on experience in water and wastewater operations to her role as Vice President of Operations at EMS.

Her path to the industry was anything but conventional. Raised in rural Wisconsin by a father who worked as an aviation mechanic and beekeeper and a mother in banking and university administration, Adela grew up surrounded by animals and horses — an early education in patience and hard work that has stayed with her throughout her career.

After high school, she spent several years working around corporate aircraft in Milwaukee before becoming a flight attendant for Midwest Express. A move to Georgia in 1996 led her toward an unexpected new path. In 1999, she began her wastewater career at EGWSA, earning her Class III wastewater license and wastewater laboratory license. She joined EMS in 2001 as a laboratory analyst, rose to laboratory director by 2006 and has spent the years since deepening her expertise across operations, compliance and client service.

Adela lives in rural Fairmount, Georgia, with her husband, Tim, where they share their home with dogs, cats, horses and whatever animal in need finds its way to their door next.