The New Braunfels Utilities board of trustees honored professional engineer Roger R. Biggers, P.E., with the Robert H. Sohn, P.E., Public Service Award at its regular meeting Jan. 25. The award was created in honor of a former NBU general manager who served on the board of trustees after his retirement.

“Roger’s exceptional leadership, innovation and overall contribution to the success of New Braunfels and its citizens, as well as his commitment to improving quality of life and enhancing this community’s resources for the benefit of all, made him an ideal candidate to receive the Robert H. Sohn award,” NBU CEO Ian Taylor said in a statement.

Biggers will retire Jan. 31 after 34 years with NBU. He most recently served as the executive director of external affairs but spent much of his career serving as NBU’s executive director of water systems. He is credited with pioneering NBU’s first engineering divisions and participated in many programs to help develop critical water and wastewater plans.

Biggers is a member of the steering committee for the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Plan and serves on the advisory committee for the Headwaters at the Comal project.

The Robert H. Sohn, P.E., Public Service Award recognizes outstanding individuals who work tirelessly to ensure the best interests of the New Braunfels community are met. Sohn, who retired from the NBU board of trustees in 2007, was the first recipient of the award.

“[The award] was given with the utmost gratitude for [Biggers’] years of commitment and service. We are all truly grateful for the opportunity to work with someone of his integrity and abilities, and we wish him the very best for the future,” Taylor said.