Nick Winter, Massachusetts
While serving as chair of what was then the New England Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NEFSMA), Nick Winter would quip; “I don’t even know what it is you people do (referring to the planners and engineers at the table). All I know is that when the water gets to a certain level, I turn the pumps on.” He especially liked saying this at meetings being held at the Charles River Dam in Boston where he served as the Director of Flood Control for the Metropolitan District Commission. Nick was the person who prevented the Charles River from overtopping its banks between Boston and Cambridge during flood events.
Nick would stay at the Charles River Dam on Fourth of July weekends, sleeping on a cot, in order to make sure that hundreds of boats passed safely through the dam into and out of Boston Harbor, as hundreds of boaters came to watch the concert and fireworks along the Esplanade.
While some of us are involved in floodplain and stormwater management, Nick truly was a hands-on floodplain manager. As Director of Flood Control at the MDC, he was responsible for preventing untold millions of dollars of flood damage from occurring in Boston and Cambridge for nearly 20 years.
Nick donated many hours of his time to NEFSMA, and served as chair from 1996-2000. It was under Nick’s leadership that NEFSMA grew in professional stature as he spearheaded efforts to become an effective non-profit organization. He made sure this was accomplished in record time. He also chaired NEFSMA during its two most successful, well-attended conferences ever.
Nick was treasurer of the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) for an unusual three years (2000-2003), as members asked him to serve another year after his term expired. During this time, he led the efforts to revise and update ASFPM financial processes and convinced the board to undertake a 5-year plan to increase dues in order to put the association on a sound financial footing. ASFPM board and leaders trusted Nick implicitly, knowing he had the interests of all our members as part of his vision.
In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Nick was also a devoted father and husband. He was active in his community and served as the town moderator for Bellingham, MA. Nick had also served his country in the military. He was a special person and was always fun to be with. He always made sure that we had a few laughs to go along with our hard work and showed us that true joy in life comes from serving others. Nick died much too young from heart issues in 2003.