Bush Appoints New IBWC Commissioner

President George W. Bush has appointed C.W. (Bill) Ruth to serve as U.S. commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC). Ruth was sworn in and assumed duties on Monday, IBWC officials said.

Ruth replaces Carlos Marin, who was killed in a small plane crash in September near Presidio, Texas.

Ruth worked for the U.S. IBWC for 25 years before retiring in 1998. Heheld the position of principal engineer of the special projects department and also held various othermanagement positions.

In these roles, he gained experience working with the agency’s flood control projects, international storage dams, hydroelectric power plants and international wastewater treatment plants, according to a news release.

In November 2002, Ruth was appointed as chairman and U.S. representative of the Rio Grande Compact Commission.

Ruth is a native of La Feria, Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. He received his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Texas Tech University in 1959 and is a registered professional engineer with the state of Texas.