For this Tartan Spotlight, Sinclair alumni Danny Knife has a record of accomplishments. Sinclair was always a school that perfectly fit Knife’s needs.
‘Mainly as an adult student, the flexibility of the online classes and living in Montgomery County were big things to me, but with having kids, the online class they offered towards my program was a big part of it,’’ said Knife, General Manager of Tri-Cities North Regional Wastewater Authority.
When he first attended Sinclair, Knife knew exactly what he was going to major in.
‘‘Because I started at Sinclair when I was in my thirties, I knew exactly what I was going to do. I had already started my career; I just need the schooling to advance,” said Knife.
According to his former communications instructor April Schmidlapp, he was an effective public speaker, but Knife said he still had more to learn.
‘‘I knew I was good at public speaking; I took the class because it was a requirement, but it really helped me dial in my skill. I’ve used it a lot since I took the class,’’ said Knife. ‘’In terms of how I felt, I was really nervous taking a public speaking class.’’
When you look at his LinkedIn, most of his experiences involve city work.
‘‘To be honest, I was young, I was in my early twenties, and I was just looking for a direction. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my life, so I landed in water and waste, water and treatment, and what I found was there’s just a myriad of opportunities in public utilities. I just really carved my own path through state certifications and now with my degree that I’m going to get this semester at Sinclair,’’ said Knife. ‘‘So, I really enjoyed public utilities, I enjoy serving the public, and we really have a lot to offer in water treatment. There are essential services everyone uses.’’
When it comes to working for Tri-Cities, Knife has reason to keep working there.
‘‘I had worked for Tri-Cities early in my career as I was climbing the ladder, and when the general manager position came open it drew me back,’’ said Knife. ‘‘I loved working here and I was drawn to come back and lead this facility. It’s close to home and I live in the community, so I kind of have some skin in the game, but I was just drawn back here because I love the facility.’’
Serving the public and making a difference is something that Knife enjoys about his career.
‘‘What I like most is serving the public, making a difference, and helping provide essential services to our communities,” said Knife.
Recently, Gov. Mike Dewine came to Vandalia to thank Knife. His initial response was shock and excitement.
‘‘When his office called me, I was shocked. I was proud and I was excited and it was a career moment I’ll never forget,’’ said Knife. “I thanked the governor, I told him that this was the day I get to tell my grandkids about someday when I’m an old man.”
Knife had some advice for Sinclair students on how to be successful after graduation.
‘‘You have to do the hard work, you have to stay motivated, and you have to concentrate on your goals,” said Knife.
He said what he liked most about Sinclair was, ‘‘The flexibility of the online schedules that they offer. The array of degree programs and all of the assistance that Sinclair offers. They’ve done a great job through the pandemic staying in touch with the students. The communication at Sinclair is phenomenal.”
During the pandemic, Knife operated as usual.
‘‘In public utilities nothing changed, we showed up every day. We have to provide water, electricity and gas and things never stopped, so for me, nothing changed. I showed up to work every day to make sure those utilities were still provided to our communities,’’ said Knife. ‘‘We did stagger our work staff in-and-out a little bit more. We started the social distancing and masks. Other than that in terms of public utilities, nothing changed.’’
Knife graduated from Sinclair in 2021.
Jamario Brown-Tolliver
Intern