This week on the Empowering Industry Podcast, Charli sits down with Walt Erndt (Vice President of Sales, EBARA HG and EBARA Mixers) for practical advice and real solutions for the pump community. Walt shares why pumps are “sometimes the unsung hero because they a lot of times are underground,” and how that reality shapes reliability, staffing, and innovation across critical sectors.
In this conversation, Walt traces his path from controls to pumps, shares how EBARA HG and the Hayward Gordon, Sharpe, and Scott mixer brands tackle bigger customer challenges, and explains why electrical and mechanical fluency now go together. He offers career guidance on training, mentorship, and getting involved with groups like Empowering Pumps, SWPA, WEIMA, and Hydraulic Institute, and reflects on why events like WEFTEC feel like a homecoming for the industry.
Guest bio
Walt Erndt is Vice President of Sales for EBARA HG and EBARA Mixers. He has more than 30 years in the wastewater industry, holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Franklin University, and completed post-graduate studies at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Before EBARA, Walt served in engineering and leadership roles at Pentair Pump Group, Environment One Corporation, and Crane Pumps & Systems. He is a past President of the Submersible Wastewater Pump Association and remains active in serving the pump and mixing community.
Learn more about EBARA HG: https://ebarahg.com/
EBARA: https://www.pumpsebara.com/