Adam Rix ’98

DEGREES: B.A., political science; J.D., international water law (University of Denver); M.A., international development (University of Denver)

JOB TITLE: Founder, managing partner, TurningPoint Capital Partners; founder and president of Watermark Initiative, LLC; author of Hydro Perspective; vice chair of the board of directors of Compatible Technology International; member of the Council on Foreign Relations (MN chapter).

FAVORITE TRINITY MEMORY: Serving as an academic mentor during my senior year. I was stationed in North Campus, where I was assigned to a first-year seminar and oversaw 20 students. I was able to serve as a sounding board, teacher, and mentor to these students, and get a second opportunity to see through the eyes of an 18 or 19-year-old what it was like to be opened up to all of the new experiences that college had to offer.

REPORTER: What are Watermark Initiative and TurningPoint?
RIX: Watermark is a water project and policy consulting firm that I started in 2002 in my basement in Denver, Colorado. Most of our clients early on were located in Africa and Asia. We built up a pool of experts around the world —everyone from engineers to anthropologists —who serve as international consultants on water projects. These “hydro diplomats” understand a wide range of subject matter and have the capacity to be sensitive to multiple stakeholder groups and understand the needs of different cultures. My experience with Watermark Initiative made me realize that we were merely recommending a particular product, system, or service that could be implemented in a project, but that over time I could accomplish more as a catalyst for change if I became an investor in water technologies. Because of this, TurningPoint was launched about two years ago to focus on the critical gaps that we saw in the water industry between the investment community and the innovation needed to address worldwide water issues. We hunt for innovations in the water sector and identify companies that would benefit from our funding, networking, and “nurturing” resources.

REPORTER: What do you see as important areas in which to invest, both locally and globally?
RIX: The United States has critical challenges with regard to our infrastructure for the delivery of clean water and processing wastewater. Numerous municipalities still use a Roman-era system of central processing and distribution points serving residential, commercial, and industrial water users. This system wastes a lot of energy and takes a lot of raw materials to build and maintain. Our methods of water distribution and wastewater collection have been exported to the mega cities of the developing world. We see the same problems in places like Rio de Janeiro or Jakarta as we have in Detroit and Philadelphia. Addressing infrastructure sustainability and security in these urban areas should be a high priority, and it would be wise for us to adopt technologies that are compatible and appropriate with urban growth. At the same time, there simply isn’t enough water to meet the demands of agriculture and other industries in developing nations. Economic growth in Africa and Asia is highly reliant on mining and extractive industries, and in these places clean drinking water is going to uranium, copper, and gold mining before it goes to growing food or to cities for people to drink. Because of this, we are at a turning point where people must prioritize what uses of water are critical and take advantage of the water-quality and water-quantity innovations that are available to help meet demand.

REPORTER: Can you explain the Hydro Perspective?
RIX: The origins of the Hydro Perspective go all the way back to my days at Trinity. It is basically a research analysis tool used by consultants to assess water issues. When I was a student at Trinity, I was exposed to the idea of interconnected systems through courses in political science and cultural studies. Being a student of systems, I started to look at water and water conservation from more than just a scientifi c or legislative angle, but by systematically assessing political, social, economic, and cultural capital within a water project. This four-tiered perspective on water resources and development has added value to international and domestic projects, by providing solutions to water issues related to food, security, energy, and economic growth.

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