Gary Hopkins

"We are a blue company with one clear purpose:
clean water now and for the future."

Gary Hopkins

Gary Hopkins is co-founder and President of Storm Water Systems, Inc. Gary’s background is as a project manager, materials and applications specialist, and entrepreneur in the thermoplastics fabrication and welding industry, where HDPE and other thermoplastics are commonly used to contain and isolate pollutants from the environment.

Both Gary and Mark Kirves, his business partner and friend, are long-time outdoor enthusiasts who found their path to improve the environment through their business acumen and dedication to securing clean water now. In 2006, Gary and Mark created Storm Water Systems in response to the growing problem of surface water impairment. Storm Water Systems offers practical products to remove pollutants and litter from stormwater runoff and natural waterways.

Gary’s journey to Storm Water Systems began shortly after college at the University of Georgia when he joined Spirolite Corporation/Chevron Chemical. For more than 10 years, he was responsible for providing on-site project management and customer service for a manufacturer of large diameter HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) piping and piping components. It was with this position that Gary learned the skills that would one day allow him to combine his technical expertise and underlying passion for the environment to truly make a difference in the world.

Before founding Storm Water Systems, Gary and Mark founded Plastek Werks, Inc., a privately held plastic fabrication company specializing in environmental products and services. Gary is a dedicated member of AWS (American Welding Society) and holds the positions of Chairman of the G-1-A Technical Subcommittee and Vice Chairman of the B2F subcommittee. He is also a member of NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers). He has had the privilege of authoring two NACE publications: “Applied Thermoplastic Welding for Corrosion Resistant Service,” (2001) and “Ongoing American Welding Society’s Plastic Welding Certification Program.” (2009)

Gary is the public face of Storm Water Systems at trade shows, with organizations and in the stormwater community. He routinely travels the U.S. and to “hotspots” such as California and Washington, DC to stay involved in and up-to-date on stormwater management issues. Gary has been a featured speaker for industry conferences including the Northeast Ohio Stormwater Conference and Urban Water Management Conference. He currently serves on a Headwaters Advisory Committee for Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.