Published date: March 6, 2025
Past APWA President Eric Pethtel of Fishers, Indiana passed away February 16,2025. Eric started his career in public works with the City of Indianapolis in 1987. He then worked for the City of Fishers from 1991 until his retirement as Director of Public Works in 2025. Eric lead the public works department to become Indiana’s first and only American Public Works Association accredited agency. For many years he took part in a team that certified or recertified agencies throughout the country for Accreditation. Eric served as president of the Indiana Chapter from 2019 to 2020 and served as a member since July of 2007. He served on multiple board positions throughout his tenure. During the 2025 Fishers State of City address, Mayor Scott Fadness honored Eric’s 34 years of public service by renaming the DPW facility on Allisonville Road to the Eric B. Pethtel Public Works Complex.
“Eric’s dedication to APWA through the years helped shape the City of Fishers Public Works Division. He continually reinforced the value of APWA to his community, and professional development for his staff. Eric is one of few Public Works Directors in the nation to obtain his PWLF Certification (Public Works Leadership Fellow). We not only lost a valued colleague within the state of Indiana, but nationally with his dedication and network of friends in the Public Works field.” – Kyle Winling, Indiana Chapter Past President
“Eric served as the Chair of the APWA Indiana Snow Conference Committee that brought the Snow Conference to Indianapolis in 2018. Eric was the driving force behind our Chapter going after and being awarded the 2018 snow conference. His tireless efforts made the event very successful for all of those who participated in the event. We would never have pulled it off without him. Eric spent countless hours rebuilding a positive relationship between the Indiana chapter and APWA National. He always had the chapter in mind and wanted to build into something greater. He was the type of guy who talk public works or any topic with anyone at a conference or event.
Eric worked tirelessly for the City of Fishers, APWA National, and the local APWA Indiana Chapter. I got him involved through the education committee and kept convincing him to take on more and more every year. Eventually we convinced ourselves to host a snow conference in Indiana that would not have happened without him. In getting to know him over the years be became a true friend that you call on for anything. He would talk to anyone about Public Works and his time in Fishers especially if you bought him a PBR.” – Jamie Stetzel, Indiana Chapter Past President