Nancy Cormier retirement spurs employee-owner promotions in the Helena Water-Wastewater Market Group
Morrison-Maierle is pleased to announce that Jeff Ashley, PE, is the new Helena Operations Manager. He succeeds Nancy Cormier who recently retired after 20 years with the company. In his new position, Jeff will oversee all aspects and employee-owners of the Helena, Great Falls, and Spokane offices.

Nancy came to Morrison-Maierle in 2000 and progressed from a design engineer to the office’s Operations Manager. Like Jeff, Nancy is a civil engineer in the Water-Wastewater Market Group, who specialized in facility planning and design. In addition to managing all operational aspects of the Helena office, Nancy’s career included the design of water and wastewater treatment facilities, wastewater collection systems, water and wastewater pumping stations, and water distribution systems. She also specialized in pipeline and open channel hydraulics, surge analysis and design of storm drainage systems for a wide variety of clients throughout the West.
Involved in many professional and civic organizations, Nancy received the AWWA Montana Section’s George Warren Fuller Award in 2014.
Jeff Ashley Moves Into New Role
Jeff joined Morrison-Maierle in Helena in 2004 as a design engineer. Since 2014, he has served as the Water-Wastewater Helena Market Group Office Leader. He specializes in planning and design of municipal water treatment and municipal wastewater treatment facilities and has focused his career primarily on water treatment solutions for several communities along Montana’s Hi-Line, in tribal communities in Montana and South Dakota, and the Bozeman area.
Active in several professional organizations and leadership efforts, Jeff has served in multiple board roles on the Montana Section of American Water Works Association (AWWA), including Chair in 2017-18. Currently, he is serving as a member of the National AWWA Water Treatment Facilities Design and Construction Committee. Like Nancy, he received the AWWA Montana Section’s George Warren Fuller Award in 2018.
Eric Blanksma Takes On New Duties
With Jeff’s promotion to Operations Manager, Eric Blanksma has been selected as the new Helena WWW Market Group Office Leader. He began his career with Morrison-Maierle in 2002.

Initially hired as a Development Market Group employee-owner, he worked on projects around Bozeman, Four Corners, and Big Sky. In 2008, he transitioned to water-wastewater work and worked very closely with Nancy, Jeff, and other several Helena and Great Falls staff on various projects.
In 2015, Eric transferred to the Helena office and he has been an integral part of the water-wastewater group ever since.