Jaime J. Gallardo is the cofounder and executive president of the Venezuelan Association of the Ground Water Industry (Asociacion Venezolana de la Industria de las Aguas Subterraneas or AVIAS), a nonprofit, nongovernment association seeking to promote the sustainable use of groundwater, as well as serve as a meeting place for all those dedicated to the groundwater industry — businesses, public and private sectors, professionals, water well drillers, academics and researchers, engineers, geologists, and the like. In addition, Gallardo is an external consultant for groundwater projects. He has also worked at Hidraulica Tamanaco SA since 1984, a family business founded by his father, Eleuterio, in 1973, the first private business dedicated to the sale, repair, and maintenance of water pumps in Caracas. Gallardo has served as the vice president of the Venezuela Water Association (Asociacion Venezolana del Agua or AVEAGUA) and was involved with the local chapter of the Global Water Partnership. He was the editor of the Aguas para el Desarrollo (Waters for Development) journal and has collaborated on the Spanish editions of Water Well Journal®. Gallardo was of great assistance in the Ground Water for the Americas Summit held by NGWA in Panama in 2009, of which his company was a cosponsor. After earning his B.S. in engineering technology from Oklahoma State University, Gallardo went on to receive an environmental management specialization degree from the Universidad Metropolitan. He earned a Pleuger submersible traineeship in Madrid. Gallardo also went through an apprenticeship at Franklin Electric in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Wilburton, Oklahoma, and was named as their 1993 outstanding marketing award recipient.