CRAWFORDVILLE, FL, March 19, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Kenneth L. Busen with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Busen celebrates many years' experience in his professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Mr. Busen has distinguished himself over a career spanning more than five decades, most recently serving as an environmental administrator and professional geologist at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection since 2013. In this capacity, he plays a pivotal role in safeguarding Florida's groundwater, which supplies more than 85% of the state's drinking water.

Leading a team within the Petroleum Restoration Program, Mr. Busen oversees approximately 15 professional engineers, geologists and site managers. His responsibilities include managing and assessing the restoration of petroleum-contaminated sites throughout Florida, reviewing technical reports, recommending further assessments and determining optimal remediation strategies for soil, groundwater and surface water. Mr. Busen is recognized for his expertise in deploying advanced technologies, such as pump-and-treat systems, soil aeration and chemical injection, to degrade hydrocarbons, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes and naphthalenes. He is also responsible for protecting municipal well fields from contamination and mitigating threats to human health and the environment.

Before his tenure with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Mr. Busen contributed his expertise to the Northwest Florida Water Management District from 2010 to 2013. There, he was instrumental in regional water resource management initiatives and supporting water resource efforts for the Florida panhandle. Mr. Busen also spent over a decade as a consultant with Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Busen worked on landmark projects, such as the development of the LIP Financial gas terminal at Point Conception, California, in the 1970s. This $500 million liquefied natural gas terminal required extensive bathymetric surveys, seismic studies and fault investigations. Mr. Busen's work included collecting seismographs from around the world for comparative analysis of earthquake risks. This collection was later shared with Dr. Charles Richter at the California Institute of Technology.

Mr. Busen's professional journey began with four years of service as an airman in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1972 to 1976 during the Vietnam era. Drafted into service, he trained as a medic and laboratory technician while pursuing academic coursework through a local university program. This experience provided Mr. Busen with foundational skills in medical technology and instilled a disciplined approach that would inform his later scientific endeavors.

Mr. Busen's academic background is both broad and rigorous. His undergraduate studies began at Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University in East Lansing, where he graduated in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in marine zoology and a geology elective. While at Michigan State University, he was admitted to Lyman Briggs College based on exceptional placement test scores and served as the library and computer room director for two years. Mr. Busen then earned a bachelor's degree in geology in 1975 and a master's degree in geology in 1978 from Florida State University in Tallahassee.

In addition to his academic credentials, Mr. Busen holds several credentials unrelated to his field. He is a certified scuba diver, a licensed soccer coach with the National Soccer Club and the Florida Youth Soccer Association. He also holds a first-degree black belt from the American Korean Taekwondo Association.

Throughout his career, Mr. Busen has been an active member of several industry organizations, including the Association of Groundwater Scientists and Engineers, the National Ground Water Association, the Petroleum Equipment Institute, the Florida Ground Water Association (formerly Florida Water Well Association) and the Florida Native Plant Society Inc.

Mr. Busen has also made significant contributions outside his primary field through civic engagement and volunteerism. He is a member of the American Korean Taekwondo Association, has served on the board of directors for the parks and recreation department in Wakulla County, and has volunteered as a soccer coach at local recreation parks.

A prolific author, Mr. Busen has published at least 10 works related to geology and environmental science. Among other accomplishments, he recalls an incident while working for a civilian contractor on a U.S. Army base at Fort Benning, Georgia. Tasked with investigating potentially hazardous buried materials, including chemical warfare agents, he navigated life-threatening conditions when an unexpected release occurred during fieldwork. Mr. Busen's quick thinking ensured his safety amid chaos that led to base lockdowns and emergency response measures. Additionally, he oversaw a $200 million contract with the U.S. Navy in the late 1980s. As the technical director and project manager, he evaluated petroleum storage tanks at over 20 naval and marine facilities across the southeastern U.S., many dating back to World War I, and developed a comprehensive management plan to bring them into compliance with federal and state regulations. Mr. Busen identified more than 1,600 tanks, far exceeding initial estimates, and created the Tank Inventory Management System (TIMS), a database that became the standard for inventory management across all Navy facilities worldwide.

Looking ahead, Mr. Busen plans to transition from administrative duties into a senior technical role as a professional geologist within the state government, allowing him to focus on complex petroleum industry challenges where his expertise is frequently sought for immediate guidance on regulatory compliance and remediation strategies. Through decades of dedicated service across public agencies, private consulting firms and military assignments, he has established himself as an authority whose influence endures through both policy innovation and practical solutions that continue to shape environmental stewardship throughout Florida and beyond.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

# # #