Keith Smithyman is President and Founder of MicroLife Management Environmental Consultants located in Kennett Square. MicroLife performs inspections of on-site disposal/water systems and all its inspectors are certified by the Pennsylvania Septic Management Association. Keith has been a member of the organization since 1998 and has been actively involved in the Association by serving on the Affiliate Member Forum, REALTOR ®/Lawyer committee, and presenting at the recent Accelerating Your Career In Real Estate Panel Discussion.

Please share your background and career track .

My career has been crafted from a balance of positions in local government and the private sector. Following undergraduate study in biology at Delaware, I worked in Chester County’s health department in their environmental science and sanitation programs. While there, I earned an SEO (Sewage Enforcement Officer) license and recognition as a Registered Sanitarian in our Commonwealth. After too much time traveling, I joined the Molecular Biophysics Group, conducting R & D at DuPont’s Experimental Station. It was during that period that I resumed part-time environmental work by founding my own consulting venture.

The next decade was spent building up my consulting business, including adding many local government clients. During that time, I satisfied experience requirements to be examined for both PE and Sewage Treatment Operator licensure, and earned a Masters of Engineering from Widener’s environmental management program. Thereafter, I devoted myself to full-time environmental consulting practice at MicroLife.

What advice relating to titles would you give to a new real estate agent entering the business?

I feel strongly about professional advancement. Although many of us complain about required continuing education, it keeps us sharp and on a more level playing field. My advice is predicated on continuing education that is directly applicable to your current duties best taught by those presently working in the same field. I was blessed to also have an old-fashioned “mentor-type”, who was willing to take a risk apprenticing a “young hot-shot”. Formal education is fine, but there’s no substitute for “jumping in and doing it”!

How do you define excellence in customer service?

I consider buyers, sellers, their respective agents, lenders and so forth, to ALL be my customers. Granted, buyers are often the first point of contact for septic/well certification work, but ultimately all of the above parties are influenced by my work product. We take great pride in being as objective as possible, concerning the current status of on-site water and/or wastewater components. Education is crucial to ensure that parties understand the relationship between such elements…out-of-sight should NOT always be considered out-of-mind. Hence, our motto…”A Waste is a Terrible Thing to Mind”. However, a truly objective inspector should not benefit from finding deficiencies that he/she might use later for financial gain. Note that MicroLife still refuses to perform repairs, install new systems or even conduct additional (eg. hydraulic load) testing, often needed during certification.

A REALTOR ®'s job is to provide their client with information the client can use to make an informed decision. What resources would you recommend for a buyer or seller about septic or well inspections?

I probably overkill on “stakeholder education”. We educate many buyers who have only lived in places served by public water and/or sewers. Pennsylvania Septage Management Association publishes many excellent resources to further educate the public. But beware, as always a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Hopefully after we education owners of on-site water/wastewater systems, they cannot later claim ignorance, in future sellers-disclosure. Too often, my first question to sellers (which they ALWAYS answer affirmatively) is, “Have you maintained your septic tank?”. The follow-up they often stumble on goes something like, “Then why can’t you show me where it is in your yard?”

At the end of a busy day, how do you unwind to rejuvenate yourself for the next challenge?