American Water
Susan Hardwick is the CEO of American Water.
Water, composed of hydrogen and oxygen, is a necessity for life. There is so much work involved in bringing that life-giving substance to the taps in homes that people open every day, yet rarely think about.
A new CEO of a water and wastewater utility that brings services to some fourteen million people in twenty-two states and is growing, is thinking all about that behind-the-scenes business of water. She hopes to educate people about it too.
She was pondering retirement, but success in the utilities industry wouldn't allow it. American Water CEO Susan Hardwick sat down with PUF's Steve Mitnick to explain where she is leading this flourishing company.
PUF's Steve Mitnick: How long have you been the CEO at American Water, and how did your background lead to this role?
Susan Hardwick: It was official February 2nd of this year. I had been in the role as the interim CEO since the first week of December and now three months permanently.
I have been in the utility industry for nearly thirty years. I was the CFO of Vectren prior to its sale to CenterPoint. I had the opportunity to lead that transaction, and when it was complete in February of 2019, I retired.
Because the utility industry is generally small and familiar, I got a phone call from Linda Sullivan, who at the time was the CFO at American Water. She was planning to retire, and American Water was looking for a CFO.