Aqua America CEO Franklin Names New Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development
July 16 2015 - 9:25AM
Business Wire
Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE: WTR) CEO Christopher Franklin today
announced the appointment of two new members to his senior team.
Franklin appointed former Regional President Richard “Rick” S. Fox
to executive vice president and chief operating officer and Daniel
J. Schuller, Ph.D. to the new position of executive vice president,
strategy and corporate development.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150716005789/en/
Rick Fox is Chief Operating Officer for
Aqua America (Photo: Business Wire)
Fox will replace Franklin whose appointment to CEO was effective
July 1. As COO, Fox will be responsible for Aqua America’s
regulated operations ($756 million in revenues), including
engineering and environmental compliance.
“During his 14-year tenure at Aqua, Rick has made significant
contributions to the company’s success including his key role in
the consolidation of the company’s multiple customer service
operations that existed as a result of the company’s numerous
acquisitions. Since Rick has been regional president, he has worked
closely with our state operations teams to refine and improve the
efficiency of the company,” said Franklin. “Rick and I have worked
closely for nearly a decade and a half and he has been my virtual
deputy COO. I look forward to his leadership in the continued
achievement of our primary mission of providing quality water and
wastewater service to our customers.”
Fox has been regional president for Aqua America since January
2012, heading all of Aqua America’s utility operations in Texas,
Illinois, North Carolina, Indiana and Virginia. Prior to assuming
the role of regional president, Fox was vice president, customer
operations, where he was responsible for all customer service
operations for Aqua America’s regulated operating subsidiaries,
including the company’s national customer call centers, national
meter operations, and company-wide billing and collections.
Fox joined Aqua America in 2002 as manager of customer service
following 17 years in the chemical manufacturing industry in both
operations and technical management. He earned his B.S. in chemical
engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, and his M.B.A. from Villanova University, where he
achieved Beta Gamma Sigma honors. Fox is a member of the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Schuller will be responsible for assisting the chief executive
officer with developing, communicating, executing, and sustaining
Aqua’s strategic initiatives, with an emphasis on growth.
Additionally, he will be responsible for the company’s overall
corporate development including acquisitions of regulated and
market-based businesses. He comes to Aqua America from J.P. Morgan
Asset Management – Infrastructure Investments Group where he has
been an investment principal since 2007, providing strategic
leadership as a director of portfolio companies including SouthWest
Water Company—of which he was responsible for the 100 percent stake
held by J.P. Morgan-advised investors—and Summit Utilities.
Specifically for SouthWest Water, Schuller guided the company’s
turnaround and led its growth strategy, assessing both organic
growth and acquisition opportunities. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan,
Schuller was a manager at Mars & Co., an international
strategy/general management consulting firm, where he led
consulting engagements related to growth and profitability for
Fortune 500 companies and conducted due diligence for private
equity firms.
“Dan is uniquely suited for the leadership role he will play at
Aqua America. His academic achievements in engineering combined
with his experience in valuing, acquiring, and managing utilities
while at J.P. Morgan make him an ideal fit,” said Franklin.
“Through his work with SouthWest Water Company, Dan has also built
strong industry relationships and has become a respected player in
the utility community. Importantly, Dan has demonstrated experience
growing customers, developing public-private partnership structures
and successfully pruning unprofitable businesses.”
Schuller is a graduate of Purdue University where he earned a
B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in civil engineering. His honors include Phi
Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon. He is a member of the
American Society of Civil Engineers. His volunteer activities
include Guiding Eyes for the Blind and 21 Strong, a Down syndrome
family support group. In addition, Schuller is president of the
board at Salesian High School in New Rochelle, NY.
Aqua America is one of the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded
water utilities and serves nearly 3 million people in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana and
Virginia. Aqua America is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the ticker symbol WTR. Visit AquaAmerica.com for more
information.
WTRG
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150716005789/en/
Aqua America, Inc.Donna AlstonO: 610.645.1095M:
484.368.4720DPAlston@AquaAmerica.comorBrian DingerdissenO:
610.645.1191BJDingerdissen@AquaAmerica.com
Aqua America (NYSE:WTR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Aqua America (NYSE:WTR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024