Reorganization maximizes existing and new talent
BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Aqua Pennsylvania announced today that it has promoted three
Pennsylvania managers and hired a fourth as part of the restructuring of
its operations in the Northern, Central and Western parts of the state
in which the company collectively serves nearly 80,000 customer accounts
(nearly 240,000 people).
Patrick Burke of Elysburg, Schuylkill County has been named Director, Operations for Aqua Pennsylvania's in Northern, Central and Western Pennsylvania service areas. (Photo: Business Wire)
"The reorganization makes the best use of our existing talent and
complements it with the hiring of a tenured water and wastewater
engineering professional from outside the company," said Aqua Vice
President Anthony J. Donatoni. The reorganization involves the
Honesdale, White Haven, Susquehanna, Roaring Creek and Shenango
divisions.
The reorganization combines the Honesdale and White Haven operating
divisions under the management of former Honesdale Division Manager
Steve Clark, who now holds the position of area manager and is
responsible for a service area that includes 11 counties and 57
municipalities, and nearly 25,700 customer accounts (about 77,000
people). Clark, a native of Gouldsboro who currently resides in South
Canaan, joined Aqua Pennsylvania in 2005, following his employment with
American Water Services, where he was responsible for capital project
management and maintenance of the Scranton Sewer Authority. Clark has a
B.S. in mechanical engineering from Penn State University.
The reorganization also combines the Roaring Creek and Susquehanna
operating divisions under the direction of Area Manager Steve Draus who
previously managed the White Haven Division. This new, larger division
includes 16 municipalities throughout eight counties and also serves
approximately 25,000 customer accounts (about 75,000 people). Draus, a
Luzerne County native who grew up in White Haven and currently resides
in Drums, joined Aqua Pennsylvania in 2010 following 11 years as a
practicing engineer and project manager for several engineering firms.
Draus earned his B.S. in environmental engineering at Wilkes University
and is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania.
The Shenango Division service area remains as is serving 26,000 customer
accounts (about 78,000 people) spread throughout 26 municipalities in
eight counties, but is now headed by new Area Manager Jim Willard who
recently joined Aqua with 26 years of municipal consulting engineering
experience. Willard is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania
who earned a B.S. in geology from the College of Wooster in Ohio and an
M.S. in geology from the University of Cincinnati. Willard, a native of
Hampton Township, Allegheny County who currently resides in Cranberry
Township, Butler County, most recently worked as a senior project
manager for KLH Engineers, in Pittsburgh where he gained significant
experience with municipal water and wastewater systems including
facilities planning, construction, plant operations, distribution and
collections system design, treatment, compliance and capital planning.
Clark, Draus and Willard will each report to newly appointed Director,
Operations Patrick Burke, who previously managed all but the Shenango
Division as regional manager. Burke, a native of New Philadelphia,
Schuylkill County who currently resides in Elysburg, Northumberland
County joined Aqua in 1992 as engineer for Pennsylvania's Roaring Creek
Division and was promoted to manager of engineering in 1994 before being
named regional manager for the Honesdale, White Haven, Susquehanna and
Roaring Creek divisions in 2006—the position he held prior to this
promotion. Burke has a B.S. in structural design and construction
engineering from Penn State University and an M.B.A. from Bloomsburg
University. He is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania.
"The restructuring has streamlined our operations, created efficiencies
and has allowed us to draw on the strengths of some of our existing
employees along with those of a new area manager, and will ultimately
make a good operations unit even better," said Donatoni describing the
new organization.
Burke says he's looking forward to working with each of his area
managers in their new position. "I consider myself fortunate to take on
these new responsibilities with such talented professionals on my team,"
said Burke. "I've had the pleasure of working with Steve and Steve for a
few years now and am confident in their abilities to excel in their new
roles. I am also excited about working with Jim who brings a wealth of
knowledge in water, wastewater and engineering to the table."
Aqua Pennsylvania serves approximately 1.4 million people in 31 counties
throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Visit AquaAmerica.com
for more information, or follow Aqua on Facebook at facebook.com/MyAquaAmerica
and on Twitter at @MyAquaAmerica.
WTRG
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140515006602/en/
Aqua Pennsylvania
Donna Alston
O: 610-645-1095
M:
484-368-4720
DPAlston@AquaAmerica.com
Source: Aqua Pennsylvania
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