BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE: WTR) was celebrated as a Champion of Board Diversity at the 2016 Leadership Breakfast for the Forum of Executive Women on October 27, 2016. Aqua and 18 other Philadelphia-area public companies were recognized at the breakfast and in the Forum’s annual report for having 25 percent of women on their respective Board of Directors.
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Aqua America board member Carolyn Burke (Photo: Business Wire)
“It was a tremendous honor to be acknowledged by the Forum of Executive Women,” said Aqua America President and CEO Christopher Franklin. “Aqua’s customer base is very diverse, and I strongly believe that the more we can reflect that diversity within our company, the better able we are to serve our customers and bring different ideas and points of view to our business. I look forward to continuing to diversify and expand women’s roles throughout the company from the top down.”
Aqua is featured in the Forum of Executive Women’s Women on Boards 2016 report, which highlights female leaders in Philadelphia-area corporations, universities and healthcare systems.
“As a member of the Forum of Executive Women, I was happy to see Aqua honored as a Champion of Board Diversity,” said Aqua America Chief Administrative Officer Susan Haindl. “While there is still much work to do, it is rewarding to see the growth of female leadership in the Greater Philadelphia area and I am thankful to be a part of a company that sees the value in diverse opinions.”
Women on Boards 2016 reports that in 2015 women filled one-third of the 60 board openings in the Philadelphia region's top 100 public companies. The report also notes that Philadelphia-area companies with at least 25 percent female leadership on their boards increased from 14 percent in 2014 to 19 percent last year. Aqua is one of the publically traded companies assisting in this five percent bump.
The Forum of Executive Women is a membership organization of 450 women of significant influence across the Greater Philadelphia region. The Forum’s membership is comprised of individuals holding the senior-most positions in the corporations, not-for-profit organizations and public sector entities that drive our regional economy and community.
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, or follow Aqua on Facebook at facebook.com/MyAquaAmerica and on Twitter at @MyAquaAmerica.
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