American Water Announces Leadership Changes And New Customer Strategy Role
December 14, 2024 at 1:00 a.m.
CAMDEN, N.J. – American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., announced a number of state leadership changes and the development of a key customer strategy role.
Lynnae Wilson will join American Water as senior vice president, customer strategy, a new role that will focus on the effective strategic coordination of customer service and technology. American Water’s customer service and information technology (IT) organizations will be led by Wilson, as Matt Prine, currently president of Indiana American Water, has been named chief customer officer, and Deb Degillio, has been named chief technology and information officer.
Prine has led Indiana American Water since 2019, and his experience will enhance the connection between customer service and operations, the release from American Water states. Degillio has been working with American Water’s IT team to implement many technology-supported customer service systems. She will bring her deep knowledge of customer service processes to IT.
Barry Suits
Barry Suits, currently president of Maryland and Virginia American Water, will replace Prine as president of Indiana American Water. Laura Runkle, currently serving as vice president of operations for Iowa American Water, will replace Suits as president of Maryland and Virginia American Water.
Suits has led Maryland and Virginia operations since 2015 and has been with American Water since 1999, starting out with Illinois American Water. Runkle has been with American Water since 2010 in various roles in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Iowa.
All of the changes will be effective Jan. 13, 2025.
“This is an exciting day for our company to be able to promote highly experienced, long-time American Water employees as well as bring on someone like Lynnae, who has deep utility and operations knowledge,” said Cheryl Norton, executive vice president and chief operating officer of American Water. “All are fully committed to our purpose of delivering safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services. They know how to build teams effectively and they understand the importance of putting our customers first while making the communities we serve stronger.”
CAMDEN, N.J. – American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., announced a number of state leadership changes and the development of a key customer strategy role.
Lynnae Wilson will join American Water as senior vice president, customer strategy, a new role that will focus on the effective strategic coordination of customer service and technology. American Water’s customer service and information technology (IT) organizations will be led by Wilson, as Matt Prine, currently president of Indiana American Water, has been named chief customer officer, and Deb Degillio, has been named chief technology and information officer.
Prine has led Indiana American Water since 2019, and his experience will enhance the connection between customer service and operations, the release from American Water states. Degillio has been working with American Water’s IT team to implement many technology-supported customer service systems. She will bring her deep knowledge of customer service processes to IT.
Barry Suits
Barry Suits, currently president of Maryland and Virginia American Water, will replace Prine as president of Indiana American Water. Laura Runkle, currently serving as vice president of operations for Iowa American Water, will replace Suits as president of Maryland and Virginia American Water.
Suits has led Maryland and Virginia operations since 2015 and has been with American Water since 1999, starting out with Illinois American Water. Runkle has been with American Water since 2010 in various roles in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Iowa.
All of the changes will be effective Jan. 13, 2025.
“This is an exciting day for our company to be able to promote highly experienced, long-time American Water employees as well as bring on someone like Lynnae, who has deep utility and operations knowledge,” said Cheryl Norton, executive vice president and chief operating officer of American Water. “All are fully committed to our purpose of delivering safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services. They know how to build teams effectively and they understand the importance of putting our customers first while making the communities we serve stronger.”