Susan Hardwick

Susan Hardwick is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Water Works Company, Inc.(AWK) the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. Ms. Hardwick leads a team of 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide service to 14 million people in 24 states.

American Water’s regulated businesses operate in approximately 1,700 communities across the U.S. and provide water and wastewater utility services to residential, commercial, industrial, and other customers. The company's regulated-like business includes its Military Services Group that provides water and wastewater services to 17 military installations across the U.S.

Hardwick joined American Water in June 2019 and became CFO in July of that same year. In this role, she was responsible for all aspects of financial management and strategy, including treasury, financial planning, accounting, investor relations, internal audit, risk management, supply chain, regulatory services, and control functions. In February 2022, she was named President and CEO, and was elected to serve on the Board of Directors at American Water.

Prior to joining American Water, Ms. Hardwick served as Executive Vice President and CFO of Vectren Corporation. In this role, Ms. Hardwick was a member of the executive leadership team responsible for development and execution of business and financial strategy for both the regulated utility businesses, as well as the market-based subsidiaries. She also led the development and execution of the company’s regulatory strategy and investor relations and was responsible for numerous financing transactions.

Vectren was acquired by CenterPoint Energy Company in February 2019. Ms. Hardwick led the execution of the definitive agreement with CenterPoint Energy for the 2019 sale of Vectren for $8.5 billion, the second highest multiple paid for a natural gas distribution company at the time.

Hardwick was elected to the Board of Directors of New Jersey Resources, Inc. in September 2020. She currently serves on the National Board of Directors and as Treasurer of Family Promise, Inc, sits on the Board of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and has also served in leadership positions on a variety of community boards over the course of her career. Appointed by the Governor, Ms. Hardwick served two terms as an Arts Commissioner for the state of Indiana. She was also the recipient of the Athena Award in 2009 by the Chamber of Commerce of Southwestern Indiana, the Sara B. Davies Leadership Award in 2016 presented by Leadership Evansville, and the Torchbearer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 presented by the Indiana Commission on Women. Also, in 2016, she was named CFO of the Year Honoree by the Indianapolis Business Journal and by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2020. Ms. Hardwick was recognized as a 2021 Top 50 Financial Leader by the National Diversity Council and was inducted into the Evansville Regional Business Hall of Fame in December 2021.

She has also held numerous leadership and committee roles with the American Gas Association and the Edison Electric Institute, is a CPA and holds an accounting degree from Indiana University.