California American Water Names New President

California and Hawaii American Water have named Richard Svindland their new president, effective March 1, 2017. Svindland replaces Robert MacLean, who has served as president of California American Water since 2009. MacLean will now become senior vice president of American Water’s Eastern Division, which is comprised of New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Maryland. MacLean also will serve as president of New Jersey American Water.
“We are so pleased to promote both Rob and Rich. It is well-deserved,” said Walter Lynch, chief operating officer at American Water. “I know Rich will take over where Rob left off, ensuring our customers in California and Hawaii receive the best service possible, while continuing to focus on the successful completion of the Monterey Peninsula water supply project. His deep utility experience makes him well-suited for this new role.”
Svindland has more than 25 years of experience in the water and wastewater fields, most recently serving as California American Water’s vice president of operations. Prior to that role, he led Engineering at California American Water, where he managed all of the company’s capital projects to ensure timely and cost-efficient delivery. He also developed capital planning strategies and provided an operational review of existing infrastructure to ensure California American Water’s systems met both the current and future water needs.
Prior to his roles in California, Svindland worked extensively in American Water’s southeast region on various projects and was named 2003 Civil Engineer of the Year in Industry by the Kentucky section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky.
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