Biography

Michael Huwar is president of the Peoples division of Essential Utilities, Inc.

Peoples provides safe, reliable natural gas service to approximately 700,000 homes and businesses throughout Western Pennsylvania, as well as serving 41,000 customers in Eastern Kentucky through its sister utility, Delta Natural Gas. By providing essential, cost-effective energy while reducing emissions and investing in the communities it serves, Peoples shows its commitment to customers, employees and the environment.

Professional History

In his role as president, Huwar is responsible for providing safe and reliable natural gas service to approximately 741,000 customers in Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

Huwar joined Peoples in 2020, overseeing operations, maintenance and construction, as well as designing and executing legislative, regulatory, commercial and external strategies for Peoples and its sister utility, Delta Natural Gas,. Huwar also serves as a member of Essential Utilities’ executive leadership team, reporting directly to CEO & Chairman Christopher Franklin.

Under Huwar’s leadership, Peoples has made significant strides to modernize its pipelines and related infrastructure for the continued delivery of safe and reliable natural gas, while reducing the utility’s greenhouse gas emissions. Peoples has replaced or retired more than 1,000 miles of pipeline with state-of-the-art infrastructure over the past decade, with plans to modernize an additional 2,000 miles by 2035. In this time, Huwar has also overseen a 17% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2021, the primary factor in Essential Utilities’ 25% reduction in emissions in the same time, putting the company ahead of its goal to reduce emissions 60% from a 2019 baseline by 2035.

In addition to modernization and emissions reduction, Huwar has emphasized safety, reliability and sustainability at Peoples, with the company making positive strides in pipeline damage prevention, leak monitoring and repair, and showcasing innovative use cases for natural gas. In 2021, Peoples opened three gas-powered microgrid and district energy properties in Allegheny County, demonstrating the fuel’s potential to power critical infrastructure such as Pittsburgh International Airport while lowering costs and emissions for customers.

Before joining Peoples, Huwar enjoyed a 34-year career with Columbia Gas, serving in numerous director and vice president roles throughout the organization’s operating companies before becoming president and COO of Columbia’s Pennsylvania and Maryland operations in 2017. There, he led 800+ company employees in their work to deliver safe and reliable natural gas to nearly 470,000 customers.

Education, Professional Memberships & Honors

Huwar currently serves on the board of directors for the American Gas Association and the Energy Association of Pennsylvania, and is co-chair of Pittsburgh Works. He formerly served on the board of directors for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, as well as the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. He is also a past board member of the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Architects, Land Surveyors and Geologists, and Virginia Utility Protection Services (VUPS), Virginia’s one call center. Huwar is also active in local philanthropic efforts, having recently served as chair for major Pittsburgh-area events held by the American Heart Association and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Huwar holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.  He is a native of Perryopolis, Pa., and currently resides in Franklin Park.