Aqua America Chairman and CEO Appointed to Chesapeake Bay Watershed Blue Ribbon Finance Panel

March 11, 2004
Aqua America Chairman and CEO Appointed to Chesapeake Bay Watershed Blue Ribbon Finance PanelBRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 2004--Nicholas DeBenedictis, Aqua America, Inc., (formerly Philadelphia Suburban Corporation) chairman and chief executive officer has been selected by Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell to serve on the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Blue Ribbon Finance Panel. The panel of high-level business leaders, financial and economic experts, government officials and regional leaders will provide guidance to the Chesapeake Executive Council on funding the multi-state effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay.

"I am honored that the Governor saw fit to appoint me to this committee," said DeBenedictis. "As a former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and a representative of both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a national water utility I am fully committed to support the Council's efforts of watershed preservation and look forward to working with this distinguished group of panel members. The Chesapeake Bay is not only a natural resource, but is one of our nation's true treasures and must be protected."

The 15-member panel was selected by the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the Governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, along with members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The panel is expected to meet throughout the year and provide final recommendations later this year. Additional panel members include:

  • The Honorable Bruce Babbitt, District of Columbia


  • The Honorable Gerald L. Baliles, Virginia


  • The Honorable Penelope A. Gross, Virginia


  • F. Henry Habicht, II, McLean, Virginia


  • Jim Perdue, Salisbury, Maryland


  • Terry L. Randall, Williamsport, Maryland


  • Joseph Corrado, Delaware


  • William C. Baker, Baltimore


  • Phyllis M. Cole, Petersburg, West Virginia


  • The Honorable James W. Hubbard, Bowie, Maryland


  • Thomas J. Kelly, New York


  • James Patrick Muldoon, District of Columbia


  • John McNeil Wilkie, District of Columbia


  • James D. Wilkins, II, Circleville, West Virginia

DeBenedictis received a master's degree in environmental engineering from Drexel University and has worked in the water resource industry for most of his 30 year career. His past experience includes the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. EPA, Department of Environmental Resources, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and PECO Energy.

Aqua America is the largest U.S.-based publicly-traded water utility serving approximately 2.5 million residents in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Maine, Missouri, New York, South Carolina and Kentucky. Aqua America is listed on both the New York and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol WTR. The company has been committed to the preservation and improvement of the environment throughout its history, which spans more than 100 years.



CONTACT:
Aqua America, Inc.
Randi Polanich, 610-645-1175
rmpolanich@aquaamerica.com



SOURCE: Aqua America, Inc.