Rick Knowlton Retiring as Maine Water Company President - Seite 2

In the 29 years that Knowlton has been with Maine Water, or its predecessor companies, the company has grown from serving 40,000 people in 16 communities to serving 80,000 people in 21 communities. In addition, Knowlton has had a part in the following system investments:

• 7 new water treatment facilities
• 9 new water storage tanks; and
• Installation of over 200,000 feet, or about 38 miles, of water main.

After becoming president, Knowlton led Maine Water’s partnership with the Coastal Mountains Land Trust to preserve 1,300 acres of open space on the south side of Ragged Mountain in the communities of Rockport and Hope; the acreage now hosts part of the Round the Mountain Trail.

Mark Vannoy, vice president of Maine Water, will become president upon Knowlton’s retirement. Prior to joining the company in 2019, Vannoy served on the Maine Public Utility Commission and was chair for four years beginning in 2014.

“We are fortunate to have a leader of Mark’s caliber become president,” stated Westbrook. “Mark has been assuming increased responsibilities for day-to-day operations while Rick focused on completion of the new Saco River Drinking Water Resource Center. Mark’s commitment to a culture of service, technical expertise and respect for the environment will serve employees, customers and communities well.” She further noted that Mark is a natural to lead the business with his technical experience as an engineer and his credibility as a former regulator.

“Maine Water will be in good and capable hands,” stated Knowlton. “Mark and I have worked closely together over the past three years, and he is a natural and accomplished leader committed to serving our Maine employees and communities. We will use the next six weeks to meet with employees and local and state leaders to complete a smooth transition.”

Vannoy is a retired U.S. Navy officer and a graduate of the United States Naval Academy; he holds a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Cornell University. He lives in Waldoboro with his family and is active in the local community.

About The Maine Water Company

Maine Water is a wholly owned subsidiary of SJW Group’s New England subsidiary, Connecticut Water Service, Inc. Maine Water and its predecessor companies have been serving customers in the state of Maine since 1880. The company provides water service to a population of more than 80,000 in 21 communities across Maine.