The National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) has announced that Michael Deane has been named deputy executive director and director of strategic development. Deane will be the senior executive at NAWC responsible for creating and pursuing strategies at the national, state and regional levels that will continue to raise the profile of the array of solutions to address the challenges facing our nation's water and wastewater systems. In this position, Deane will coordinate closely with NAWC members while continuing the Association’s important work of developing and maintaining relationships with leading water industry organizations and governmental bodies.
“We are delighted that Michael is joining NAWC. His expertise in a broad range of water issues—and sustainable infrastructure financing in particular—from both the federal government and the private sector perspectives will prove to be indispensable to the association and its member companies,” remarked Donald L. Correll, president and chief executive officer of American Water and president of the NAWC Board of Directors. “I have the utmost respect for Michael and believe that his experience in shaping a common vision and forging positive relationships among advocates of diverse interests will serve our industry very well.”
Deane brings decades of water-related experience garnered from positions of leadership in the federal government and private industry. He comes to NAWC from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most recently serving as associate assistant administrator for water. In this position, Deane was a principal advisor to the EPA administrator and the assistant administrator for water on infrastructure financing matters and led the EPA’s effort to implement sustainable water management solutions, including water efficiency and green infrastructure initiatives. Deane was also responsible for communicating EPA policies and positions to Congress, government agencies, trade and professional associations, private industry and various international organizations. Previously, Deane guided the EPA’s development of sustainable water infrastructure financing and management solutions as senior policy advisor for infrastructure finance. In addition to his previous two posts, Deane held positions in the U.S. EPA Office of Wastewater Management from 1988 to 1995.
In addition to his tenure with the EPA, Deane has also held senior level positions at leading water industry and engineering companies, serving in government affairs and senior management roles. As director of government affairs for Monteco Corp., Deane developed and led a full-scale program targeted at all levels of government to educate and inform leaders about the company’s sustainable water quality and energy solutions available to the environmental and industrial sectors. He also spent four years as vice president of strategic development at United Water while also performing the role of vice president for U.S. public affairs strategy at United Water’s parent company, SUEZ.
Source: NAWC
