BELLEVILLE – Illinois American Water President Bruce Hauk was awarded the Corporate Leadership Award by the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce during its 13th Annual Statewide Convention in Peoria. Roger Goodson, Senior Manager of Field Operations and Production for the Peoria District accepted the award on behalf of Hauk and Illinois American Water.
According to Larry Ivory, president and CEO of the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce, the award is presented to an individual who champions diversity within his or her company.
“Our executive team looks very closely at who is selected for our awards,” said Ivory. “Bruce Hauk doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk when it comes to supporting minority business. He sits down with us and our members regularly and he truly listens; he is focused and committed to inclusion. His leadership has inspired his entire team to work closely with minority businesses, diverse suppliers and diverse employee candidates. The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce was proud to present Bruce Hauk with the 2018 Outstanding Corporate Leadership Award.”
Bruce Hauk said of the award, “I am honored to receive this award and I share it with our entire Illinois American Water team. Every day I am inspired by our employees and their commitment to bettering the communities we serve, including their focus on diversity and inclusion. This recognition from one of the state’s leading business organizations validates the progress we’ve made and the direction we are headed for long-term success. Our efforts will better our organization and the water industry, while creating opportunities for others to also be successful in the communities we serve.”
Illinois American Water has taken a number of steps to further its position as a leader in diversity and inclusion. A strategic focus on events, relationship building and data improvement has resulted in:
- Since 2014, the value of goods and services Illinois American Water purchased from diverse businesses increased by 32% or over $38 million. This represents an 11x increased spend with MBE-certified suppliers and a 4x increased spend with WBE-certified suppliers. To help maintain a steady pipeline of diverse suppliers, the company meets annually with entrepreneurs, business owners and contractors.
- In 2017, Illinois American Water purchased more than $118 million in goods and services from certified diverse suppliers.
- Illinois American Water partners with organizations to host and attend diversity outreach events to identify potential new employees with diverse backgrounds. For example, in Peoria, the team is partnering with the Illinois Central College Highway Construction Careers Training Program.
- Total diverse population at Illinois American Water has averaged 30%.
- In 2015, Illinois American Water joined other Illinois utilities in forming the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council. This council is designed to grow business opportunities for diverse suppliers through closer collaboration, technical development and sharing of best practices.
Illinois American Water’s commitment to diversity and inclusion was also recognized by the NAACP. In October 2017, Illinois American Water was named the Corporate Business of the Year for Diversity and Inclusion by the East St. Louis Chapter of NAACP. This award is presented to companies that visibly exceed standards in the areas of diversity and inclusion.
About the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce – The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce is the largest, most active voice for African American businesses in the state of Illinois. Our objective is to help promote job creation and growth amongst African American businesses. For more information, visit ilbcc.org.
About Illinois American Water – Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,900 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 46 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
