Arizona Water Company (AWC) is proud to announce that employee Todd Stewart has been named the 2025 Controller of the Year in the Large Company category by the Arizona chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI). This prestigious award recognizes outstanding leadership, professional excellence, and meaningful contributions to the financial management profession. Stewart was nominated by his peers and supervisors and selected by FEI for his exceptional performance, strategic insight, and commitment to AWC’s solid record of financial excellence.
“This recognition from FEI is a testament not only to Todd’s technical expertise, but to his integrity, his collaborative spirit and his unwavering commitment to excellence. We are incredibly proud to have him on our team,” said Fred Schneider, President and COO of AWC. Arizona Water Company congratulates Todd Stewart on this outstanding accomplishment and thanks him for his continued service, leadership, and contributions to AWC.
In March of 2026, Arizona Water Company (AWC) was awarded Bronze Level recognition by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) as part of ADEQ’s Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program (VESP). AWC received this distinction because of our strong environmental compliance in our Rimrock service area and water system for the past three years. This VESP distinction represents AWC’s everlasting commitment to environmental excellence and being wise stewards of our precious water resources in every community we serve across Arizona.
On March 27, 2026, representatives from Arizona Water Company (AWC) presented a monetary donation to the United Fund of Globe-Miami, Inc. to help support flood recovery efforts and provide relief for local victims. The donation was made on behalf of AWC’s employees that collectively contributed the funds for the donation. Representing AWC were both Mark Kieren – Vice President of Operations and Freddy Rios – Division Manager, Miami. Accepting the donation were United Fund representatives Susan Guerrero and Linda Oddonetto. Our employees are your neighbors, as we live and work in almost every community AWC serves across Arizona. AWC is proud to serve the communities of Miami and Globe by providing safe and reliable water service.
On March 3, 2026, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) officially signed Arizona Water Company's (AWC) Designation of Assured Water Supply (DAWS) for our Pinal Valley service area. And on March 4, 2026, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs officially signed her commendation during a signing ceremony at City of Casa Grande city hall.
AWC’s Designation reflects years of collaboration between state leaders, utilities, and water policy experts to develop a solution that balances economic development with wise use of our precious water resources. “By securing our Designation and committing to developing a diverse water supply portfolio, we are ensuring that Coolidge, Casa Grande, and the surrounding Pinal County areas can meet current and future demands, so our communities can continue to thrive economically while we responsibly manage the water supply,” said Arizona Water Company President Fred Schneider.
The Designation affirms AWC’s continued commitment to meet rigorous state standards for providing water security for its existing and future customers. To learn more, please read the official statement from both Arizona Water Company and the office of Governor Katie Hobbs.
Arizona Water Company’s (AWC) East Sedona Water Storage Tank is a finalist for the Environmental Excellence Award from Arizona Forward. Arizona Forward is a non-profit, non-partisan member-based organization that for the past 50 years has addressed critical sustainability challenges across the state. For the past 40 years, the Environmental Excellence Award has been a premier recognition for sustainability efforts in the state; celebrating projects and initiatives that solve real-world challenges and make a measurable difference in Arizona. According to Arizona Forward, “Every project is evaluated based on its sustainability impact-whether it benefits a community, a city, a region, or the entire state of Arizona.”
By providing increased storage, enhanced fire flow, and improved operational reliability, the East Sedona Water Storage Tank strengthens the local water system and boosts fire protection capabilities in East Sedona. The tank’s design prioritized ecological restoration and preservation of the natural topography unique to the Sedona area. This was achieved through blending the tank with the nearby landscape through careful placement of retaining walls, maintaining wildlife habitats, using native elements in the design, and protecting natural features by replanting 22 existing trees on site after the completion of construction. The East Sedona Water Storage Tank enhances water reliability, fire protection, and environmental stewardship, meeting both current and future demands for East Sedona.
Throughout the months of November and December 2025, Arizona Water Company (AWC) employees held both a food and a toy drive to donate food and toys for children and families in our communities. Employees from all AWC’s 12 division offices, including AWC’s corporate office in Phoenix, participated in the food and toy drives. At the conclusion of the food drive in November, AWC employees donated 824 food items. When the toy drive concluded in December, AWC employees donated 243 toys to local community organizations and charities in each of our service areas.