Gary VerDouw

Owner/CEO

Gary VerDouw is a Regulatory/Utility/Operations/Accounting/ Business professional with excellent communication and leadership skills. Gary possesses well-developed analytical skills with a track record of successful growth and continuous improvement. He is able to establish a clear project mission with the mind and skill set to ensure its realization. Gary has the ability to achieve results while pursuing objectives in rate case filings. Gary works hard to educate and work with employees, utility commission staff, and intervenors on the background materials for positive regulatory results.

  • Works well with senior management and outside consultants/consumers/government officials.

  • Team leader and builder with a customer-oriented approach to provide practical, efficient process improvements.

  • Strategic planner with strong organizational, analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

  • Provided leadership and negotiation that led to over 150 million of dollars in additional annual revenue for American Water Company.

  • Chairperson and leader of many business and community-oriented groups and organizations throughout his career.

  • Excellent oral/written communication skills; facilitator, moderator, teacher/consultant.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VERDOUW REGULATORY SERVICES LLC
Saint Peters, Missouri - 2018 to Present

Owner

  • Providing regulatory and operational consulting services to water/wastewater, electric, and gas utilities.

  • Over 40 years of utility experience in gas, electric, and water utilities with expertise in regulatory, legislative support, operations, and management.

  • Has represented both utilities and rate case intervenors for positive results in final regulatory outcomes.

GREENVILLE WATER 
Greenville, South Carolina 2018 to 2021

Greenville Water is South Carolina’s largest water utility, currently providing water services to over 500,000 residents in Greenville County and other areas in Upstate South Carolina.

Director of Business Services

  • Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, responsible for Greenville Water’s Billing, Customer Service, and Field Services (Metering) Departments. Manage three direct reports and a total team of 58 employees.

  • Responsible for leading a team of nine Billing professionals that provide timely and accurate water billings for over 190,000 customers; also providing timely and accurate sewer billing for approximately 140,000 of Greenville Water’s customers via contracted billing services provided for local wastewater utilities.

  • Led a team of 22 Customer Service professionals that handle a daily average of over 1,200 customer calls and assist with approximately 300 walk-in or drive-up customers daily.

  • Responsible for a Field Services team of 27 that ensure accurate monthly meter readings, move in-move out services, disconnection for non-pay customers, and installation and replacement of meters throughout the Greenville Water service territory.

  • Researched, planned, and implemented a meter replacement plan that will lead to the replacement of over 7,200 meters a year, eliminating aged meters while providing more accurate billing, increasing revenue and lowering non-revenue water.

  • Enacted a Daily Billing regimen that resulted in bills being mailed out the day of meter read rather than 3-5 days later; enacted a process that leveled out time between meter reads as well as daily workloads, resulting in enhanced cash flow, less overtime, and more time available for other projects.

  • Reviewed billing and customer service practices and made recommendations that eliminated almost four weeks of employee time spent on manual iterations in the Billing Department and streamlining customer service practices which has led to a decreasing customer talk time in the Customer Service Department.

AMERICAN WATER COMPANY
St. Louis, Missouri 2005 to 2018

American Water is the largest public water and wastewater utility company in the United States. Currently providing water and wastewater services to 18 million people throughout the United States and Canada.

Director of Rates

  • Promoted to Director of Rates – Indiana and Michigan in 2016; Promoted to Director of Rates - Central Division (seven states) in December 2011; Promoted to Director of Rates – Eastern Division (nine states) from Manager of Rates and Regulation in January 2011; Promoted to Manager of Rates and Regulation from Senior Financial Analyst in January 2008.

  • Directed all regulatory filing, financing, and reporting requirements for American Water regulated water operations located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee; participated in regulatory filings in Maryland, New York, and West Virginia.

  • Responsible for filing 16 rate cases, 11 system improvement charges and 20 other regulatory and rate implementation filings during his tenure at American Water, which have generated over $150 million in additional annual revenue for seven of American Water’s regulated water companies.

  • Work closely with senior management officials, as well as Commissioners and Staff from State Public Utility Commissions, State Consumer Counselors, and other intervenors.

  • Led the preparation, filing, case management, negotiation, and completion of 47 regulatory filings in eight different states. Casework included working with Rates Team, Senior Management, Utility Commissioners and Staff, Consumer Advocate Staff, outside intervenors, and consumers. Prepared written direct and rebuttal testimony; provided oral testimony under oath as required in each case.

  • Led the preparation and filing of the first of its kind comprehensive infrastructure recovery mechanism in the State of Tennessee, including meeting with stakeholders, preparing written and oral testimony, and taking a lead role in the settlement of the case. This case has been lauded as “groundbreaking” and “a pilot model to follow for all other states” by the Tennessee Regulatory Commission.

  • Led the preparation, filing, and testimony in Indiana American Water Company’s Customer Lead Service Line Replacement Plan, the first of its kind in the country. The Environmental Defense Fund has lauded the Plan as one that “would benefit both public health and save significant overall costs”.

  • Recommended and implemented an internal departmental reorganization that centralized analyst roles and led to more streamlined and efficient filing process in all states, while at the same time leading to better succession planning and training. The model implemented worked so well that it was moved to a national level for American Water in 2014.

  • Simultaneously directed preparation of a $46 million general rate request for Indiana American Water that included over 25,000 pages of analysis and documentation, as well as a $9 million general rate increase for Ohio American Water. Testified under oath and prepared written testimony to substantiate requests. Met with public utility commissioners, staff, and consumer counsel staff and attorneys to negotiate settlements. Led a team of personnel assisting the state Utilities Commissions and Consumer Counsel in its audit of the data.

  • Developed and led half day, full day, and two day “Rates 101” hands-on rates training classes for Company employees located in seven states and in American Water’s corporate office, as well as to over 800 customer service representatives in the Company’s national call centers.

  • Former Member of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Rates Design Subcommittee.

  • Former Member of the American Water Central Region Change Partner Network and Central Region “TAG” (The Activities Group) Team.

CAPITAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
Bismarck, North Dakota 1988 to 2004

Capital Electric Cooperative serves community and member-owners as their trusted energy provider and partner. With headquarters in Bismarck, N.D., and a service center in Wing N.D.

Business Manager

  • Direct and decisive leadership of a steadily growing electric distribution utility currently serving over 22,800 meters and generating over $35 million in annual revenue.

  • Managed 13 direct reports and staff responsible for accounting, finance, computer system oversight, meter reading, billing, collections, human resources, and insurance.

  • Developed detailed annual budgets and monthly variance reports to same; sales and expenses budgeted to within 2% of actual for $15 million budget in calendar year 2003.

  • Led the team and signed off on the preparation of monthly and annual financial statements.

  • Led initiative to implement completely new electric billing system, including analysis, software design and beta testing.

  • Managed and directed staff in accounts receivable billing of over 12,000 consumer accounts each month; lead effort to resolve billing issues, problems, and collections.

  • Implemented first electronic auto payment and web-based electronic billing systems for any utility in the State; customer participation rate double nationwide average.

  • Implemented many efficiencies in billing process that allowed company to manage more than double growth in electric consumers during employment with no additions to staff; continually had the lowest administrative cost/consumer of all electric cooperatives in state and region.

  • Oversaw annual audit of company financial records by outside accounting firm.

  • Managed debt portfolio of over $27 million and daily cash portfolio of over $8 million.

  • Directed all payroll functions, including tax, unemployment, federal, and worker’s compensation filings; filed all workers’ comp and unemployment claims.

  • Conducted all human resources functions, including companywide hiring processes – creation of employee job descriptions, position advertising, interviewing, reference and background checks - as well as maintenance of benefit package, including negotiation of health insurance rates and notification and explanation to employees of all benefits.

  • Prepared plan documents and conducted all steps necessary to implement and maintain IRS Section 125 Flexible Spending Plan for employees.

  • Researched, prepared all initial IRS filings, implemented, and maintained an IRS Section 501(c)3 Charitable Trust for company’s “Operation Roundup”, which allows consumers to round up their electric bills for charity. Over $215,000 raised and donated to local charities through the fund in the first seven years of existence.

  • Oversaw complete planning and execution of Annual Meeting, including preparation of script and PowerPoint annual report presentation by General Manager/CEO and Board Chairman, which is attended by over 1,000 people annually.

ANG COAL GASIFICATION COMPANY
Beulah and Bismarck, North Dakota 1981 to 1988

Operation since 1984 producing synthetic natural gas (SNG) and other by-products from lignite coal.

Cash Manager (1984-1988)

  • Led cash management and treasury functions for nation’s first full-scale, 1,000 employee coal to synthetic natural gas plant.

  • Managed a debt portfolio that totaled over $1.55 billion and a daily investment portfolio that totaled over $420 million.

  • Manage two direct reports accountable for daily investments, debt portfolio, and daily and long-term cash flow forecasting.

Accounts Payable Supervisor (1982-1984)

  • First employee hired for Operations Accounting staff that grew to 75 employees at its peak.

  • Directed startup and full operation of initial Accounts Payable system for gasification plant.

  • Managed thirteen direct reports responsible for payables processing that peaked at over 6,500 invoices and $20 million in payments per week.

Field Accountant (1981-1982)

  • Performed audit functions on principle engineer and contracting firm constructing $2.2+ billion coal to synthetic natural gas plant.

  • Recommended and implemented procedures that saved hundreds of thousands of dollars through changes in material receiving handling practices at plant site.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science-Business Administration and Accounting

University of Mary – Bismarck, North Dakota

Activities and accomplishments while attending the University of Mary:

  • Student Body President

  • Student Body Vice President

  • University of Mary Varsity Basketball Team Member

  • University of Mary President’s Club Member

  • Freshman Class President

  • Sophomore Class Vice President

  • Student Senator

  • University of Mary College Senate Member

  • Chairman, University of Mary Student Activities Committee

CERTIFICATIONS,
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS,
& COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

  • Current Member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

  • Current Member, Indiana and Missouri AWWA State Chapters.

  • Former Member, University of Missouri Finance Research Institute Advisory Board.

  • Former Member, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Water Rate Design Committee.

  • Attendee - National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Rate School.

  • Attendee and Trainer - numerous AWWA training sessions, as well as countless external and internal safety/health/continued education training sessions.

  • Junior Achievement Founder and Consultant in Bismarck/Mandan, North Dakota. The Junior Achievement Program grew from four classrooms to over 200 classrooms during Gary’s 15 years of involvement.

  • Recipient of North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives “Community Service Award”.

  • Selected as Moderator/Facilitator for Bismarck/Mandan Development Association’s annual Strategic Planning Process as well as other strategic/general meetings.

  • Gary was one of ten North Dakotans selected as a “Community Hero” by the United Way to carry the Olympic Torch and Flame in 1996 Olympic Torch Relay as part of 100th Anniversary of Modern Olympic Games.

  • Recognized as “Sertoman of the Year” at a regional level once and at a district level twice for business and community service work performed while Gary was a member of the Bismarck-Mandan North Dakota Sertoma Club, an international service organization.

  • Co-Chair of two successful capital fund drives relative to the restoration and renovation of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic church in Bismarck, North Dakota.