BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aqua America (NYSE: WTR) announced Shannon Becker will succeed Tom Roberts, who is retiring, as president of Aqua North Carolina effective August 1.

As Aqua North Carolina president, Becker will be responsible for the operations of Aqua’s third-largest operating subsidiary with 160 employees, more than 95,000 customer connections, 750 water systems and 62 wastewater treatment facilities spread across 51 counties. Aqua North Carolina is also the largest private water and wastewater utility in the state.

Becker joined Aqua in 2009 as controller of Aqua North Carolina. In early 2012, he was named interim president for Aqua Virginia before assuming his role as president in August that year.

“Shannon’s experience running our Virginia operation for the last four years, coupled with his financial background and the experience he gained on that side of the business as the controller for Aqua North Carolina, gives him a unique and comprehensive understanding that will serve him well as he takes on this new and challenging responsibility,” said Aqua America Chief Operating Officer Rick Fox.

Becker graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant.

Aqua America is one of the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded water utilities and serves nearly 3 million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana and Virginia. Aqua America is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WTR. Visit AquaAmerica.com for more information.