New Jersey American Water's Eschbach Appointed to PlanSmart NJ Board

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Peter Eschbach, director of communications and external affairs for New Jersey American Water, has joined the board of PlanSmart NJ, a New Jersey civic action group committed to improving the quality of community life through the advancement of sound land use planning and regional cooperation.

As a board member, Eschbach will provide guidance to PlanSmart NJ as the organization advances issues such as water resources, land use, open space, economic development and governance. Eschbach, with more than 20 years of communications experience, will also lend his expertise in helping PlanSmart NJ build coalitions around regional planning; educating regional decision makers on enhancing the environment; and conducting research to support civic action on land development issues.

"PlanSmart NJ is proactive and aggressive in promoting common sense solutions that benefit the state and I am excited to participate in these efforts," said Eschbach. "New Jersey is a great state in which to live and work, but faces significant challenges and I look forward to working with PlanSmart NJ to address those issues."

Eschbach joined New Jersey American Water in December 2008. He began his career at Corning Inc., where he supported the consumer products, telecommunications and advance ceramics businesses with marketing communications. He then moved through a series of successively more responsible positions at Ethyl Corp., Albemarle Corp., and Hoechst Celanese.

Eschbach holds a bachelor's degree in engineering and public affairs from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a master's degree in communications management from the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

New Jersey American Water, a wholly owned 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 2.5 million people.  Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company.  With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com.

SOURCE New Jersey American Water