VOORHEES, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Water (NYSE: AWK), the nation’s largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, today announced Kellye Walker, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, has been named a recipient of a 2014 Legends in Law Award by the Burton Foundation. These awards are given to outstanding general counsel of major corporations who have excelled during their careers in law. The fifteenth anniversary awards program will be held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. on June 9, 2014.
In her current role, Ms. Walker serves as American Water’s chief legal officer, providing oversight, guidance and direction regarding corporate governance and board matters, as well as providing legal advice and overseeing the legal team responsible for all aspects of legal affairs for the company. During her tenure at American Water, Ms. Walker has also served as Chief Administrative Officer, overseeing and providing strategic direction for Human Resources, Communications, Government Affairs and Information Technology Services.
Prior to joining American Water in January 2010, Ms. Walker served as senior vice president and general counsel at Diageo North America, Inc., where she was responsible for all corporate and commercial legal matters including mergers & acquisitions, labor & employment, procurement contracting and regulatory compliance. She also previously served as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary at BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. Preceding this, she served as a partner and/or associate with several law firms.
Despite the demands of her professional work, Ms. Walker has always made it a point to serve her community. In the Philadelphia region, she currently sits on the board of ACHIEVEability and is a member of the Corporate Council of the National Constitution Center and the Forum of Executive Women. In 2011, Ms. Walker received the Women of Distinction award from The Philadelphia Business Journal and National Association of Women Business Owners, which honors 25 of the region's most influential business women who are making headlines in their professional field and their community.
Her professional affiliations include being a member and former board member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, a member of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association and former chair of “Stakeholder 100,” a program focused on mentoring top-performing, diverse law firm associates across the country to help them achieve their fullest potential. Additionally, she serves as a frequent panelist and speaker at leadership and legal conferences, and has made the Minority Corporate Counsel Association's list of women general counsel at Fortune 500 companies.
Ms. Walker is a graduate of Emory University School of Law, where she was research editor for the Emory International Law Review and was named the 1992 Outstanding Woman Law Graduate. She received her undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University.
About American Water
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.
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