American Water’s Norton among honorees at EWNJ’s Salute to the Policymakers Gala tonight

Cheryl Norton, the chief operating officer of American Water, will be among the honorees at the 2024 Salute to the Policymakers Gala, Tuesday night.

The biennial gala, the signature event of Executive Women of New Jersey, will honor more than four dozen female leaders from across the state at the Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains. (see complete list of honorees here)

The celebration will feature a fireside chat with Ruthi Zinn Byrne, founder and owner of Zinn Graves & Field Inc., in conversation with Jeannine Frisby LaRue, executive vice president of strategy and business development at Moxie Strategies. Byrne also will serve as the honorary chair of the gala.

“It is a privilege to spotlight these trailblazing women who have made profound impacts in business, government and academia,” Courtney McCormick, president of EWNJ and senior vice president of audit, enterprise risk & compliance at Public Service Enterprise Group, said. “This year’s Salute to the Policy Makers Gala is more than a celebration; it’s a call to action. As progress on gender and racial diversity in corporate leadership stalls nationwide, we urge the New Jersey business community to recognize our value and implement policies that foster greater equity and inclusion at all levels of the corporate ladder.”

The Salute to the Policy Makers Gala raises funds for all of EWNJ’s networking programs, advocacy work, and leadership and mentoring initiatives, including its signature Graduate Merit Award Program, which is focused on ensuring new generations of women leaders.

The mission of Executive Women of New Jersey is to ensure that women have equal opportunities and representation on boards and in senior corporate leadership by advocating for equal access to leadership opportunities, ensuring women ascend the corporate ladder. Through their initiatives, EWNJ strives to nurture an active pipeline of future women leaders, equipping them with the training and education needed to excel in leadership roles.

Norton is a key leader at Camden-based American Water, one of the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the country.

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water provides safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations.