Company: AWK
Filing Date: 2025-03-27
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001193125-25-064607
Chunk: 14

Company: American Water Works Company, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-03-27
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 14
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 the requirements for attending the virtual meeting. If you hold shares in street name, you should follow the instructions provided on the voting instruction form you received from the intermediary or contact the intermediary for instructions on how to change or revoke your vote.

| AMERICAN WATER | 2025 PROXY STATEMENT |     | 5 |

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS As of the date of this proxy statement, the Board is comprised of nine members, consisting of eight independent directors and M. Susan Hardwick, our Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Hardwick will be retiring as Chief Executive Officer, effective as of the conclusion of the annual meeting, and she has decided not to stand for re-election as a director at the annual meeting. The Board has designated John C. Griffith, who joined the Company in 2022 and served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer prior to serving as our President effective August 1, 2024, to succeed her as Chief Executive Officer as of the conclusion of the annual meeting. Mr. Griffith will continue to serve as the Company’s President. The Board has also nominated Mr. Griffith for election to the Board at the annual meeting. The Board held seven meetings during 2024. During the period in 2024 for which each incumbent director served as such, each such director attended at least 75 percent of the combined number of Board meetings and meetings of the Board committees on which such director served. The average attendance during 2024 for all Board members was 98.0 percent. The Board has adopted an attendance policy, set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines, under which attendance, whether in person or by remote communication, is expected at all Board and committee meetings, except for absences previously excused by the Board Chair or the Chair of the Nominating Committee, due to extraordinary circumstances. All members of the Board are expected to attend the annual meeting of shareholders, except for absences due to unavoidable or extenuating circumstances. All of the directors then on the Board virtually attended the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders. At most regularly scheduled meetings, the Board meets in executive session, without members of management present. Our independent, non-executiveBoard Chair presides over these sessions. BOARD REVIEW OF RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

The Board has approved a Related Person Transaction Policy, which serves to identify, review and approve transactions involving related persons. This policy supplements our Code of Ethics by prohibiting transactions with related persons unless specifically exempt or prior written approval is