The Regional Water Authority announced the death of its president and chief executive officer, Larry L. Bingaman, who passed away after a brief illness.
According to a release, Bingaman spent the greater part of his career as a public servant in the water industry, having a 20-year-career with Aquarion Water Company before taking the helm of the RWA in 2009. His 15-year tenure at the RWA began in the midst of the Great Recession of 2008, and his “leadership helped guide the company through that difficult time and strengthened it to withstand future economic downturns including the COVID pandemic recession.”
In addition to leading the RWA, Bingaman “championed the development of the RWA’s first integrated five-year strategic plan, helped achieve the highest bond rating in the RWA’s history, established new operating and productivity initiatives that have saved customers millions of dollars annually and steered several transformational milestones including the RWA’s journey to become a 21st century environmental services company, the organization’s successful commercial business and recent leadership for the AWC acquisition opportunity,” according to a release.
“Larry was a peerless mentor and outstanding leader who sought to find innovative solutions to challenges at the RWA and in the community,” said RWA Authority Board Chair David J. Borowy in a statement. “In his tenure at the company, Larry oversaw an era of quality, service and growth, public and community service and a long-term transformation that will have a lasting impact on the region’s water quality, the health of the environment, our company culture and our industry. The RWA’s STARS values of service, teamwork, accountability, respect and safety are a big part of his legacy, and we will honor them for decades to come. Our entire company mourns the loss of a great leader, colleague and friend, and we extend our deepest condolences to his loving family.”
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RWA’s Representative Policy Board Chair Robert E. Harvey, Jr. said, “Larry was a remarkable leader who put a premium on people and integrity. Larry felt a personal responsibility to our customers and stakeholders and set high standards of excellence and accountability to ensure they were well served. He cared deeply about RWA’s employees, and he demonstrated this by his ability to listen and collaborate, at all levels. We will miss him greatly.”
A spirit of service has been a “hallmark characteristic” of Bingaman’s leadership. He built relationships between the RWA, Southern Connecticut State University, Gateway Community College and other schools. Students have benefited from scholarships and opportunities with the RWA, and Bingaman was a frequent guest speaker in the classroom, talking about the value of ethical conduct and conscious business practices, according to a release. He also “pioneered the creation of the landmark Public Utility Management Degree Program at SCSU and GCC. Seeing a need in business and an opportunity for students, he brought together stakeholders from the utility sector and higher education to develop this first-of-its-kind degree program to prepare students to find careers in the utility industry and succeed.”
“During Larry’s tenure, he was a respected leader with a long list of business accomplishments, community service and professional and civic accolades that charted the growth and success of the RWA,” said Borowy. “However, what I most appreciated about Larry, and what I know he would want us to remember, is his dedication to our employees, customers and communities. He helped expand our thinking on how a water company could affect the greater good, launching policies, programs and projects that make up the fabric of RWA’s culture today. We will be forever grateful to Larry for his dedication and service.”
Bingaman is survived by his wife Martha, his sons Scott and Paul (Anna), daughter Anna (James), and grandchildren Emma, Nora, Christian, and Sebastian. A memorial service will be held on Friday, Nov. 22.
