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Middlesex Water Co. named the successor to longtime President and CEO Dennis Doll, who announced in May 2023 his plans to retire after leading the company since 2006. 

The Iselin-based utility appointed water industry veteran Nadine Leslie to take the reins, effective March 1. She will also join the board of directors at that time.  

Bringing more than 30 years of industry experience to the role, Leslie served as CEO of SUEZ North America from 2019 to 2022. In that role, she was responsible for overseeing one of North America’s leading environmental companies – with revenues over $1.1 billion – providing water and recycling and recovery services to 6.6 million people in the U.S. and Canada, according to Middlesex Water. 

“I and the rest of the Middlesex Board of Directors are thrilled to have Nadine join our company,” Doll said in a statement. “Her breadth of knowledge and experience bring a fresh perspective to the numerous opportunities and challenges facing our company and our industry.” 

Meet the new leader

In her leadership role at SUEZ, Leslie was responsible for 15 regulated water utilities, 65 municipal contracts through public-private partnerships and the long-term asset management contracts for water storage facilities, serving more than 4,000 municipal and industrial clients. 

According to her LinkedIn profile, Leslie joined the SUEZ North America team in 2000 and worked in various capacities across the company’s regulated, contract and corporate segments, including vice president and general manager for the SUEZ North America, Toms River division, and president of the company’s Environmental Services. From 2017 to 2019, she was executive vice president, Health and Safety, for the Paris-based SUEZ Group and was responsible for employees’ and subcontractors’ use of proper safeguards. 

Leslie also is active in the community through her board and association appointments, including serving on the boards for Provident Financial Services Inc., Provident Bank, National Association of Water Cos., Hackensack Meridian Health, Union County Performing Arts Center and the Water Reuse Research Foundation. 

Doll, who planned to step down at the end of 2023 or when his successor was named, will retire as president and CEO Feb. 29. He will remain board chairman through the end of his term on May 21, which is the annual shareholders meeting. Doll will also serve as a consultant through that date. 

Leslie, who said she’s “thrilled” to join the Middlesex Water team, added, “I am confident with the support of our talented team and Board members, we will navigate challenges, capitalize on opportunities and create additional value for our customers and shareholders. Congratulations to Dennis on his successful tenure and I look forward to working with him during the transition period.”