CHICAGO – (Sept. 8, 2022) – Justin Ladner, president of Illinois American Water, has been appointed chairman
of the board of the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council (IUBDC). Ladner succeeds Joseph Dominguez,
former president and CEO of Commonwealth Edison.
The IUBDC was formed in 2015 to increase business opportunities for diverse suppliers through closer
collaboration, technical development and sharing of best practices among leading Illinois utilities. IUBDC
charter members include Ameren Illinois, Commonwealth Edison, Illinois American Water, Nicor Gas, Peoples
Gas and North Shore Gas.
“What started as a forum for discussing critical policy issues and programs has evolved into something much
more impactful,” said Ladner, a member of the IUBDC board of directors since 2020. “Along with my fellow
board members and our dedicated staff, we’re leveraging the collective influence of the state’s largest utility
companies to open doors for diverse-owned businesses to enter the natural gas, electricity and water
distribution supply chains. I’m honored to lead the council and I’m excited about what we can continue to
accomplish together.”
IUBDC announced these additional board appointments:
David Carter, president of Aqua America Illinois
Gil Quiniones, CEO of Commonwealth Edison
Leonard P. “Lenny” Singh, chairman and president of Ameren Illinois
Torrence Hinton, president of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas
Wendell Dallas, president and CEO of Nicor Gas
IUBDC also recently announced that Nancy Conner was hired as the council’s first executive director. Conner
has more than 20 years of supplier diversity management experience, including her diversity consulting
practice that helps corporations meet their supplier diversity goals through coaching and development of
minority, women, veteran, disabled and LGBTQ suppliers.
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For more information about the IUBDC, visit iubdc.com.
About the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council
The Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council (IUBDC) members include Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Illinois American Water,
Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas. The mission of the IUBDC is to serve the Illinois utilities as a forum for best
practice sharing and information exchange with the focus on advancing the growth and utilization of utility-based diverse
businesses in the state of Illinois.