AWWA Member Spotlight – Adam Motherwell, Beaver Water District, Arkansas

Adam Motherwell, chief financial officer with Beaver Water District in Lowell, Arkansas, was recently recognized as a “favorite C-Suite executive” by Arkansas Money and Politics and a CFO of the Year finalist by Arkansas Business Magazine. He is a past chair of the American Water Works Association’s audit committee and the Southwest Section’s audit committee.   

Professional background: Motherwell’s 45 years of accounting experience includes corporate auditor, Arkansas legislative auditor, and University of Arkansas system auditor. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), past Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), University of Arkansas Credit Union treasurer, and chair of the audit committee for the City of Fayetteville. He joined Beaver Water District after serving as the associate dean for finance & administration in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. 

What skills have helped advance your financial accounting career? Technical skills are important for an accountant, but communication skills are also very important. I spent the first 22 years of my career as an internal auditor, which required good writing skills, especially to write audit reports. I’ve always advised business students to take classes in the arts & sciences to hone their communication skills, such as English, creative writing and public speaking. (Pictured above, Adam Motherwell with his wife, daughter and son.)

What has challenged you about working in the water sector? The water sector is more complicated than people realize, and it requires the pursuit of knowledge in many different subjects. In addition to accounting, finance and economics, it helps to understand engineering, chemistry, biology, computer science and environmental sciences.

How and why did you get involved in the water community? I grew up swimming in Beaver Lake, but I never thought I would make a living with water. One thing I’ve learned is you really need to appreciate the mission of your line of work, whatever it is. Water is our most basic physiological need on the pyramid of needs, so it is rewarding to work on such an important mission.

What do you like most about working for a water utility? I’m a proactive person, and water utilities are always looking to the future to ensure there is water at the tap. I enjoy being part of the long-term planning process and the emphasis water leaders put on planning ahead.

How have you benefited from your AWWA involvement? AWWA has introduced me to a wonderful group of dedicated professionals. The leadership in Denver, the members of the Southwest Section and our local members have all been willing to share their knowledge of the water industry. The Manual of Water Utility Management, Manual of Water Supply Practices, the Journal AWWA and Southwest Water Works Journal have all been valuable resources.

Please describe your family and/or hobbies and interests. My wife, Kim, is also a CPA and we have been married for more than 30 years. Our daughter, Katie, just got married and is starting her career in Kansas City as a speech pathologist. Our son, Chase, is a high school sophomore, runs track, and works on his grandmother’s farm to show cattle at the county fair. We enjoy traveling to America’s great national parks and visiting my mother’s side of the family in England and Scotland.

What is something that people would be surprised to know about you? With the University of Arkansas, I traveled to Tanzania to tour Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti and Mount Kilimanjaro. We spent a couple of nights in Jane Goodall’s house where she trained chimpanzees.