By Jodie Newell | Pinal Central
Arizona Water Company Vice President of Water Resources Terri Sue Rossi says ensuring communities have the water they need to grow has been the driving force behind her career.
That commitment has earned Rossi statewide recognition as one of Arizona Business Magazine’s 2026 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business, selected from more than 2,000 nominees across Arizona.
The award acknowledges Rossi’s leadership in helping Arizona Water Company secure an Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply for its Casa Grande and Coolidge service areas earlier this year.
Gov. Katie Hobbs joined company and regional leaders at city hall in March to celebrate the milestone, which marked the first new 100-year water designation approved within the Pinal Active Management Area in more than two decades. The designation allows Arizona Water Company to demonstrate it can provide water for at least the next 100 years through a diversified portfolio that includes renewable water supplies while reducing long-term reliance on groundwater.
The ADAWS designation is aimed at creating greater water certainty for the company’s existing and future customers in Casa Grande, Coolidge and surrounding Pinal County areas while supporting continued residential, commercial and industrial growth.
Rossi told PinalCentral she initially knew little about the award and researched it online after receiving the news.
“I thought, ‘maybe this isn’t a scam,’” Rossi said with a laugh. “I went online and researched it and said, ‘No, this is a real thing.’ It seemed to me that this one is perhaps even a little bit more prestigious than the last award. I was like, ‘this is kind of a big deal.’”
Jordan Rose, Rose Law Group Founder and President, tells RLGR:
“Terri Sue deserves this honor and more! She has been such a pleasure to work with over the last many decades and she has been essential in finding solutions to our states challenges. Terri Sue is a problem solver and we are lucky to have her here in AZ!”
