Scontras, Hewes Elected to Portland Water District Board of Trustees

Chris Scontras

Chris Scontras was recently elected to serve a 5-year term representing Cape Elizabeth and South Portland on the Portland Water District Board of Trustees. Scontras ran unopposed and received 70.4% of the votes cast in South Portland and 68.3% of the votes cast in Cape Elizabeth.

Chris Scontras is a recently retired risk management executive with more than three decades of experience serving the power and utility sector. Most recently, he was Managing Director and one of the original founders of Aon’s U.S. Power & Renewables practice, where he advised utility clients on complex risk, insurance, and resilience strategies.

Chris Scontras chose to pursue the trustee seat as a way to give back and contribute to his community. He states, “After I retired, I wanted to find ways to give back. When I saw this open seat, I did my due diligence, met with the Water District, and came away very impressed. I realized I could bring something to the table for the people of Cape Elizabeth and South Portland—so it was time to get off the sidelines.”

He sees the Portland Water District as a well-run, long-standing public utility, and believes his technical expertise and financial oversight experience position him to add real value to its governance. Scontras is focused on common-sense oversight: asking the right questions, supporting a well-run, publicly owned utility, and helping guide it through future challenges so customers continue to receive safe, reliable, affordable water and wastewater services.

Scontras graduated from the University of Maine with a business degree and also has an associate’s degree in risk management. He grew up in Kittery as one of seven children from a third-generation Greek family, and now resides in Cape Elizabeth. He credits his parents for instilling a strong work ethic, personal accountability, and a commitment to community. Now retired, he volunteers at the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen.

Will Hewes

Will Hewes is the Water Sustainability Lead at Amazon, where he supports global initiatives focused on water efficiency, reuse, and stewardship across the company’s operations.

Raised in Maine and now based in Portland, Hewes brings both local understanding and extensive experience working on water issues internationally.

When asked why he decided to run, Hewes explains, “My entire career has been dedicated to water—understanding it, protecting it, and planning for its future. I love everything about this work, and I wanted to bring that passion home to serve my community.”

As a Trustee of the Portland Water District, Hewes is focused on several key priorities: strengthening utility finance, ensuring the long-term investments needed for sustainability, and supporting innovation that is thoughtful, effective, and aligned with the PWD’s mission.

Hewes earned his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Bachelor’s Degree in International Environmental Policy from Brown University. He also serves on the Advisory Board of The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to nature, creating parks, and protecting public lands.

Outside work, Hewes enjoys exploring Maine’s outdoors and spending time on local watershed trails.