Over the next few months, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on our Icon Members, businesses and organizations that have made a meaningful commitment to the Chico Chamber and to the strength of our local business community.

We’re kicking off this series with Shannon McGovern of Cal Water, a longtime partner serving Chico and the surrounding region. Below, she shares a few thoughts on why Chamber involvement matters, how community connection supports their work, and what they’d encourage other business leaders to consider.

1) Cal Water is turning 100! Tell us about your centennial tagline, “Trust on Tap.”

“Trust on Tap” captures the essence of who we are and what we deliver—every single day. For a century, California Water Service (Cal Water) has provided clean, safe, and reliable water to the communities we serve. But beyond the infrastructure, treatment facilities, and regulatory compliance, what we truly provide is confidence.

Water is foundational. Families rely on it. Firefighters depend on it. Businesses require it to operate. When customers turn on the tap, they don’t question the quality or availability—they trust it. That trust is earned over decades through operational excellence, disciplined capital investment, regulatory integrity, and a commitment to public health.



Our centennial isn’t simply about longevity; it’s about sustained reliability, transparency, and stewardship. “Trust on Tap” reflects a 100-year promise kept—and a commitment to continue earning that trust for the next century.

2) What does supporting the local business ecosystem mean to you as an Icon Member?

Supporting the local business ecosystem means recognizing that infrastructure providers and private enterprise are interdependent. As a utility, we are foundational to economic vitality. Reliable water service enables small businesses to open their doors, manufacturers to maintain production, restaurants to serve customers, and developers to invest confidently.

As an Icon Member, our role extends beyond service delivery. It includes:

• Investing locally through supplier partnerships
• Prioritizing supplier diversity and inclusive procurement
• Supporting chambers of commerce and economic development organizations
• Giving back to community nonprofits, scholarship programs, and first responder organizations

When local businesses thrive, communities strengthen. When communities strengthen, economic resilience improves. Supporting the ecosystem is not philanthropy alone—it’s a long-term economic strategy.

3) What advice would you give to business owners on creating a company built to last?

Reaching 100 years requires more than profitability. It requires disciplined leadership and a long-term mindset. Three principles stand out:

• Prioritize Trust Over Transactions

Reputation compounds over time. Protect it relentlessly—through transparency, ethical governance, and consistent service quality.

• Invest for the Long Term

Short-term gains cannot come at the expense of infrastructure, talent, or culture. Sustainable companies continually reinvest—in people, systems, and innovation.

• Stay Anchored to Purpose

Organizations that endure understand why they exist beyond revenue. For Cal Water, it’s public health and community well-being. Purpose creates resilience during economic cycles and industry disruption.

Finally, adaptability is essential. Markets evolve. Regulations shift.

Customer expectations rise. Companies built to last maintain operational discipline while remaining flexible enough to innovate.

A century in business is not an accident. It is the result of consistent values, responsible leadership, and an unwavering commitment to those you serve.