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York College Alumna Cynthia Dotzel Named Board Chair of York Water Company

A YCP Alumni posing for her headshot

Cynthia “Cindy” (Moyer) Dotzel ’76 is the first female to chair the board for the publicly-traded utility company.

Cynthia “Cindy” (Moyer) Dotzel ’76 has always enjoyed work that helps her make a difference. When she started her CPA firm with her husband, George, in 1980, it was with a heart for small businesses, nonprofits, and individuals. The expertise she could bring to the table made a difference in the lives of others.

It’s the same care and industry knowledge that Dotzel brings to all of her community roles, including service in the nonprofit sector and even in her new appointment as Board Chair of the York Water Company. In its 205-year history, Dotzel is the first female to chair the board for the publicly-traded utility company.

“I’m very excited, and very honored, to be leading the board,” she said. “I think it’s great to have a woman at the helm. But, it’s equally important to me that I am judged by my abilities and not just the fact that I am female.”

Among her goals in her new role, Dotzel would like to find ways to strategically continue the growth the company has been seeing the past few years. She wants to ensure the board represents the proper tone for the company, that employees know expectations and can shape the way the community and shareholders see the company as a whole.

“We have to make sure the board is continuously educating itself on what’s happening not just in the industry, but in the world,” Dotzel says. Some of those items include corporate governance, environmental concerns, and social issues. “The impact the York Water Company can have in the community is larger than many people might expect. We want to be a positive contributor to York.”

Winding journey

Dotzel attended Bloomsburg University for three years before transferring her senior year to York College. Her sister, Terry, was also a York College student, and it was a good option for Dotzel when she needed to be closer to home.

She always enjoyed working with numbers and doing math, and the combination of business courses in her class schedule helped her feel like she received a well-rounded education. While she worked with a local CPA firm for several years after graduating from York College, she really wanted to make an impact as an entrepreneur. That’s when she started Dotzel and Company, Inc.

The company grew to 12 employees in 28 years, when the decision was made that it was time to merge with another firm. Eventually, those two companies would be merged with Baker Tilly. Dotzel gave up some of her smaller clients when her company became part of the larger firm. She missed the interaction with small businesses and community members.

“I enjoy looking for solutions”

In 2009, Dotzel joined the board at York Water Company. During the merger with Baker Tilly in 2015, she gave up her seat because Baker Tilly was York Water Company’s auditor.

In January 2019, she decided it was time to go back on her own, and she left Baker Tilly to start working in her own firm again. She brought back many of the small businesses and community clients she had worked with before, and she rejoined the board at the York Water Company.

“No one has the answer to every problem,” she says. “But, I’ve gained a lot of problem-solving skills over the years, and I enjoy looking for solutions. Those are skills that were fostered at York College and developed over years of experience.”