Columbia Propane named Donald F. Schalk president and CEO ofColumbia Petroleum Corp. He reports to A. Mason Brent, ColumbiaPropane president and CEO. Columbia Petroleum is a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Columbia Propane, an affiliate of Columbia EnergyGroup. Richland, PA-based Columbia Petroleum acquired the assets ofCarlos R. Leffler, Inc. and certain affiliates on May 11 andcurrently serves 36,000 customers in Pennsylvania, Delaware, NewJersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Schalk’s most recent position waspresident, retail services for Agway, Inc. in Syracuse, NY.

Marathon Oil announced that Edward F. McFarland, vice presidentof domestic production, Gulf Coast and offshore, has elected toretire effective Sept. 1, after completing more than 34 years ofservice. L. Michael Mueller has been appointed in his place and toa new position that strategically aligns all domestic offshoreoperations and worldwide deep-water development activities. Inemphasizing the new offshore focus, Marathon’s southern productionregion will begin reporting to A. Robert Kukla, vice president,domestic production, continental U.S.

CMS Energy announced Laura L. Mountcastle has assumed additionalresponsibility for managing the company’s treasury function.Mountcastle has been named vice president, investor relations andtreasurer.

CMS Energy elected David G. Mengebier to the new position ofvice president, governmental and international affairs. He willhead CMS Energy’s Washington, D.C. governmental affairs office andwill be responsible for managing public policy and political issuesinvolving the U.S. government and the governments of 22 othercountries around the world in which CMS Energy has investments. Healso will be responsible for managing the state governmentalrelations in more than 20 states in which CMS Energy has a majorpresence. Mengebier, 41, was previously executive director offederal governmental affairs.

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) approvedthe merger of Dominion Resources Inc. and Consolidated Natural GasCo. The West Virginia PSC approval marks the third for the merger.Shareholders of both companies approved the merger June 30, and thePennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved it June 24. Thedeal is expected to close by year-end. Approvals are also requiredfrom the Virginia and North Carolina public utility commissions andfrom several federal agencies.

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