Michael Picker, 62, has been named to the California Public Utilities Commission by Gov. Jerry Brown. Mark Ferron resigned from the five-member regulatory panel for health reasons (see Daily GPI, Jan. 16). Picker, a director of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, plans to resign that position before joining the commission. The appointment requires confirmation by the state Senate.

Jim Scheel has been appointed senior vice president (SVP) of Williams‘ Northeast gathering and processing unit and takes over responsibility for the midstream business in the Marcellus/Utica shale regions, the Tulsa operator said.Frank Billings, who formerly helmed the midstream unit, was named SVP of corporate strategic development. “As the build-out of our gathering and processing business in the Marcellus-Utica advances, we’re at a point where we realize the greatest value by having Northeast-region leadership with deep operational experience,” said CEO Alan Armstrong. Williams has about $3.3 billion in projects through 2015 underway to increase takeaway and processing capacity in the Northeast.

Consol Energy Inc. has hired former Chesapeake Energy Corp. executive Timothy C. Dugan as COO of exploration and production, a position formerly held by Randy Albert, who has retired (see Shale Daily, Nov. 18, 2013). Dugan served as vice president of Chesapeake’s Appalachia South business unit, where he directed operations in the Marcellus and Utica shales. Consol, which among other things plans to drill 45 wells at the Pittsburgh International Airport (see Shale Daily,Feb. 12, 2013), said Dugan’s involvement in a similar project at the Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport factored into its decision. Dugan previously worked for Appalachian operators Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. and EQT Corp.

Devon Energy Corp. has appointedBarbara M. Baumann and John E. Bethancourt to serve on its board of directors, effective immediately. Baumann and Bethancourt expand the company’s board to 10 members, including eight independent directors. Baumann, 58, is a former BP Amoco executive who currently serves as president and owner of the energy advisory firmCross Creek Energy Corp. Bethancourt, 62, is a retired Chevron Corp. executive who most recently served as executive vice president of technology and services. In June, shareholders of record will have an opportunity to reelect all directors at the company’s annual meeting.

David Hochschild has been reappointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the California Energy Commission (CEC) to a full five-year term. Brown had appointed Hochschild last year to fill out a term on the five-member CEC as its environmental representative. Hochschild was a vice president at Solaria Corp. 2007-2013. The appointment requires state Senate confirmation.