Looking to beef up efforts to acquire or develop assets as part of the company’s strategic growth plan, AGL Resources Inc. has created a new business development unit, Pivotal Energy Development. The new business entity will report to Kevin P. Madden, executive vice president of distribution and pipeline operations for AGL.

“Creating a formal business development organization puts more structure around the growth initiatives we already have under way to deepen our asset base in the Southeast and Mid Atlantic regions,” said Paula G. Rosput, CEO of AGL. “Kevin’s strong leadership in running our multi-utility distribution business will serve as the foundation for many of the development projects we’re exploring. Since we intend for our projects to have a regulated character to them, the integration between the existing businesses and development opportunities is essential.”

Bringing in proven talent to run the subsidiary, AGL has tapped Dana Grams and Eric Martinez, who were instrumental in forming two other AGL subsidiary start-ups, Sequent Energy Management and AGL Networks, respectively.

Grams, who was vice president of asset management at Sequent, will be the senior vice president of business development and will lead Pivotal’s daily business development activities and operations. He is responsible for identifying and developing asset projects that extend AGL’s current natural gas business. The initial focus of Pivotal’s commercial activities is to improve the economics of reliability in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Martinez, who was previously COO of AGL Networks, will join Pivotal as senior vice president of engineering and construction. Martinez will be responsible for managing all phases of engineering and construction for asset development projects originated by the business unit.

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