National Fuel Gas Co. said Philip C. Ackerman has been electedpresident of the company. David F. Smith will succeed Ackerman aspresident of National Fuel Distribution Corp. Ackerman has beenwith the company since 1968, and Smith has been with National Fuelsince 1978.

Columbia Energy Group named Brian J. Watt senior vice presidentof Columbia Energy Group Services Corp. and president of ColumbiaEnergy Services. Columbia has been actively looking for a seniorexecutive to manage all of its unregulated divisions sinceexperiencing a $59 million loss last year because of increasedretail customer acquisition costs, infrastructure investments, asharp rise in wholesale marketing activities and a trading snafu.Watt previously was a consultant for Fortune 500 energy companies,president of a subsidiary of Joy Technologies and has managed anumber of companies in the U.S. and overseas. He holds a doctorateof sciences degree from MIT.

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