Bismarck, ND-based MDU Resources Group Inc. named John Stumpf senior vice president for development and midstream operations at its natural gas pipeline and services unit, WBI Energy Inc., effective April 1. Stumpf has been MDU’s vice president for strategic planning. In his new position, Stumpf will help develop and implement growth opportunities around midstream operations concentrated in the Bakken Formation in North Dakota at the Dakota Prairie Refining and Proghorn gas processing plants in which MDU holds interests. Stumpf joined MDU in its construction materials unit, Knife River Corp., in 1993.

John Hanger, a former secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, has dropped out of the state’s Democratic race for governor, leaving five candidates to challenge Republican Gov. Tom Corbett. In a statement to supporters, Hanger said “there is no longer a path to victory in the Democratic primary. To press on could cause damage to the issues and people for which we campaigned.” Hanger, like other Democratic candidates in the race, had supported a new oil and gas severance tax and called for the creation of a citizen’s gas drilling complaint office to investigate complaints against the oil and gas industry. In February, another Democratic candidate, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, withdrew his candidacy.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) announced that Steven Tambini has accepted the position of executive director, effective Aug. 1. A resolution officially appointing Tambini will be introduced at the DRBC’s next meeting on Wednesday. Tambini succeeds Carol Collier, who is retiring after 15 years of service (see Shale Daily, Sept. 16, 2013). Collier’s last day at the helm is Wednesday. Richard Gore, the agency’s chief administrative officer, will serve as acting executive director until Tambini takes over.