Duke Energy’s new CEO, Paul Anderson, announced the formation of a new executive committee last week, made up of COO Fred Fowler, CFO David Hauser, Chief Development Officer Jim Mogg, Group Vice President Rich Osborne and General Counsel Martha Wyrsch.

“These leadership and organizational changes are a first step in consolidating functions, clarifying accountabilities, reducing bureaucracy and ensuring executive focus on Duke Energy’s key business priorities,” Anderson said. The changes that will be effective on Jan. 1. Greg Ebel, vice president of investor relations, also will report directly to Anderson and serve as secretary to the executive committee.

The six-member executive committee will drive corporate strategy, transactions, financial plans and enterprise policy. “The functions reporting to me reflect my priority areas of focus — our energy businesses, financial systems, business strategy, human talent and our relationships with key stakeholders,” Anderson said.

Fowler was named president and COO of Duke Energy in November 2002. Hauser was named to his current role of senior vice president and acting CFO in November 2003. Mogg has been chairman, president and CEO of Duke Energy Field Services since December 1999, and chairman of TEPPCO Partners LP. He will continue in his role at TEPPCO. Rich Osborne became executive vice president and chief risk officer in 2000. And Martha Wyrsch has been in her current position as senior vice president of legal affairs for Duke Energy since February.

Duke also announced the appointment of ConocoPhillips executive Bill Easter as CEO of Duke Energy Field Services (DEFS), a partnership between Duke and ConocoPhillips. Regarding Easter’s appointment at DEFS, Fowler said the fact that a ConocoPhillips executive was tapped for the top job reflects the strength of the partnership. The company, which was formed in March 2002 with the combination of the natural gas gathering and processing businesses of the two companies, is one of the nation’s largest gas gatherers, and producers and marketers of gas liquids. Duke Energy owns 70% and ConocoPhillips own 30% in DEFS.

Dick Blackburn announced that he plans to retire as executive vice president, general counsel and chief administrative officer of Duke Energy effective Jan. 31. Blackburn, 61, joined Duke Energy in 1997 as executive vice president and general counsel, and assumed his current role in January 2003.

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