Michael L. Williams has been named chairman of the TexasRailroad Commission (TRC). He replaces previous chairman TonyGarza. Williams is leading an agency-industry review of thecommission’s regulatory framework. He said, “the world energyindustry is changing dramatically – government needs to change itsapproach as well. With that in mind, the commission can and shouldoperate to allow Texas producers to act faster, operate less costlyand with more flexibility.

“Our joint regulatory review effort has already laid out changesthat could save Texas producers upwards of $7 million per year. Aschairman, I will continue to look for new ways to bolster thatamount and increase producer efficiency by decreasing needlessregulations currently on the books.”

Nancy Bessy, president of PECO Energy’s Power Team, will leavethe company Oct. 1, PECO said yesterday. Bessy has been presidentof the unit since its founding in 1994. She cited spending timewith her family as the main reason for leaving. PECO said areplacement will be named in the near future. During the five yearsBessy led the Power Team, it increased its annual wholesaledeliveries more than four times and its annual wholesale revenuesby nearly five times to $1.2 billion. Last year, the Power Teamdelivered 74 billion kWh in 47 states.

Western Gas Resources said yesterday that Lanny Outlaw, thecurrent COO of the company, will become president and CEO Oct. 1.Brion Wise, the current CEO and Western’s largest shareholder, willremain active as the company’s chairman of the board. Outlaw saidhe intends to continue Western’s strategy of producing coalbedmethane from the Powder River Basin and natural gas from the GreenRiver Basin of Southwest Wyoming.

Ebrahim (Abby) Moradian has been named vice president ofmarketing of Semco Energy Gas Co. in Michigan,succeeding RobertStone who has taken over the new position of president of SemcoEnergy Ventures. Moradian joined Semco less than a year ago afterspending 20 years with MCN Energy Group.

John P. Barnett, who has been doing public relations forPanhandle Eastern Pipe Line and Trunkline Gas for the last 10years, first with PanEnergy and then with Duke Energy, is movingover to the pipelines’ new owner, CMS Energy. Barnett will remainin Houston where CMS is retaining about 450 employees. Barnett hadbeen a reporter for several Texas newspapers, including The HoustonChronicle.

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