The Railroad Commission of Texas appointed Milton Rister executive director of the agency effective Oct. 1. Rister comes from Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s office, where he has served as director for administration since 2010. Before that, Rister was executive director of the Texas Legislative Council from 2006 to 2009. He also served as a senior advisor for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in 2005. Former Executive Director John Tintera announced his retirement effective April 1 after 22 years of service to the commission (see Daily GPI, March 9).
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Sempra Energy’s board has appointed Anne Shen Smith president and CEO of Sempra’s Southern California Gas Co. utility. She replaces Michael Allman, who resigned and is leaving the company. Smith has served as the utility’s COO since 2010. She joined the company as a operations research analyst and for the past 21 years has had various executive roles with SoCalGas and Sempra.
Quebec Panel: Use Labs, Not Wells, to Test Fracking
A committee appointed by Quebec’s environment minister to study hydraulic fracturing (fracking) said the practice requires further study and recommended against authorizing any test wells that would conduct fracking for research purposes.
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Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) recently appointed George Jugovic Jr. president and CEO. Jugovic replaces Jan Jarrett, who resigned after 13 years with the statewide environmental organization. Jugovic previously served as a senior attorney for PennFuture. Before joining the organization, he served as the southwest regional director for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in Pittsburgh.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Citizens Advisory Council has appointed Marjorie Hughes as executive director. The 18-member council reviews the work of the DEP and makes recommendations to the department, the governor and the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Hughes comes to the position following 35 years working on environmental and transportation issues for state and local governments, most recently serving as the chief of the DEP’s Conservation District Support Division in the Bureau of Waterways and Wetlands. She is replacing Sue Wilson, who retired from the position in December after 19 years.
Nexen Launches CEO Search
The search is on for a new chief at Nexen Inc. after President and CEO Marvin Romanow resigned last week.
Nexen Launches CEO Search
The search is on for a new chief at Nexen Inc. after President and CEO Marvin Romanow resigned on Monday.
Chesapeake Creates Oilfield Services Unit
Chesapeake Energy Corp. has named a former Boots & Coots executive to lead a newly created oilfield services unit that will house the producer’s growing business and complement its massive U.S. drilling program.
Ohio Governor Taps Former Industry Executive to Jobs Post
In a new push for development of the Marcellus and Utica shales, Ohio Gov. John Kasich has appointed former Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director David Mustine to a top post with JobsOhio, Kasich’s new private, nonprofit corporation designed to spur job creation and economic development.
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BP plc has appointed Fergus MacLeod as the new strategy chief. MacLeod, a former Deutsche Bank oil analyst, has been in charge of BP’s investor relations unit since 2002 and he will continue to run that unit. Ian Smale, 51, who has been BP’s head of strategy for the past three years, has retired from BP after 30 years. MacLeod will report directly to CEO Bob Dudley. Because MacLeod formerly was an energy analyst, he is expected to be attuned to shareholder concerns as the oil major attempts to revive investor confidence. Dudley said in July that stabilizing the company was his top priority (see Daily GPI, July 27).