Elected

Buffalo, NY-based National Fuel Gas Co. said Friday that it has elected Philip C. Ackerman to the position of chairman of the board, effective January 3. Ackerman, who became CEO of National Fuel in October 2001, succeeds Bernard J. Kennedy in both capacities. Ackerman, 57, joined the company in 1968 and has been president of National Fuel since July 1999. In other company action, the board of directors approved payment of a regular quarterly dividend of $0.2525 per share on the company’s common stock. In June 2001, the regular annual dividend was increased by 5.2% to an annual rate of $1.01, which included a special increase of 2 cents in addition to a 3-cent regular increase. These figures reflect the implementation of the company’s two-for-one common stock split on Sept. 7, 2001. The dividend is payable Jan. 15, 2002 to shareholders of record on Dec. 31, 2001. National Fuel is an integrated energy company with $3.4 billion in assets comprised of the following six operating segments: utility, pipeline and storage, exploration and production, international, energy marketing and timber.

U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski of Alaska, a key energy lawmaker, announced last week that he plans to run for governor of the state next year.

U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski of Alaska, a key energy lawmaker, has announced that he plans to run for governor of the state next year.

The board of directors of Magnum Hunter Resources Inc. reported late last week that they have elected Gary C. Evans as chairman of the company. He will also retain his position as the company’s president and CEO. Magnum Hunter said Evans, 44, succeeds Matthew C. Lutz who retired as chairman and executive vice president at the beginning of September. Evans previously has served as president, CEO and a director of Magnum Hunter Resources Inc. since Dec. 1995 and chairman and CEO of all of the Magnum Hunter subsidiaries since their formation or acquisition. Evans founded the predecessor company, Hunter Resources Inc., in 1985.

Michael C. Morgan has been elected president of Kinder Morgan Inc., Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP and Kinder Morgan Management, LLC. Morgan will become the third member of the Office of the Chairman, joining Richard D. Kinder, chairman and CEO, and William V. Morgan, vice chairman. “Mike has been a core member of our senior management team since the company was formed in February of 1997, and he has demonstrated outstanding leadership and strategic acumen in spearheading Kinder Morgan’s acquisition efforts,” Kinder said. He noted KMP has made 23 accretive acquisitions totaling more than $5 billion in the past four and one-half years. Going forward William Morgan said earnings growth would “come half from internal growth and half from additional acquisitions. Mike Morgan served as vice president of strategy and investor relations from January of 2000 to the present, and as vice president of corporate development from 1997 to 2000. He previously worked in McKinsey & Co.’s energy practice and for PSI Energy, Inc.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) reported on Wednesday that Kenneth T. Lombard has been re-elected president of the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners. He begins his fourth year on the commission and his second term as president.

FPL Group Inc. of Florida announced that Moray Dewhurst has been elected to the position of CFO of the $7 billion electricity-related services company. He will assume his new position in mid-July. Dewhurst previously served as a senior partner and director of Dean & Co., a management consulting and investment firm that he cofounded in 1993. While at Dean, he worked closely with FPL Group and its businesses. Under contract with FPL Group and Entergy Corp., Dewhurst had the responsibility for leading the financial integration team for the two companies prior to their merger being terminated in April. He also has assisted FPL Group’s independent power producer subsidiary, FPL Energy, in assessing its operations and subsequently redesigning business processes, as well as developing analytical tools and techniques to enhance business operations and planning.

FPL Group Inc. announced that Lewis Hay III has been elected president, CEO and a director of the $7 billion electricity-related services company. He succeeds James L. Broadhead, who will remain as chairman through the end of the year. Since March 2000, Hay had been serving as president of FPL Energy, the company’s independent power production company and its fastest growing business. He joined FPL Group in August 1999 as CFO. Hay will continue to serve as president of FPL Energy until a replacement is named, the company said.

Mexican President Vicente Fox, elected last year on a promise to improve the country’s economic future, has begun actively courting “out-of-towners” in the hopes of encouraging capital investments in his country. With several productive global trade missions completed, Fox now is turning his attention further north, courting Canadian oil and gas producers in his plan to develop Mexico’s untapped oil and gas reserves.