Atmos Energy Names Cocklin as Chief Executive Officer and Best as Executive Chairman
September 27 2010 - 5:50PM
Business Wire
Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE: ATO) today announced that its
board of directors has appointed Kim R. Cocklin, currently
president and chief operating officer, as president and chief
executive officer, effective October 1, 2010. In addition, Robert
W. Best, currently chairman of the board and chief executive
officer, has been appointed as executive chairman of the company,
also effective October 1, 2010.
Cocklin has served as president and chief operating officer of
the company since October 2008, after having served as senior vice
president, regulated operations from October 2006 through September
2008. Prior to joining Atmos Energy as senior vice president in
June 2006, Cocklin was with Piedmont Natural Gas Company, where he
was senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance
officer.
“Our company has emphasized succession planning and leadership
development to advance our high performance, employee-focused
culture. This announcement confirms our commitment to an orderly
executive transition to enable the company to achieve continued
sustainable success,” said Best, who has served as the chairman of
the board and chief executive officer since joining the company in
March 1997.
“Kim Cocklin has extensive experience in the natural gas
industry and has a proven track record as an exceptional leader. He
has the unique ability to produce excellent financial results while
maintaining a strong focus on safety, customer service and employee
well being,” Best continued.
“Our company’s continued goal is to grow our asset base and to
grow our earnings per share by 4 to 6 percent per year, on average.
I have every confidence that under Kim’s leadership we will achieve
these goals and provide exceptional long-term value to our
shareholders, customers and employees,” stated Best.
“We have a great company, and I look forward to continuing to
work with Bob, our board of directors, our company’s leadership and
our 4,900 committed and dedicated employees to add to our strong
foundation and achieve future success,” said Cocklin.
“Bob Best has served as chairman and chief executive officer
since 1997 and has provided exceptional leadership growing the
company through seven acquisitions from less than 700,000 to over
3,000,000 customers. He has created a high-performance,
employee-focused culture and as executive chairman of the board,
will play an integral role in the leadership responsible for the
future growth of the company,” said Charles K. Vaughan, former
chairman and current lead director of the board.
About Atmos Energy
Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the
country’s largest natural-gas-only distributor, serving over
three million natural gas distribution customers in more than
1,600 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the
East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy also provides
natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial,
commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and
Southeast and manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and
storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas
pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company.
For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.
Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024