Contact Information: Contact: Jenna Cooper-Gross 503-721-2440
NW Natural Promotes Two Executive Staff Members
| Source: NW Natural
PORTLAND, OR--(Marketwire - January 22, 2008) - NW Natural (NYSE : NWN ), the largest
independent gas utility in the Northwest, this week announced the
promotions of two executive staff members, Lea Anne Doolittle and Richelle
Luther.
Lea Anne Doolittle, formerly Vice President of Human Resources since
joining the company in 2000, has been elevated to Senior Vice President.
Her responsibilities include Human Resources, Payroll, Security, Facilities
and Occupational Safety. Doolittle will continue reporting to CEO Mark
Dodson.
Prior to joining NW Natural, Doolittle worked in Human Resources Management
for PacifiCorp and other Portland area companies. Doolittle served on the
board and executive committee for the STARS Foundation from 2002-2006. She
is an advisory board member for the MBA program at Willamette University
where she received her MBA.
Richelle Luther has been appointed Chief Governance Officer and Corporate
Secretary, replacing C.J. Rue who retired in December. Luther served as
Assistant Corporate Secretary since joining the company in 2002 where she
primarily focused on corporate governance and financial reporting issues.
In her new role, Luther will assume sole responsibility for board and
corporate governance matters. Luther will report to Margaret Kirkpatrick,
Vice President and General Counsel.
Prior to joining NW Natural, Luther worked as a corporate attorney at the
law firm of Stoel Rives LLP. She served on the Board of the March of Dimes
from 2003 - 2007 and is a mentor to law students from Northwestern School
of Law at Lewis and Clark College. Richelle was recognized in 2006 as one
of the Business Journal's "Forty under 40."
About NW Natural
NW Natural (NYSE : NWN ) is headquartered in Portland, Ore., and serves about
650,000 residential and business customers in Oregon and southwest
Washington. It is the largest independent natural gas utility in the
Pacific Northwest and is one of the fastest-growing local distribution
companies in the nation. NW Natural has approximately $2 billion in total
assets, which includes more than 16 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of underground
gas storage capacity within its service territory at Mist, Ore. For more
information about NW Natural, please visit www.nwnatural.com.