Williams Appoints Two New Independent Directors
December 13 2016 - 6:45AM
Business Wire
- Charles “Casey” Cogut and Michael Creel
to Join Williams’ Board, Effective Immediately
- Appointments Underscore Williams’
Commitment to Independent Leadership and Increasing Stockholder
Value
- Board Now Comprises 11 Directors, 10 of
Whom are Independent
The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE: WMB) (“Williams”) today
announced that its Board of Directors has appointed two new
highly-qualified independent directors, effective immediately:
Charles “Casey” Cogut and Michael A. Creel. The two new directors
will stand for election at Williams’ 2017 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, scheduled for May 18, 2017.
Mr. Cogut and Mr. Creel were identified through the Board’s
previously announced search process. With these appointments, the
Williams Board of Directors has completed its previously announced
board refreshment plan. The Williams Board now comprises 11
directors, 10 of whom are independent and seven of whom were
appointed in 2016.
Mr. Cogut, recognized as one of the leading corporate lawyers in
the United States, is currently senior merger and acquisitions
counsel at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he has
practiced law for more than 40 years. Over the course of his
career, Mr. Cogut has specialized in domestic, international and
cross-border mergers and acquisitions; corporate governance
matters; the representation of special committees of boards of
directors; and buyouts and other transactions involving private
equity firms.
Mr. Creel is a highly-skilled and extremely-knowledgeable
industry leader, having served as chief executive officer and
director of the general partner of Enterprise Products Partners
L.P., a leading North American provider of midstream energy
services. He is a proven executive with a deep understanding of the
midstream sector.
“We are pleased that these outstanding new directors will bring
their diversity of perspectives and experiences, as well as their
shared commitment to strong, independent corporate leadership, to
the Williams Board of Directors,” said Dr. Kathleen Cooper,
chairman of the Williams Board of Directors. “Casey and Mike join a
board that is committed to protecting and delivering value to
Williams’ stockholders.”
“Casey and Mike bring diverse expertise to our board,” said Alan
Armstrong, president and chief executive officer. “Casey is an
incredibly talented adviser to boards of directors around the
world, and his experience will be invaluable to Williams as we move
forward. Mike has been a leader in the natural gas industry as the
former CEO of Enterprise Products for many years, and Williams will
benefit from his long track-record of financial discipline and
shareholder value creation. I look forward to welcoming Casey and
Mike as we continue to execute our strategy of capturing natural
gas demand growth and driving value for our stockholders.”
Today’s appointments reflect Williams’ ongoing commitment to
enhance stockholder value, extend the company’s long history of
strong, independent corporate governance, and demonstrate further
decisive actions to position the company for future growth.
Charles “Casey” Cogut
Mr. Cogut was a partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
from 1980 through 2012, serving as global head of the firm’s
M&A group from 1996-2011. He is a member of the Board of
Directors of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., and also a member of
the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of Cold Spring
Harbor Laboratory, a private, not-for-profit research and
educational institution at the forefront of molecular biology and
genetics. He graduated summa cum laude from Lehigh University and
received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law
School.
Michael Creel
Mr. Creel was chief executive officer and director of the
general partner of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. until his
retirement in 2015. He served in positions with increasing
responsibility with the company since 1999. He was also group vice
chairman at EPCO, Inc., and executive vice president and chief
financial officer at Duncan Energy Partners L.P., a company engaged
in natural gas liquids transportation, fractionation, marketing and
storage, and petrochemical product transportation, gathering and
marketing. He was also president and chief executive officer at the
general partner of Enterprise GP Holdings L.P. and held a number of
executive management positions with Shell affiliate Tejas Energy
and NorAm Energy Corp. Mr. Creel will also be joining the board of
Suncor Energy, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Mr. Creel is a graduate of
McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he
earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
About Williams
Williams (NYSE: WMB) is a premier provider of large-scale
infrastructure connecting U.S. natural gas and natural gas products
to growing demand for cleaner fuel and feedstocks. Headquartered in
Tulsa, Okla., Williams owns approximately 60 percent of Williams
Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ), including all of the 2 percent
general-partner interest. Williams Partners is an industry-leading,
large-cap master limited partnership with operations across the
natural gas value chain from gathering, processing and interstate
transportation of natural gas and natural gas liquids to petchem
production of ethylene, propylene and other olefins. With major
positions in top U.S. supply basins, Williams Partners owns and
operates more than 33,000 miles of pipelines system wide –
including the nation’s largest volume and fastest growing pipeline
– providing natural gas for clean-power generation, heating and
industrial use. Williams Partners’ operations touch approximately
30 percent of U.S. natural gas. www.williams.com
Portions of this document may constitute “forward-looking
statements” as defined by federal law. Although the company
believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions,
there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially
different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the “safe
harbor” protections provided under the Private Securities Reform
Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to
material changes in performance is contained in the company’s
annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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WilliamsMedia Contact:Lance Latham,
918-573-9675orInvestor Contacts:John Porter,
918-573-0797orBrett Krieg, 918-573-4614
Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ)
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