El Paso Corp. shifts executive team

Oct. 2, 2002
El Paso Corp. revealed Monday that it would be shifting certain key members of its executive management team.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, Oct. 2 -- El Paso Corp. revealed Monday that it would be shifting certain key members of its executive management team.

Ronald L. Kuehn has been elected lead director of El Paso's board.

Kuehn's appointment, El Paso stated, was in response to an Aug. 1 proposal by the New York Stock Exchange, which ratified a group of proposals designed to "hold listed companies to a much higher standard of corporate governance," NYSE said. Among the list of proposals was a call for listed firms to carry a majority of independent members on their boards.

Formerly, Kuehn served as chairman, president, and CEO of Sonat Inc., Birmingham, Ala., before it was merged into El Paso.

El Paso's board also has elected H. Brent Austin to serve as president and chief operating officer, a newly created position. Austin currently serves as the company's executive vice-president and chief financial officer. In his new position, Austin will oversee the company's nonregulated businesses as well as its financial functions.

Succeeding Austin will be D. Dwight Scott, who is presently serving as the company's senior vice-president, finance.