Reliant Energy's Don D. Jordan retired from his position as chairman of the board Dec. 31. R. Steve Letbetter, who had served as president and chief executive officer since June, has been named chairman, president and chief executive officer. Jordan served as CEO of Reliant Energy and its predecessor companies for 23 years, one of the longest tenures as a chief executive among major companies in Houston and in the energy business.

Matthew C. Cordaro has been appointed president and CEO of the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator. Cordaro's career spans over 30 years as a senior executive in both the utility and independent power industries. He was most recently president and CEO of Nashville Electric Service, one of the 10-largest public electric utilities in the nation.

Gov. Jesse Ventura has appointed Commissioner Gregory Scott as chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Scott replaces Edward Garvey, who resigned but will complete his term as a member of the commission. Scott has been a member of the PUC since 1997, prior to which he was a trial lawyer handling regulatory issues with the Minneapolis law firm of Messerli and Kramer.

Lester H. Loble, II, vice president, general counsel and secretary of MDU Resources Group Inc., has received the American Corporate Counsel Association's 1999 Excellence in Corporate Practice Award. ACCA established the national award in 1996 to recognize the achievements of in-house counsel who excel in the areas of community, public service and advancement of the profession.

Maine PUC Commissioner William Nugent has been named to the board of directors of the National Regulatory Research Institute. A former president of the New England Conference of Public Utility Commissioners, Nugent chairs the Regulatory Strategies Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners.

B.N. "Trip" Tripathi, president of Sempra Energy Services, was named Energy Service Professional of the Year at the World Energy Engineering Congress in Atlanta. Tripathi received the award, given by the Association of Energy Engineers, for his outstanding achievements in promoting the practices, principles and procedures of energy service.

The California Independent System Operator has appointed Elena Schmid to the newly created position of vice president for strategic development and communications. Schmid comes to the ISO from the Association of Bay Area Governments, where she most recently served as manager of ABAG Power, spearheading the effort to aggregate local governments for the direct access purchase of power. She also was a member of the California ISO board of governors.

Gary J. Wolter on Feb. 1 was to assume the duties of president and CEO and become a member of the board of directors of Madison Gas & Electric Co. He succeeds David C. Mebane, who retired from his CEO position on Jan. 31. Mebane will continue as chairman of the board of directors, and also serve as an advisor and consultant to the board and chairman of the MGE Foundation. Wolter has served as senior vice president-administration and secretary since 1995.

Dennis Murphy, who has served as superintendent of one of PP&L Inc.'s largest fossil-fueled generating stations since 1991, has been named the company's vice president-power production and engineering. Murphy replaces Bob Shovlin, who retired Jan. 1, having served in the position for seven years.

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