
Robert C. Skaggs Jr.
NiSource Inc.Bob Skaggs is president and chief executive officer of NiSource Inc. He is responsible for the strategic direction of the company as well as for overseeing its day-to-day operations. Skaggs was named president in October 2004 and added the CEO responsibilities effective July 1, 2005.
Prior to October 2004, Skaggs was executive vice president, Regulated Revenue, for NiSource, responsible for developing regulatory strategies and leading external relations across all of the corporation's 10 energy distribution markets as well as its extensive interstate pipeline system. He also led regulated commercial activities including large customer and marketer relations and energy supply services, as well as federal governmental relations.
Skaggs joined the law department of Columbia Gas Transmission in 1981 and served in various management positions until he became president of Columbia Gas of Ohio and Columbia Gas of Kentucky in 1996. Effective with the November 2000 merger of NiSource and Columbia Energy Group, he added the responsibilities of president of Bay State Gas and Northern Utilities. In December 2001, his role was further expanded to include the duties of president and CEO of the Columbia companies in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland. He was promoted to executive vice president, Regulated Revenue, for NiSource in October 2003.
Skaggs is a member of the American Gas Association's board of directors and executive committee. He also has served on the board of directors of the Southeastern Gas Association and is a member of the Midwest Energy Association, American Bar Association, Energy Bar Association and West Virginia Bar Association.
Skaggs has served in leadership roles for a variety of charitable, community and civic efforts. He is a member of the Chicago Club, the Commercial Club of Chicago, and is a trustee of the NiSource Charitable Foundation.
Skaggs earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Davidson College, a law degree from West Virginia University and a master's degree in business administration from Tulane University.
He is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006
Michael W. O'Donnell
NiSource Inc.Mike O'Donnell is executive vice president and chief financial officer of NiSource Inc. His responsibilities include the company's corporate finance, treasury, controller, accounting, corporate tax, financial planning and corporate planning functions.
O'Donnell, who has more than 30 years of experience as a financial manager in the energy industry, began his career with Columbia Gas System in 1971 as a financial analyst. While with Columbia, he held positions of increasing responsibility including director of finance, vice president of finance, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Columbia distribution companies and assistant chief financial officer of Columbia Gas System.
He was elected chief financial officer of Columbia Energy Group in 1993 and held that position until NiSource acquired Columbia in November 2000. Concurrent with the acquisition, O'Donnell was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of NiSource.
O'Donnell has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, capital raising activities, asset management, rating agency activities, bank relations and rate case testimony as a rate of return witness. He managed the financial aspects of the Columbia Gas bankruptcy and played an important role in the NiSource/Columbia transaction both before and after the effective date of the merger.
O'Donnell serves on the Audit Committee and Board of Directors of Energy Insurance Mutual and the Investment Committee of the Legacy Foundation in Northwest Indiana. He is a member of the Audit Committee and Management Committee of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad. He also is a member of Financial Executives International, American Gas Association, Beta Gamma Sigma and Omicron Delta Epsilon.
A native of Philadelphia, O'Donnell earned a bachelor's degree with honors in economics from Temple University and won the school's Economics Award. He spent two years in the U.S. Army and served one year in Vietnam with the 9th Infantry Division.
O'Donnell is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006
Carrie J. Hightman
NiSource Inc.Carrie J. Hightman is executive vice president and chief legal officer for NiSource Inc. Her responsibilities include serving as a member of the company's senior management team, with responsibilities for all legal functions, as well as environmental health and safety.
Prior to joining NiSource, Hightman served as President of AT&T Illinois (formerly SBC). In that position, she was responsible for all regulatory, legislative, governmental and external affairs activities, as well as community and industry relations, throughout Illinois. During her tenure at AT&T, Hightman led the company through a series of important public policy initiatives that helped AT&T evolve from a traditional telephone company into a provider of diversified communications and entertainment services.
Prior to joining AT&T, Hightman practiced telecommunications and energy law for more than 17 years. She was a partner in the Chicago law firm of Schiff Hardin, where she led its Energy, Telecommunications and Public Utilities practice group. Hightman is Vice Chair of the Telecommunications Committee of the Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law Section of the American Bar Association and past Chair of the Public Utility Law Section of the Chicago Bar Association.
Hightman began her career in the public sector in 1983, serving as Staff Counsel at the Florida Public Service Commission. In 1986, she served as associate counsel at the Florida Office of Public Counsel, handing a variety of public utility cases on behalf of consumers.
Hightman earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois and her juris doctor from Florida State University. In February 2007, Hightman was appointed Chair of the 15-member Illinois Board of Higher Education by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. She also serves on the boards of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Urban League, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, and the Chicago Bar Foundation.
Hightman is based at NiSource's headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
Christopher A. Helms
NiSource Inc.Chris Helms is Executive Vice President and Group CEO, NiSource Gas Transmission and Storage. He is responsible for executing an aggressive growth strategy for NiSource's interstate natural gas pipeline and storage companies.
Helms oversees all commercial, regulatory, operations and project development functions of Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., Columbia Gulf Transmission Co., Crossroads Pipeline Co. and Granite State Gas Transmission, Inc. Together, NiSource's Pipeline Group companies operate a 17,000-mile network of natural gas pipeline and storage assets and serve some of the nation's largest and fastest-growing energy markets in the Northeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Helms has held a variety of leadership roles in the energy sector, including president and chief executive officer of CMS Panhandle Companies, president of Centennial Pipeline Company LLC, and executive vice president of CMS Gas Transmission Corp. Prior to joining NiSource in April 2005, Helms's firm, Helms & Company LP, provided consulting services to private equity firms seeking investment opportunities in the energy industry.
Helms is second vice chairman of the Southern Gas Association and also has served as vice president of the Groupe International des Importateurs de Gaz Naturel Liquefie. He currently serves as a director of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) and is a member of INGAA's Executive Committee. He is a member of the state bar associations of Texas, Louisiana and Florida, and is a past member of the College of the State Bar of Texas (1993).
Helms earned bachelor's degrees in political science and journalism from Southern Illinois University and a juris doctor degree from Tulane University School of Law.
He is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
Eileen O'Neill Odum
Indiana CompaniesEileen O'Neill Odum is executive vice president and group chief executive officer for NiSource's Indiana business segment, which includes Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Northern Indiana Fuel & Light, and Kokomo Gas Co.
Odum joined NiSource after serving in a variety of senior leadership roles at GTE Corp., Verizon Communications and, most recently, Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises, where she served as chief operating officer.
Odum began her utility career at GTE Corp. in 1978, then the nation's largest non-Bell telephone company. Over the course of the next 22 years, she earned positions of increasing responsibility in finance, regulatory, strategic planning, marketing and sales, and operations.
In 2000, when GTE merged with Bell Atlantic to form Verizon, Odum moved to New York as part of the founding executive team for that new company's wireline business. She retired from Verizon in 2004.
Eileen graduated Cum Laude, with a B.A. in Business Administration/Finance, from the University of Washington.
Odum is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
Jimmy Staton
Jimmy D. Staton is executive vice president and group chief executive officer for NiSource's Gas Distribution segment, which includes NiSource's local gas distribution companies in Kentucky, Maryland, New England, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
He reports to NiSource President and Chief Executive Officer Robert C. Skaggs, Jr. and serves as a member of NiSource's executive management council. Staton joined NiSource after serving in a variety of senior executive positions in the energy industry, including at Dominion Resources, Inc., Consolidated Natural Gas Company and CNG Transmission Corporation.
Staton began his energy industry career as a petroleum engineer at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. After leaving the public sector, Staton held several rate, regulatory and strategic planning positions with Arkla Energy Resources and Consolidated Natural Gas Company (CNG). In 1996, Staton was named Vice President, Pricing, Planning and Financial Services for CNG Transmission Corporation where he served as the company's chief financial officer. In 1999, Staton became President, Asset Operations, for CNG's Regulated Businesses.
After CNG merged with Dominion Resources, Inc. in 2000, Staton was named Senior Vice President, Electric Delivery, where he was responsible for Dominion's electric distribution business serving more than two million customers in Virginia and North Carolina. In 2003, Staton was named Senior Vice President, Delivery Operations, where he was responsible for providing service to Dominion's four million gas and electric customers in six states.
Staton holds professional memberships with a number of associations such as the American Gas Association, Southern Gas Association, and the Gas Research Institute. He earned a B.S degree in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1983.
He is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
Robert D. Campbell
NiSource Inc.Rob Campbell is senior vice president of Human Resources for NiSource Inc. He is responsible for leading NiSource's strategic human resources efforts and managing the NiSource human resources organization.
Campbell was named to this position in September 2005. Previously, he was employed at NiSource as vice president, Labor and Employee Relations and vice president, Human Resources from June 2001 through January 2004. In January 2004, he returned to the law firm of Schiff Hardin LLP as Of Counsel to oversee Schiff's professional development functions.
From 1986 through 2001, Campbell was with Schiff Hardin, first as an associate and then as a partner. His practice was in the area of labor and employment law.
Campbell earned his undergraduate degree from Oral Roberts University and his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University of Chicago. He served as law clerk to the Honorable Frank J. McGarr, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Glen L. Kettering
With NiSource Inc. since 1979Glen L. Kettering is senior vice president, Corporate Affairs at NiSource Inc., a position he has held since March 2006. He is responsible for leading the company's investor relations, communications and federal government affairs functions.
Prior to his current position, Kettering served as president of NiSource's Pipeline
Division. Kettering progressed through a variety of professional and leadership roles in Legal, Rates, Regulatory Affairs and Marketing at Columbia Gas Transmission and Columbia Gulf Transmission, both of which are subsidiaries of NiSource.
Kettering has more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, having joined Columbia Gas Transmission as an attorney in 1979.
He earned a bachelor's degree, cum laude, in business administration from West Virginia University and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the West Virginia University College of Law.
Kettering is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind. >
July 2006
W. Harris Marple
NiSource Inc.W. Harris Marple is senior vice president, Distribution Operations at NiSource, a position he has held since April 2005. He is responsible for leading the company's natural gas and electric distribution operations, which deliver energy to 3.8 million customers in a service territory spanning the Midwest to New England.
Prior to his current position, Marple served as senior vice president of Operations for Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation and Columbia Gulf Transmission Company, NiSource subsidiaries.
Marple has more than 37 years experience in the energy industry, having joined Columbia Gulf at the company's compressor station near Clementsville, Ky., in 1969. He was promoted to foreman at Columbia Gulf's compression, separation and dehydration facility at Pecan Island, La., in 1976, became section superintendent at the company's compressor station near Inverness, Miss., in 1980, and served as section superintendent at Columbia Gulf's facility near Corinth, Miss. In 1990, he was promoted to manager of the natural gas pipeline company's Northern Division, headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., and became vice president of Operations, located in Houston, Texas, in 1996. He was promoted to senior vice president of Operations for the Columbia pipeline companies in 2000.
He is a member of the American Gas Association's Operating Section Managing Committee and is involved in various activities with the Southern Gas Association.
Marple is based at NiSource's Civic Center office in Columbus, Ohio.
July 2006
Kathleen O'Leary
NiSource Inc.Kathleen O'Leary is senior vice president, Energy Distribution Regulated Revenue, for NiSource Inc. She is responsible for state regulatory and legislative strategy, energy supply services, large customer relations and gas transportation services across the nine states where NiSource's energy distribution companies operate.
O'Leary began her energy career in 1978 as attorney for Columbia Gulf Transmission Company in Houston. She was named director of federal government affairs in 1984 and represented the former Columbia Gas System local distribution companies in Washington, D.C., during passage of the landmark Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the National Energy Policy Act of 1992.
She worked in various government affairs roles for the Columbia Gas System and was named vice president of Public Affairs for the Columbia pipelines in 1996. She assumed additional responsibility for leading the pipeline Human Resources functions in 2000. In 2001, she was named senior vice president of Human Resources and Public Affairs with responsibility for the NiSource pipelines and the NiSource exploration and production company. She was named president of Columbia Gas of Virginia in 2003 and assumed her current position in 2005.
O'Leary has served as chairman of the National Energy Resources Organization, the American Gas Association's pipeline safety task force and the Women in Utilities National Conference. She is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia and Texas.
O'Leary earned a bachelor's degree in political science from St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vt., and her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in New Orleans. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from St. Michael's College in 2006.
Violet G. Sistovaris
NiSource Inc.Violet G. Sistovaris is senior vice president, Administrative Services at NiSource Inc., a position she has held since April 2005. She is responsible for managing the implementation of and deriving value from the $1.6 billion, 10-year outsourcing contract with IBM. Sistovaris also provides leadership and direction to the NiSource customer contact centers, supply chain services, information technology, real estate and facilities management, business continuity planning and corporate security.
Prior to her current position, Sistovaris served as vice president, Customer Contact Centers, since November 2003. While in this position, she was responsible for directing the operation of NiSource's customer contact centers -- and managing contacts with the company's 3.7 million residential natural gas and electric customers served by NiSource's 10 energy distribution companies in Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
In addition to these responsibilities, Sistovaris's 12 years of experience at NiSource also includes positions in the areas of human resources, executive recruiting and management development.
Before joining NiSource in 1994, Sistovaris was vice president, Training & Development, at Centier Bank in Merrillville, Ind. Her banking experience centered in the areas of marketing, training and development and sales administration.
She earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Valparaiso University and a master's degree in business administration from Indiana University.
Sistovaris is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006
Larry J. Francisco
NiSource Inc.Larry Francisco is vice president, Audit, for NiSource Inc. He is responsible for the corporation's internal audit and risk management functions.
Francisco joined NiSource in January 2005 in this role. He previously served as chief audit executive at Unitrin, Inc., a Chicago-based insurance and financial services firm. Throughout his career he has worked in a variety of audit, risk management, accounting, marketing, sales, technology and consulting roles with major companies including IBM Global Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Cinergy Corp.
Francisco earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from Purdue University and a master's degree in business administration from Butler University.
July 2006
Jerry L. Godwin
NiSource Inc.Jerry L. Godwin is senior vice president of Electric Generation & Transmission for NiSource Inc., a position he has held since April 2005.
Godwin joined Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), a NiSource subsidiary, in 1994 as vice president, Electric Power Supply and, in 2002, was named as the company's chief operating officer.
Before joining NIPSCO, Godwin served as senior vice president, Wholesale Marketing & Power Supply, for the Public Service Company of New Mexico. He joined the company in 1980 as vice president, Power Production/Manager, San Juan Project. His utility career began in 1976 as a plant manager at Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company. Prior to his utility career, Godwin spent 10 years with General Electric Company, advancing to manager, Project Engineering, Northeast Region.
Industry affiliations include the Association of Energy Engineers, U.S. Department of Energy Executive Reserve, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. Godwin also serves on various business and industry committees.
Godwin earned his bachelor's degree from Campbell University in North Carolina and a master's degree from Lesley College in Massachusetts. He also completed executive management programs with the Wharton School of Business, Anderson Graduate School of Management, Edison Electric Institute, and GE's Management Development Institute.
Godwin is based at NiSource's headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006
Jeffrey W. Grossman
NiSource Inc.Jeff Grossman is vice president and controller of NiSource Inc. He is responsible for the company's financial reporting and corporate insurance functions.
Grossman joined Columbia Energy Group in 1979. He served in several leadership positions at various Columbia operating companies, and was assistant controller before becoming vice president and controller in 1996. He held that position until NiSource acquired Columbia in November 2000. Concurrent with the acquisition, Grossman was named vice president and controller of NiSource.
Prior to joining Columbia, Grossman worked at HNTB-Iran as an auditor, and at Gable, Peritz, Mishkin and Company as lead accountant.
Grossman is a certified public accountant and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Drexel University.
Grossman is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006
Gary W. Pottorff
NiSource Inc.Gary W. Pottorff is vice president, Administration and Corporate Secretary of NiSource Inc. He has served as Corporate Secretary since 2000, with responsibilities including the preparations for and proceedings of the NiSource board of directors, boards of NiSource subsidiaries and annual shareholder meetings. He maintains stock and corporate governance records for NiSource and all of its subsidiaries, and also is responsible for shareholder services, records management and aviation services.
In 2006, Pottorff added the responsibilities of vice president, Administration, including real estate, facilities management, business continuity planning and security.
Pottorff has more than 26 years of experience at NiSource and its Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) subsidiary, having joined NIPSCO in 1980 as a graduate-in-training in Purchasing. He also has held various management positions in Human Resources, Financial Operations and Audit, and previously served as the NiSource ethics officer.
He earned a bachelor of science degree in economics from Wabash College and a master's degree in business administration, with a certificate in human resources, from the Keller Graduate School of Management.
Pottorff is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
June 2006
Arthur E. Smith Jr.
NiSource Inc.Art Smith is senior vice president and environmental counsel of NiSource Inc. He leads the company's comprehensive environmental, health and safety programs.
With extensive experience in environmental legal, policy and management matters, Smith has contributed to NiSource's international recognition for leadership in environmental stewardship and corporate sustainability.
Smith joined NIPSCO Industries, Inc., the predecessor of NiSource, in 1991 as manager of environmental affairs and counsel. He served as the company's environmental officer and counsel before being appointed to his current position in 2000. Prior to joining NiSource, Smith was the chief civil litigation specialist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago and served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
Smith has been a member of the Indiana Environmental Quality Service Council, being appointed by the governor in 2000. He also has served as chair of the U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association, and on the Boards of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and the Solar Electric Power Association. In addition, Smith served as a Trustee of the Nature Conservancy, and on the Board of the Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center.
Smith has been recognized by the American Gas Association (AGA) Operating Section with a 2004 Award of Merit for his contributions to the natural gas industry. In 2005-06, Smith provided natural gas industry leadership by presenting Congressional testimony, by serving as co-chair of the pipeline association (INGAA) Climate Task Group, and by serving as members of both the INGAA and AGA CEO Climate Committees and as chair of AGA's Environmental Regulatory Action Committee.
Smith earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Columbia College in New York, two masters' degrees in environmental sciences from Columbia University and a juris doctor degree, with distinction, from the Seattle University School of Law.
He is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006
David J. Vajda
NiSource Inc.Dave Vajda is vice president and treasurer of NiSource Inc. He is responsible for all treasury and financing activities for the company. In addition, he is accountable for oversight of the credit risk, enterprise risk management, capital allocation and corporate development activities of the corporation.
Prior to being elected to his current position in January 2003, Vajda held various leadership positions within the organization, including general auditor, director of business and strategic planning, controller and vice president of finance for Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), a wholly owned subsidiary of NiSource. He joined the company as an accountant in 1977.
Vajda is chairman of the Finance Committee and on the board of the Lake Area United Way, serving Lake County, Ind. He is a certified public accountant in the state of Indiana and a member of the Indiana CPA Society.
Vajda earned a bachelor's degree in finance and accounting from Ball State University and a master's degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
He is based at NiSource's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Ind.
July 2006

