Inergy L.P. names president, announces other promotions, changes

R. Brooks Sherman Jr. was promoted to president of Inergy L.P. in a series of promotions and organizational changes within the partnership and Inergy Midstream L.P.

Sherman Jr., who had served as executive vice president and CFO, will oversee the CFO, general counsel and the corporate development team in his new role, and he will work with Chairman and CEO John Sherman (no relation) – the company’s founder and previous president – in support of the midstream operating businesses. Sherman Jr. joined the company in 2000 as CFO.

In other company moves:

Phillip L. Elbert was named executive vice president − strategy for Inergy. Elbert led Inergy’s propane business beginning in 2001 through its rapid growth, as the president of Inergy Propane, until the recent divestiture of the partnership’s retail propane operations to Suburban Propane. He is a member of the board of directors of Inergy L.P. and will work closely with Sherman and Sherman Jr. on the strategic direction of the partnership.

Michael J. Campbell, currently vice president and treasurer, was promoted to senior vice president and CFO of Inergy. Campbell joined Inergy in 2003 and during his tenure has been responsible for the treasury, capital markets and investor relations activities of the partnership, playing key roles in the prior initial public offerings of Inergy Holdings L.P. and Inergy Midstream L.P. in addition to other debt and equity capital raising activities. In his new role, Campbell will be responsible for overseeing all financial matters of Inergy.

Kent M. Blackford, currently vice president – development, planning and analysis, was promoted to vice president and treasurer of Inergy. He will also assume expanded responsibility for Inergy’s treasury, capital markets and investor relations activities. He has been a member of the Inergy team since 2004 focused on merger and acquisition analysis and partnership capital structure relative to the growth of Inergy.

Michael D. Lenox, currently vice president and corporate controller, was promoted to vice president and chief accounting officer of Inergy. Lenox joined the partnership in 2007 as the director of financial reporting and has progressively added to his responsibilities at Inergy after spending more than eight years with Ernst & Young. He will oversee Inergy’s accounting, financial reporting and information technology functions.

In the new structure, John Sherman will take responsibility for the following members of the midstream business leadership team:

• Ron Happach, vice President − commercial operations, joined Inergy in 2005 and is responsible for the commercial operations and marketing of all of Inergy’s natural gas storage and pipeline transportation facilities. Happach has more than 30 years of natural gas industry experience. Prior to joining Inergy, he held various positions of increasing responsibility with Kinder Morgan and Natural Gas Pipeline Co.

• Barry Cigich, vice president – engineering and operations, joined Inergy in 2005 and is responsible for the physical operation and construction of Inergy’s natural gas storage and pipeline transportation facilities. Prior to joining Inergy, Cigich held various management positions with Kinder Morgan and has more than 30 years of experience in the natural gas industry.

• Mitchell Dascher, president of US Salt, joined Inergy in 2007 with the acquisition of US Salt and is responsible for all aspects of the US Salt operations. Before joining Inergy, Dascher was president of Southern Lime and held various leadership positions with US Salt’s parent company and Harris Chemical Group. Dascher has more than 20 years of experience in the minerals and inorganic chemicals industry.

• David Hooker, vice president − business development, joined Inergy this year and is responsible for the project management and business development activities of Inergy’s natural gas storage and transportation growth projects, including the proposed Commonwealth Pipeline. He has more than 25 years of experience in the natural gas industry and held previous roles at Nicor, Aquila and Market Hub Partners LP.

• Bill Gautreaux, president – Inergy Services, joined Inergy in 1998 and has more than 27 years of NGL industry experience. Gautreaux is responsible for all aspects of Inergy’s NGL supply and logistics business activities. Prior to joining Inergy, he co-founded LPG Services Group, which was later merged into Dynegy, after beginning his career at Ferrellgas.

• Carl Hughes, senior vice president – business development of Inergy L.P., will be leaving the partnership. Hughes was an original investor and employee of Inergy’s predecessor when the company was founded. During his career at Inergy, Hughes was the lead originator of nearly all of the 84 retail propane acquisitions executed by Inergy, until the recent divestiture of the partnership’s retail propane operations. Hughes will serve as a strategic adviser to Inergy’s natural gas liquids supply and logistics group.

• William R. Moler, senior vice president and COO − midstream operations, will leave his position with Inergy on Oct. 5 to pursue other interests.