Atmos Energy 1997 Annual Report Download - page 9

Redesigning the Organization
Atmos has a long record as one of the most efficient providers of natural gas service in the country, with a dedication to
reliable and responsive service to our customers. We regularly monitor our service efficiency by reviewing ratios of employees
and costs per natural gas customer served. Atmos, excluding United Cities, served 457 customers per employee in
1997, compared with 396 served on average by our local distribution company peer group. Our normalized operating
and maintenance expenses of $147 per customer are also among the lowest in our peer group, which averages $198.
Although we are already among the most efficient LDCs, we are focused on continuing to improve our operations and our
service to our customers. In that continuing quest, we began in 1997 to redesign the customer service departments of
our company to provide extended service hours and a variety of payment locations to customers, to develop a central
customer call center to handle calls from customers in all our service areas around the clock, and through the use of new
technology to streamline our work processes to further improve our service and efficiency.
In addition, we realigned our leadership team. As part of that realignment, several new officers have joined the
company. Larry J. Dagley, previously with Pacific Enterprises, joined Atmos in May as executive vice president and
chief financial officer. Joining Atmos from United Cities are Tom S. Hawkins, Jr., vice president, Planning and
Budgeting; Lynn L. Hord, vice president, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications; Ron W. McDowell, vice
president, New Business Ventures; Mark G. Thessin, vice president, Regulatory Affairs; and Thomas R. Blose, Jr.,
president of United Cities.
Organizational change is never easy, and through the realignment a number of Atmos and United Cities officers and employees
have left or soon will be leaving the company. These officers and employees made significant contributions that positioned
Atmos and United Cities where they are today, and we wish them the best in the future.
Board Expanded
We welcome four new board members to the Atmos Board from the United Cities Board of Directors: Gene C. Koonce, for-
merly chairman of United Cities’ Board and now vice chairman of the Atmos Board, Nashville, Tennessee; Richard W. Cardin,
consultant and private investor, Nashville, Tennessee; Thomas J. Garland, executive in residence and a distinguished service
professor of the Civic Arts, Tusculum College, Greeneville, Tennessee; and Vincent J. Lewis, senior vice president of Legg
Mason Wood Walker, Inc., Rutherford, New Jersey.
Ready to Compete
Our leadership team is in place, enthusiastic and excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. This is a time
of change in the energy industry: unbundling of traditional utility services; customer choice in who provides energy
and related services; trends toward relaxation of regulation; convergence of gas and electricity in wholesale and
retail markets; increasing competition for customers, including competition from non-utility players; technology
enabling change; and consolidation in the industry.
Charles K. Vaughan retired as chair-
man of the Board of Atmos Energy
Corporation in 1997, although he
remains an active member of the
Board. Charles established the vision
for growth through acquisitions and
led the company as chairman, presi-
dent and chief executive officer from
the inception of the company
in 1983 with the spinoff of Energas
Company from Pioneer Corporation
until his retirement. As he ends his
distinguished career, we pay tribute
to Charles for his foresight and his
leadership, and to the success Atmos
has enjoyed while he has been at the
helm. Charles had a vision, a passion
for excellence, a high standard for
performance and left a very large
footprint to follow.
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