Piedmont Natural Gas Recognized as Platinum-Level American Heart Association Start! Fit-Friendly Company

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) announced today that it has been recognized as a Platinum-Level Start! Fit-Friendly Company by the American Heart Association (AHA) for the fourth consecutive year. The Platinum-Level award is the highest level of recognition in the AHA's Start! program.

Companies recognized at the Platinum-Level achieve the following:

• Offer employees physical activity options in the workplace
• Increase healthy eating options at the worksite
• Promote a wellness culture in the workplace
• Implement at least nine criteria outlined by the AHA in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture
• Demonstrate measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness

"We are honored that the American Heart Association has again recognized Piedmont's efforts to promote physical activity and overall employee wellness," said Thomas E. Skains , Piedmont's chairman, president and CEO. "We remain committed to providing wellness education and opportunities for our employees and their families, but it is their dedication that is responsible for the success of our programs and the many positive results for Piedmont Natural Gas."

Piedmont's wellness program, now in its sixth year, is popular among employees. In 2012, 94 percent of Piedmont's employees participated in the company's Biometric Health Screening and Health Risk Assessment programs. Employees participating in the health risk assessments or the biometric screenings also have free access to a health coach for up to 12 months to assist them with their health goals.

Piedmont's wellness program offers employees an on-site wellness coordinator and reimbursement programs for utilization of fitness centers, weight management and tobacco cessation.  Piedmont also issues a quarterly wellness newsletter and sponsors frequent opportunities for employees to engage in a variety of healthy activities.

About Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 53,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas transportation. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available on the Internet at http://www.piedmontng.com/.

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas

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