James L. Turner to Leave Duke Energy

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) announced today that James L. Turner, group executive, president and chief operating officer of the company's U.S. Franchised Electric and Gas business, has decided to leave the company. Turner's resignation comes amid concerns about recently published e-mail communications.

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"As a leader, I have a duty to exercise the highest level of professionalism at all times in my communications. In certain e-mails to a former commissioner in Indiana, I fell short of this standard. I am choosing to step away at this time so that our company and our employees can begin to move on from this distraction," said Turner. "I believe this is the best path forward for me and the company," he said.

"We appreciate Jim's long service to Duke Energy and its predecessor companies," said Jim Rogers, Duke Energy chairman, president and chief executive officer. "I accept Jim's decision and respect his strong sense of personal accountability."

Turner has served as a senior leader of Duke Energy since 2006 when Cinergy and Duke Energy merged. Turner joined Cinergy in 1995.

Today, Duke Energy also announced the following organizational changes.

Reporting directly to Rogers will be:

• The state presidents: Julie S. Janson, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky; Douglas F. "Doug" Esamann, president, Duke Energy Indiana; Brett C. Carter, president, Duke Energy North Carolina; and Catherine E. Heigel, president, Duke Energy South Carolina.
• William F. "Bill" Tyndall, senior vice president, Federal Government and Regulatory Affairs.
• Richard W. "Rick" Haviland, senior vice president, Construction and Major Projects.
• Gianna M. Manes, senior vice president and chief customer officer.

Jim L. Stanley, senior vice president, Power Delivery, will report directly to Manes to consolidate the company's customer strategy and focus.

Paul R. Newton, senior vice president, Strategy, Rates, Wholesale Customers, Commodities and Analytics, will report directly to Lynn J. Good, chief financial officer.

Richard T. "Stick" Williams, senior vice president, Environmental Health and Safety, and president, The Duke Energy Foundation, will have a dual reporting relationship. Williams will report to Dhiaa M. Jamil, chief generation officer, for EHS, and to Jennifer L. Weber, chief human resources officer, for the foundation.

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 4 million customers located in five states in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 11 million people. Its commercial power and international business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.  To learn more and contribute to the discussion about the energy issues of today and the possibilities of tomorrow see www.sheddingalight.org.

SOURCE Duke Energy