LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced that Dennis V. Arriola has been named president and chief operating officer of the company.

"We are pleased that Dennis Arriola is rejoining SoCalGas," said Anne Shen Smith, chairman and CEO of SoCalGas.  "He has extensive financial and operating experience in the energy industry and has served in a broad range of senior management positions in the Sempra Energy companies."

Arriola previously worked for SoCalGas and several of its affiliated companies from 1994 until 2008, when he joined SunPower Corp, a San Jose, Calif.-based solar panel manufacturer, where he recently served as the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer. 

From 1994 to 2008, Arriola held a variety of increasingly responsible leadership positions within the Sempra Energy family of companies.  From 2006 to 2008, he was senior vice president and chief financial officer of both San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and SoCalGas. 

Previously, Arriola served as vice president of communications and investor relations for Sempra Energy and regional vice president and general manager of Sempra's South American operations.  He first joined the company in 1994 as treasurer for SoCalGas and its parent company, Pacific Enterprises.

Arriola has a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University.

Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years.  It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 20.9 million consumers connected through nearly 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.

Southern California Gas Co. is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).  Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2011 revenues of $10 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies' 17,500 employees serve more than 31 million consumers worldwide. 

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.