LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Dennis V. Arriola, president of Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has assumed the role as the company's CEO, effective March 1. Arriola succeeds Anne Shen Smith who has retired after 36 years with the company.
Arriola's planned appointment to CEO and Smith's retirement were announced Sept. 25, 2013.
"I am honored to lead a customer-focused organization committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities where we live and work. I was raised in Southern California so attaining the leadership role in one of the region's largest companies is both gratifying and rewarding," said Arriola. "Natural gas is the energy of possibility; it is a foundational fuel that can power a clean environment and propel our nation toward energy independence. There has never been a more exciting time to be in the energy business."
Arriola has spent most of the past 20 years in a broad range of leadership roles for the Sempra Energy companies. He has served as president and chief operating officer of SoCalGas since 2012.
In 2008, Arriola left the Sempra Energy companies to become executive vice president and chief financial officer for SunPower Corp., a Silicon Valley-based solar panel manufacturer. He rejoined SoCalGas in 2012.
From 2006 to 2008, Arriola was senior vice president and chief financial officer of both San Diego Gas & Electric 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. From 1994 to 2008, he held a variety of increasingly responsible leadership positions within the Sempra Energy companies. Arriola joined Sempra Energy in 1994 as treasurer for Pacific Enterprises/SoCalGas.
A first-generation Mexican-American, Arriola is active in the community, serving on the board of directors for the American Gas Association, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Western Energy Institute, California Business Roundtable, Latino Donor Collaborative and Southern California Leadership Council.
Arriola has a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University. A longtime member of the greater Los Angeles community, Arriola, who was raised in Artesia, currently resides with his wife in Santa Monica.
About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) 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 through 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company