SAN DIEGO, Aug. 30, 2006 – The California Black Chamber of Commerce has honored Sempra Energy’s executive vice president of external affairs, Jessie J. Knight, Jr., with the organization’s “visionary award” for Knight’s professional accomplishments and commitment to the community.

        The California Black Chamber of Commerce presented the award to Knight at its annual convention in San Diego Aug. 18, 2006.

        “I am proud to receive this prestigious award,” said Knight.  “To me, being a visionary means demonstrating to others that you are committed to your ideals by effectively communicating them and achieving them.”

        Knight joined Sempra Energy earlier this month after serving for seven years as president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.  From 1993 to 1999, Knight was a commissioner at the California Public Utilities Commission.  Previously, he held senior-level posts with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner, as well as Dole Food Company, Inc.

        The California Black Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1994, as a group of businesses and civic leaders from across the state forming an organization now dedicated to business empowerment and community economics development. The organization represents 65,000 businesses.

        Sempra Energy (NYSE:  SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2005 revenues of $11.7 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies’ 14,000 employees serve more than 29 million consumers in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America and Asia.

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