ST. LOUIS, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Douglas H. Yaeger, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Laclede Group, Inc. , was elected as Chairman of the Board of the Missouri Energy Development Association on Wednesday, August 1. Yaeger will serve a 2-year term.
The Missouri Energy Development Association (MEDA), a statewide organization headquartered in Jefferson City, was incorporated in October 2002 to develop, organize and promote measures that advance the ability of investor-owned utilities to build, maintain, protect and provide the utility infrastructure and services that are critical to the economic well being of Missouri business and the health and safety of Missouri citizens. MEDA supports economic development through the maintenance of a strong and reliable statewide utility infrastructure. Neal English is president of the association.
MEDA's accomplishments include helping to produce legislation allowing gas utilities in Missouri to adjust rates twice a year through an Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge (ISRS) to recover the cost of installing facilities associated with safety-related and public improvement projects on a timelier basis. Members include Ameren UE, Aquila, Atmos Energy Corporation, Empire District Electric Company, The Laclede Group, Missouri American Water, Missouri Gas Energy and Kansas City Power & Light.
Yaeger joined Laclede in 1990 as Vice President -- Planning after spending nearly 20 years in the interstate gas pipeline industry (including service as Executive Vice President of Mississippi River Transmission Corporation, Laclede's principal pipeline supplier, and Executive Vice President of Arkla Energy Marketing Company). He was elected Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board in January 1999. A native of the St. Louis region (Webster Groves), Yaeger holds an M.B.A. degree from Saint Louis University and a B.S. degree in marketing from Miami University of Ohio. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. Yaeger currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Gas Association and is the immediate past Chair of the Southern Gas Association. Yaeger continues to serve on its Board. He also serves on the Boards of the Greater St. Louis Area Council-Boy Scouts of America, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, First Banks, Inc., the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis (Treasurer), the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, the St. Louis Science Center Board of Commissioners and Webster University. He is the immediate past President of Civic Progress.
The Laclede Group, Inc. is a public utility holding company committed to providing reliable natural gas service through its regulated core utility operations while engaging in non-regulated activities that provide opportunities for sustainable growth. Its primary subsidiary -- Laclede Gas Company -- is the largest natural gas distribution utility in Missouri, serving approximately 631,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the city of St. Louis and ten other counties in eastern Missouri. Its primary non-regulated activities include SM&P Utility Resources, Inc., a major underground facilities locating and marking service business headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, and Laclede Energy Resources, Inc., a natural gas marketer located in St. Louis, Missouri.
