• Push-out Score determined
• After about seven years in the position
• Praise, thanks and good wishes for Hester
• Karen Haller taking over
• Hester kept it short and said 47 words

(exechange) — Las Vegas, Nevada, May 7, 2022 — John Hester, chief executive of Southwest Gas, leaves. As announced by Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. in a news release on Friday, May 6, 2022, John P. Hester leaves his post as chief executive officer at the utility owner, after about seven years in the role, effective immediately.

John Hester’s duties as CEO will be taken over by Karen S. Haller, most recently Executive Vice President at Southwest Gas Holdings Inc.

“Now is the time”

John Hester’s departure from the CEO post is explained as follows. Chairman of the Board, Michael J. Melarkey, said: “Now is the time for new leadership at the Company.”

Precise information regarding John Hester’s future plans was not immediately available.

“Retired”

Southwest Gas said: “Ms. Haller succeeds John P. Hester, who has retired as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Hester has also resigned from the Board, effective immediately.”

Share price increase since May 2017

The announcement follows an increase in Southwest Gas Holdings Inc.’s share price of 4% since May 2017.

In the position of CEO since 2015

John Hester became CEO of the Company in 2015.

Hester has been President and Chief Executive Officer since March 2015 and was named President in August 2014.

Hester joined the Company in 1989, and has been named to various positions at Southwest Gas, such as Director/Regulatory Affairs and Systems Planning in 2002, Vice President/Regulatory Affairs and Systems Planning in 2003, Senior Vice President/Regulatory Affairs and Energy Resources in 2006, and Executive Vice President in 2013.

Prior to joining Southwest Gas, he worked at the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as the Illinois Commerce Commission.

He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Northern Illinois University.

Hester currently serves on the American Gas Association Board of Directors, the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada Board of Trustees and the College of Southern Nevada Foundation Board of Trustees.

Push-out Score determined

The Push-out Score™ determined by exechange gauges the pressure surrounding John Hester’s move on a scale of 0 to 10.

exechange reached out to Southwest Gas and offered the company the opportunity to comment on the score.

Read the full story in the exechange report 20.2022 ($).