Virginia Natural Gas Ranked Fifth by J. D. Power & Associates and at The National Gas RodeoSeptember 27, 2005
NORFOLK, Va. – Sept. 27, 2005 - Virginia Natural Gas (VNG), a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: ATG), ranked fifth in two national ratings last week. VNG was ranked fifth (in a tie) in the nation in overall customer satisfaction and tied for fourth in the Southern Region in the J.D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study released September 22. And, teams from VNG won fifth and 12th place at the National Gas Rodeo sponsored by the Midwest Energy Association on September 24.
The J. D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, now in its fourth year, measures customer satisfaction with the 56 largest U.S. gas utility providers based on performance in five key factors: Company image; price and value; billing and payment; customer service, and field service. VNG ranked in the top two quartiles in all five, receiving a rating of 107 and a component ranking score of five for overall customer satisfaction.
“It’s great to be in the top five on two customer service fronts,” said Hank Linginfelter, president of VNG. “I’m proud of the customer satisfaction and rodeo results attained by the company. Both achievements are a reflection of the hard work and dedication that our employees demonstrate every day on the job working to satisfy customers and be the best at what they do.”
At the National Gas Rodeo in Fairview Heights, Ill, on Sept. 24, the VNG Outside Force won fifth place and the VNG Chesapeake Crabbers came in 12th place out of 20 teams. Sponsored by the Midwest Energy Association, the annual event, now in its 11 year, gives gas crews from across the United States an opportunity to showcase their skills to industry peers through an exciting series of timed relays.
“I am very proud of all of our teams,” said Charlie Clement, operations supervisor at Atlanta Gas Light, another AGL Resources subsidiary, and vice chair of the National Gas Rodeo Committee. “The competition fits in with what AGL Resources is doing as a company – keeping safety first, thinking through problems, emphasizing efficiency and fostering good employee relationships and teamwork.”
The Outside Force included Sammy Valdes and Joe Marshall, coaches, Jason Suits, manager, Mickey Perrin, Rocky Sporer, Billy Nichols and Mark Young. The Chesapeake Crabbers included Larry Mobley and Pete Powles, coaches, Ray Cassidy, manager, Randy Stern, Paul Stone, Kenny LeSueur, and Reed Davis.
More information on the J. D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study can be found at http://www.jdpower.com/ corporate site. Details on the Midwest Energy Association National Gas Rodeo can be found at http://www.midwestenergy.org/.
About Virginia Natural Gas Virginia Natural Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources (NYSE: ATG), provides retail natural gas sales and distribution services to 265,000 customers in southeast Virginia. For more information, visit www.VirginiaNaturalGas.com.
About AGL Resources AGL Resources (NYSE: ATG), an Atlanta-based energy services holding company, serves 2.3 million customers in six states through its utility subsidiaries - Atlanta Gas Light, Elizabethtown Gas in New Jersey, Virginia Natural Gas, Florida City Gas, Chattanooga Gas, and Elkton Gas in Maryland. A Fortune 1000 company that ranks number 46 in the Fortune gas and electric utilities sector, AGL Resources reported 2004 revenue of $1.8 billion and net income of $153 million. The company also owns Houston-based Sequent Energy Management, an asset manager serving natural gas wholesale customers throughout the East and Midwest. As a 70 percent owner in the SouthStar partnership, AGL Resources markets natural gas to consumers in Georgia under the Georgia Natural Gas brand. AGL Networks, the company's telecommunications subsidiary, owns and operates fiber optic networks in Atlanta and Phoenix. The company also owns and operates Jefferson Island Storage & Hub, a high-deliverability natural gas storage facility near the Henry Hub in Louisiana. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com.
CONTACT: AGL Resources, Atlanta Martha Monfried, 908-289-5000 x 5521 Cell: 973-885-7508 mmonfrie@aglresources.com