Midstream giant Williams has just appointed a new chairman of the board, Stephen W. Bergstrom, to replace current chairwoman, Dr. Kathleen B. Cooper. Cooper will remain on the board. Williams is the premier midstream (i.e. pipeline) operator in the Marcellus/Utica. The company’s assets are broad and deep, across the entire country. As we pointed out earlier this month, Williams has had quite a ride over the past five years (see Williams is Done Buying & Selling Assets – For Now). The company, according to CEO Alan Armstrong, has retooled itself to focus on natural gas. And perhaps that’s why there has been a change on board. By all accounts Dr. Cooper has done a great job. But she’s an economist, working at various energy companies and for the government. Bergstrom, on the other hand, is former CEO of American Midstream and Dynegy. He’s been in the trenches (pun intended) at other pipeline companies. At least, that’s our observation. The happy thing is that the change does not appear to be from undue influence by corporate raiders, like Keith “Mini-Me” Meister (protege of Carl Ichan)…
