Columbia Appoints Chief Restoration Officer After Boston Disaster

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Pablo Vegas, NiSource's new Chief Restoration Officer
Today we have another chapter in the unfolding story of the chain-reaction of explosions in local natural gas delivery pipelines owned by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts (NiSource) which happened about 25 miles north of Boston (see Local NatGas Pipes Explode Near Boston Killing 1, Injuring 25). The explosions and resulting fires tragically killed one teenager and injured 25 others. It left some 8,600 households and businesses without natural gas--for up to two months. Earlier this week MDN reported that Columbia/NiSource has appointed an outside-the-company "Chief Recovery Officer" at the prompting of Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker (see Columbia Gas Appoints Ret. Navy Captain to Oversee Disaster Recovery). Retired Navy Captain Joe Albanese, founder and CEO of Commodore Builders (construction management firm) is the new CRO attempting to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Assisting Captain Albanese is retired Rear Admiral Richard Cellon, president of Cellon and Associates. Columbia announced yesterday the creation of a new inside-the-company position called Chief Restoration Officer. Pablo Vegas will serve in the Chief Restoration Officer role. Vegas will "support the work" of CRO Albanese, and will be accountable "for executing the restoration program, including pipeline replacement, customer mitigation and house readiness" as well as "community and customer support efforts in the region." Perhaps NiSource needs fewer "chiefs" and more Indians?...

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