CenterPoint Energy, Inc. announced organizational changes designed to further strengthen execution of the company's long-term growth strategy, its service to customers and communities, value-creation for stakeholders, operational efficiencies, and corporate governance. The streamlined structure, which is effective January 3, 2023, builds upon the previously announced promotion of Jason Wellsto President and Chief Operating Officer, effective Jan. 1, with Dave Lesar continuing to serve as Chief Executive Officer.

Wells will report to Lesar. CenterPoint Energy will also integrate all aspects of its natural gas business under a single leadership structure.Darin Carroll, formerly Senior Vice President, Operations Support, has been appointed Senior Vice President, Natural Gas Business. He will lead all areas of the company's natural gas business that serves approximately 4.2 million customers across a six-state footprint.

During his 15-year tenure with CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies, Carroll has held diverse utility leadership roles in natural gas and electric operations, as well as business process optimization. He will report to Wells. To further align the company's customer service and experience function with its long-term success, CenterPoint Energy has promotedTony Gardner, formerly Vice President, Customer Experience, to Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer.

In this capacity, he will provide strategic leadership to CenterPoint Energy's customer experience and oversee all customer functions. Gardner has nearly 20 years of experience in customer-focused roles. He will report to Wells.

To continue the company's strong execution of the fundamentals of its industry-leading strategy,Steve Greenley, formerly Senior Vice President, Generation Development, has been appointed Senior Vice President, Utility Operations Support. In this capacity, Greenley and his enterprise safety and technical training, operations support, energy solutions and business services, analytics, and facilities management teams will support the company's electric and natural gas businesses. Greenley has held various leadership roles in natural gas, electric and customer operations over the course of his more than 20 years at CenterPoint Energy.

He will report to Wells. Within the Utility Operations Support organization, the company announced a promotion to build on its momentum in continuous improvement to drive additional efficiencies and improvements across the enterprise. Kate Porter, formerly Director, Continuous Improvement and Data Analytics, has been promoted to Vice President, Enterprise Operational Excellence.

She will report to Greenley. To further strengthen the company's governance across its technology-related operations and functions, KennyColeman, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, will now report to Wells. The company also announced that Scott Doyle, Executive Vice President, Utility Operations and Gregg Knight, Executive Vice President, Customer Transformation and Business Services have left the company as their positions have been eliminated.