Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> May 2, 2003

Robert Catell – Keyspan Corporation (kse)

ROBERT B. CATELL is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KeySpan Corporation, a holding company that was created in 1998 when the parent company of Brooklyn Union merged with the Long Island Lighting Company. He is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KeySpan Energy Delivery, the former Brooklyn Union. Mr. Catell is Chairman of the following KeySpan affiliates and subsidiaries: KeySpan Services, Inc., Northeast Gas Markets, Alberta Northeast Inc. Mr. Catell joined Brooklyn Union in 1958. His rise through the managerial ranks culminated in his 1991 election as Brooklyn Union's President and Chief Executive Officer. He was named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1996. He is the co- author of The CEO and the Monk: One Company's Journey to Profit and Purpose, which was published in 2004. Mr. Catell serves on the Board of Independence Community Bank, the Independence Community Foundation and J&W Seligman. He is Chairman of the Board of the Downtown Brooklyn Council, the Long Island Association and the U.S. Energy Association. Mr. Catell is an ex officio Director and Chairman Emeritus of The Partnership for New York City, Inc., a past Chairman of The Houston Exploration Company, and a past Chairman of the American Gas Association. He is a Vice Chairman of the National Petroleum Council's Natural Gas Committee and also a member of its Finance Committee. Additionally, he serves on JPMorgan/Chase's Metropolitan Advisory Board, the advisory board of HeartShare for Human Services and the advisory board for SUNY Farmingdale. Mr. Catell is a past Chairman of the Advisory Board of the City College of New York's School of Engineering. His further contributions to the community include serving as a Trustee of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He serves as a Member Emeritus of the Brooklyn Law School. He is a former Chairman of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. In addition to his numerous business and cultural activities, Mr. Catell is also Chairman and a Director of Alberta Northeast Inc., a distribution company formed to purchase Canadian gas. Mr. Catell received both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the City College of New York and is a Registered Professional Engineer. He has attended Columbia University's Executive Development Program, and the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. Profile
TWST: Could we begin with a brief historical sketch of KeySpan

and then a picture of things as they are now?

Mr. Catell: KeySpan has essentially evolved from the merger of

three companies over