Chamber Welcomes Robert W. Best as 2009 Chairman of the Board

The Dallas Regional Chamber is proud to announce the selection of Bob Best as the 2009 Chairman of the Board. Best has been the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Dallas-based Atmos Energy Corporation since March 1997. Atmos Energy is the country’s largest
natural-gas-only distributor. Its utility operations serve 3.2 million gas customers in 12 states. About 60 percent of its utility customers are in Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth is its largest metro area. Its nonutility operations include gas marketing, pipeline, gathering and storage operations serving industrial customers, municipalities and producers in 22 states. Its fiscal 2006 net income was $147.7 million on operating revenues of $6.2 billion.

Before joining Atmos Energy, Best was senior vice president–regulated businesses for Consolidated Natural Gas Company from 1996 to 1997. He was senior vice president of Transco Energy Company and president and chief operating officer of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation from 1992 to 1995. He served as president and chief operating officer of Texas Gas Transmission Corporation from 1985 to 1995, as its vice president and general counsel from 1981 to 1985 and as its senior attorney from 1974 to 1981.

A native of Nappanee, Indiana, Best earned an undergraduate degree from Indiana State University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Indiana.

Best has long been active in civic, charitable and industry organizations. He is a former chairman of the American Gas Association, past chairman of AGA’s finance committee, past chairman and a director of the Southern Gas Association and a director of the Gas Technology Institute. He also serves on the board of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the board of the Greater Dallas Chamber, the board of advisors of the Maguire Energy Institute in the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, the board of The Senior Source in Dallas and the board of directors of Associated Electric & Gas Insurance Services Limited. He is a board member emeritus of Brescia College and a former member of the Board of Trustees of Centre College.

Best has three children and two grandchildren.