CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) today named Clark Gillespy president of the company's South Carolina service region. Gillespy replaces Catherine Heigel who recently accepted a position outside the company.

(Logo: [ http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040414/DUKEENERGYLOGO ] )

Gillespy will be responsible for advancing the company's rate and regulatory initiatives and managing state and local regulatory and government relations, economic development and community affairs. Previously, he served as vice president of economic development, business development and territorial strategies for Duke Energy in North Carolina and South Carolina.

In addition, Gillespy has been selected to lead South Carolina when Duke Energy merges with Progress Energy. He will report to John McArthur, who has been named executive vice president - Regulated Utilities for the merged company. The merger is targeted to close July 1.

"Clark brings impressive leadership skills and a strong track record to this role," said Jim Rogers, Duke Energy's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "At a time when our region needs new jobs and economic investment, Clark and his team have delivered. Since 2005, they have worked closely with economic development partners to help attract $16 billion in capital investment and more than 50,000 jobs to North Carolina and South Carolina."

In South Carolina, Duke Energy serves more than 600,000 retail customers and operates approximately $3 billion in assets, including more than 6,818 megawatts of power generation and distribution facilities. In addition, the company has approximately 6,000 employees and contractors who live and work in the Upstate region.

Gillespy joined Duke Energy in 2004 and has more than 25 years of combined experience in economic development, site selection consulting, and the practice of international law in both the United States and Europe.

Gillespy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Alabama. He holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the Cumberland School of Law (Alabama), continuing with a diploma in Advanced International Legal Studies from the McGeorge School of Law in Salzburg, Austria. Clark also holds an MBA from European University in Brussels, Belgium.

Active in a number of organizations, Clark is a member of the North Carolina Economic Developers Association, South Carolina Economic Developers Association, Utility Economic Development Association, and serves as a board member for New Carolina and the North Carolina Military Foundation. He is a member of the state bar associations of Alabama, Georgia and the District of Columbia.

Duke Energy Carolinas owns nuclear, coal-fired, natural gas and hydroelectric generation. That diverse fuel mix provides approximately 19,500 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 2.4 million customers in a 24,000-square-mile service area of North Carolina and South Carolina. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: [ www.duke-energy.com ].

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SOURCE Duke Energy

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Duke Energy Names Gillespy South Carolina President

Duke Energy Names Gillespy South Carolina President