The board of directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America announced the election October 26 of Iroquois Pipeline Operating Company President Jeffrey Bruner as chairman of the INGAA board of directors for a one-year term from October 2017 to October 2018.
“As the chairman of INGAA, Jeff will lead our industry’s efforts to promote pipelines as the essential link in achieving natural gas’ potential as a solution to the nation’s energy, environmental and economic challenges,” said INGAA President and CEO Don Santa. “Jeff’s experience and expertise also will guide INGAA’s efforts to ensure safe operations and responsible construction.”
Bruner’s main priorities as chairman are to:
- Educate Americans that natural gas is an essential part of a diverse mix of complementary resources that will meet our nation’s current and future energy needs;
- Preserve the integrity of our federal interstate natural gas pipeline permitting process; and
- Promote INGAA members’ commitment to safe and responsible pipeline construction and operation.
“As we attempt to redirect the increasingly contentious fuels debate in a more positive direction, interstate natural gas pipelines and others in the natural gas value chain must emphasize the multi-faceted benefits of natural gas throughout our economy, including its compatibility with renewable sources of energy,” Bruner said. “We must increase public awareness of the attributes of natural gas – a clean, reliable, affordable and domestically abundant fuel that has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 11 percent over the past 12 years at the same time as domestic natural gas production increased 50 percent.”
Bruner also noted that, as chairman, he would seek opportunities to work with the appropriate agencies to ensure a predictable and timely permitting process for new infrastructure that will be sustainable in the face of potential legal challenge and the shifting winds of political change.
He also will lead the industry in the continued pursuit of its most important and overarching goals – safe and responsible pipeline construction and operations, as well as facility and cyber security.
Bruner joined IPOC, operator for the Iroquois Gas Transmission System, in 1992. During his 25-year career at Iroquois, he held the position of vice president, general counsel and secretary before being named president in 2013. Prior to joining Iroquois, Bruner was with Transco Energy Company.
As president of IPOC, Bruner is responsible for the 416-mile Iroquois interstate natural gas pipeline system that interconnects with TransCanada at the U.S.-Canada border at Waddington, NY, and extends through New York State and western Connecticut to Commack, NY; and from Huntington, NY to its terminus in Hunts Point in Bronx, NY.
Bruner serves on the board of directors of the Northeast Gas Association and is a member of the Society of Gas Lighting.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and his juris doctorate degree from the University of Denver.
INGAA’s board of directors also elected Bill Yardley, an Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) executive vice president and president of the company’s gas transmission and midstream group, as first vice chairman, and Stan Chapman, a TransCanada (TSX: TRP)(NYSE:TRP) executive vice president and president of the company’s U.S. natural gas pipelines, as second vice chair.
