Nicor Gas Leadership
Wendell Dallas
President and CEO, Nicor Gas
Wendell Dallas serves as president and CEO of Nicor Gas, one of America's leading natural gas distributors and the largest distribution company of Southern Company Gas. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring that natural gas reaches more than 2.3 million homes and businesses in over 650 northern Illinois communities.
Before assuming his current role, Dallas served as vice president of sales and marketing for Georgia Power, the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, which serves 2.7 million customers in Georgia. He was responsible for the company's topline revenue growth strategy, new product development, product distribution, e-commerce, electric transportation, sales management and energy efficiency.
Dallas brings more than 30 years of leadership, operations and engineering experience to Nicor Gas, having served as vice president of operations for two Southern Company Gas subsidiaries, Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas. Dallas also served as the vice president of economic and community development for the Southern Company Gas multistate footprint.
A champion for workforce development initiatives, Dallas serves on the boards of World Business Chicago, Executive Club of Chicago, Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council and Northern Illinois Community Initiatives. He also believes in helping communities grow and prosper and is an active board member for the United Way and Chicago Field Museum. Dallas also serves as a member of the Southern Company Gas Management Council, The Chicago Club, Chicago United, Commercial Club of Chicago, Economic Club of Chicago and Business Leadership Chicago.
A native of Opelika, Alabama, Dallas holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Auburn University and is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Atlanta and Leadership Savannah. He and his wife live in Wheaton, Illinois and have three adult children.
Meena Beyers
Vice President, Business and Community Development
Beyers was named vice president of business and community development at Nicor Gas in July 2020.
In this role, she leads strategies to strengthen our customer and community engagement and drive customer sustainability and economic growth.
She oversees several business units including customer solutions, energy efficiency, community affairs, community and economic development, and corporate philanthropy.
Pat Whiteside
Senior Vice President, Operations
Whiteside was named senior vice president of Operations for Nicor Gas in July 2020. In this role, he will provide strategic leadership and direction for Nicor Gas’ core operations, including field service, distribution and automated metering infrastructure, leveraging the investments made in our people to improve the safety, quality and efficiency of our team and operations.
Rich Asiyanbi
Vice President, Operations
Asiyanbi was named vice president of Operations for Nicor Gas in August 2020. He is responsible for strategic leadership and direction for Nicor Gas’ core operations, including field service, distribution and meter reading.
Most recently, he served as director of Regional Operations where he was responsible for the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas service to more than 250,000 customers in the Fox Valley region.
Tim Hermann
Vice President, Gas Operations
Tim Hermann was named vice president of Gas Operations in January 2023. In this role he is responsible for gas supply and control, measurement and SCADA, storage and peaking, as well as system operations for Southern Company Gas’ four local distribution companies that serve 4.3 million customers in Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia.
Previously, Hermann was vice president of Operations for Nicor Gas where he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the utility’s north and west regions, including field service, distribution and meter reading. He brings extensive experience in commercial, strategic and technical functions for both regulated and non-utility enterprises, having served as vice president of storage and peaking operations, project management and midstream operations for Nicor Enerchange.
Tremese C. Davis
Vice President, Operations
Davis was named vice president of Operations for Nicor Gas in October 2021. In this role she is responsible for leading the safety, compliance, emergency response, workforce management as well as other operational aspects for Nicor Gas.
In her most recent role as director of Supplier Sustainability & Inclusive Growth for Southern Company, Tremese led systemwide efforts to increase our impact on minority owned businesses while reducing supply chain risk and expanding our local supplier base. Since joining the company in 1999, Tremese has held positions of increasing responsibility at Southern Company and Southern Company Gas.
Ryan Dusek
Vice President, Storage and Peaking Operations
Dusek was appointed vice president of Storage and Peaking Operations in April 2024. In this role, he oversees Southern Company Gas’ Storage and Peaking Operations organization, including the management of underground gas storage operations at Nicor Gas, Liquefied Natural Gas plant operations and Renewable Natural Gas plant operations in Southern Operations. He is also responsible for the compressor station and propane peaking facilities at Virginia Natural Gas.
In his most recent role, Dusek was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the gas transmission and pressure operations for Southern Company Gas’ four local distribution companies that serve 4.3 million customers in Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia.
Marie LaPorte
Vice President, Operations
LaPorte was named vice president of Operations for Nicor Gas in April 2023. She is responsible for strategic leadership and direction for the utility’s core operations, including field service and distribution.
She has held roles of increasing responsibility in Customer Development, Credit and Collections, Construction Operations and Fleet Services. Most recently, LaPorte served as director of Customer Solutions where she led the Customer Development and Energy Efficiency teams in their mission to deliver and expand the portfolio of services offered to customers.
Mike Guerra
Vice President, External Affairs
Guerra was named vice president of External Affairs for Nicor Gas in December 2022. In this role, leads all external affairs efforts for Nicor Gas, including regulatory and governmental affairs strategies. Guerra has more than 30 years' experience working in the energy sector, most recently at Jenner & Block LLC. Previously, he held multiple leadership positions at ComEd, including vice president roles in Regulatory and External Affairs.
