NW Natural Hires Corporate Secretary

Northwest Natural Gas Company (NYSE:NWN), dba NW Natural, the largest independent natural gas utility in the Northwest, this week announced the hiring of MardiLyn Saathoff as the company’s Chief Governance Officer and Corporate Secretary. Saathoff’s role at NW Natural is to primarily oversee corporate and board governance, and shareholder services.

"NW Natural is a great fit for my background," said MardiLyn Saathoff. "It offers me a unique opportunity to use my legal and business experience in a company committed to the customers and communities it serves, and to delivering solid, long-term value to its shareholders.”

Saathoff's experience is a blend of corporate and government posts. Prior to joining NW Natural, she worked for Tektronix, Inc. as Assistant General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer, a position she held for almost three years. Other experience includes General Counsel for Governor Kulongoski and Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon Department of Justice.

This year, the Governor appointed Saathoff to the Public Officials Compensation Commission. Previously, she was on the board for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute and the Artists Repertory Theater.

Before her career in law, MardiLyn Saathoff spent 12 years as a teacher at Sunset High School. While still teaching during the day, she obtained her law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School, which she attended at night. Saathoff has two children, ages 13 and 18.

About NW Natural

NW Natural is headquartered in Portland, Ore., and serves about 655,000 residential and business customers in Oregon and Southwest Washington. It is the largest independent natural gas utility in the Pacific Northwest and is one of the fastest-growing local distribution companies in the nation. For more information about NW Natural, please visit www.nwnatural.com.