Sierra Pacific Power Company
Contact: Bob Sagan/Karl Walquist
Phone: (775)834-4835

For Immediate Release

Douglas R. Ponn has been elected vice president, Governmental and Regulatory Affairs, by the Sierra Pacific Power Co. board of directors. He will report directly to Malyn Malquist, Sierra Pacific's chairman, president and chief executive officer.

A 13-year veteran with Sierra Pacific, Ponn most recently was executive director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs for the utility. He joined the company in 1986 as a rate analyst and has since held several supervisory and management positions. Ponn also served from 1981 to 1984 as a commissioner with the Public Service Commission of Nevada.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, with a major in Economics, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He also earned a master's degree in Business Administration from UNLV.

From 1970 to 1981, Ponn was employed by the College of Business and Economics at the university, holding various teaching and administrative positions. From 1976 to 1981, he was the assistant to the dean of the College of Business and Economics. Ponn currently lives in Carson City.