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Consumers Energy Names Patti Poppe as Vice President for Customer Operations

JACKSON, Mich., Dec. 3, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Patti Poppe, a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in utility and automotive management, has been named vice president of customer operations for Consumers Energy, the utility announced today.

Poppe will head the Customer Operations Department, which encompasses many of the utility's units that deal directly with customers, including the customer service call centers, billing group, energy optimization programs, and other customer value programs.

Poppe's appointment, which is effective on Jan. 1, 2011, is the latest step in a management realignment that began in May when John Russell became the utility's president and chief executive officer.

She will report to Daniel J. Malone, the senior vice president of distribution and customer operations. Malone said that Poppe will help focus the company's efforts to improve customer service and satisfaction and increase the value that it provides to its 2.9 million customers.

"Patti will lead the strategic and tactical development of our efforts to work more closely with customers to meet their needs in a number of areas, primarily helping them to better control their energy costs," Malone said.

Prior to joining Consumers Energy, Poppe served as the director of regulated marketing for energy optimization at DTE Energy, where she also held positions in power plant management. Previously, Poppe held a variety of plant management positions during a 15-year career at General Motors.

Poppe earned a master's degree in management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and also holds bachelor's degree and a master's degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at www.consumersenergy.com

SOURCE Consumers Energy