Progress Energy Elects Former Sen. Mel Martinez to Board of Directors

RALEIGH, N.C., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Former U.S. Sen. Melquiades "Mel" Martinez of Florida has been elected to the board of directors for Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), the company announced today.

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Martinez, 63, was the first Cuban-American to serve in the U.S. Senate, from 2005 to 2009. While in the Senate, he was a member of several influential committees, including Energy and Natural Resources and Commerce. Previously, he served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and was instrumental in the rebuilding efforts in New York City after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

He also served as mayor of Orange County, Fla., and on the board of the Orlando Utilities Commission before his election to the Senate. Today, he is a partner in the law firm of DLA Piper, where he specializes in all aspects of public policy. In addition to his public service, he has more than 25 years in private legal practice.

"Sen. Martinez brings significant experience with financial, energy and governmental affairs issues," said Bill Johnson, chairman, president and CEO of Progress Energy. "His addition makes our strategic and diverse board of directors even stronger and will give us another informed point of view as we work to address changing energy realities and the important decisions and investments facing our company."

Martinez becomes the 14th member of the board of directors. The board's bylaws provide for as many as 15 members.

Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 22,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence, and was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system.  Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. Visit the company's Web site at www.progress-energy.com.

SOURCE Progress Energy