INDIANAPOLIS, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. (Nasdaq: CLMT) (the 'Partnership' or 'Calumet') today announced that George C. Morris III has been elected as an independent director of Calumet GP, LLC, the general partner of the Partnership, effective May 8, 2009. Mr. Morris replaces Michael L. Smith, independent director and audit committee chair, who gave notice to the board on May 5, 2009 of his intent to resign as a director effective upon the filing of the Partnership's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q on May 8, 2009. Mr. Morris will also replace Mr. Smith as the chair of the audit committee.
'George has extensive energy industry and capital markets experience, as well as an in-depth understanding of Calumet's business, all of which will strengthen our board,' said Fred M. Fehsenfeld, Jr., chairman of the board of Calumet GP, LLC. 'We also sincerely thank Mike Smith for his valuable leadership and service as a member of our board.'
Mr. Morris, 54, has nearly three decades of experience in energy and finance. He is the principal of Morris Energy Advisors, Inc. and most recently served as a managing director at Merrill Lynch & Co. until his retirement in March 2009. As part of Merrill Lynch's Energy & Power Group, Global Markets & Investment Banking Department, Mr. Morris was primarily responsible for account coverage of midstream, downstream and oilfield service energy companies in the Americas in support of account coverage worldwide, providing a full range of financial and strategic advisory services, commodity based structured financing and principal investing transactions as well as public and private debt and equity offerings.
Mr. Morris served as a managing director of investment banking at Petrie Parkman & Co. until its acquisition by Merrill Lynch in December 2006, specializing in strategic advisory services primarily in the midstream, downstream and oilfield services sectors. He also served as a managing director of investment banking at Simmons & Company International and as a director of investment banking at The First Boston Corporation.
Mr. Morris holds B.B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University.
About the Partnership
The Partnership is a leading independent producer of high-quality, specialty hydrocarbon products in North America.
