TULSA, Okla, July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) announced today that James C. Kneale, 58, president and chief operating officer of ONEOK and ONEOK Partners, L.P. (NYSE: OKS) will retire Jan. 1, 2010, after 29 years with the company.

"Jim Kneale has played a significant and invaluable role in our company's growth and success over the past three decades," said John W. Gibson, chief executive officer of ONEOK and chairman and chief executive officer of ONEOK Partners. "His many contributions, excellent judgment and wise counsel - in a variety of leadership positions of increasing responsibility, including chief financial officer and his current role - have served our company, shareholders and employees well. We will miss his daily presence at the company but wish him well in his retirement.

"We are fortunate to have so many talented leaders to move into different roles, further expanding their experience and capabilities and preparing them for future challenges," Gibson added. "The changes we're announcing today will broaden our leadership team's experience and responsibilities, providing the skills and expertise we need to lead the company in the years ahead," he concluded.

Effective immediately, Terry K. Spencer, 50, is promoted to chief operating officer of ONEOK Partners, and Robert F. Martinovich, 51, is promoted to chief operating officer of ONEOK. Both will report to Kneale who will remain president of both entities until his retirement, at which time they will report to Gibson, who, in addition to his current responsibilities, will also become president of both entities at that time.

Spencer is currently executive vice president, responsible for ONEOK Partners' two natural gas liquids segments, as well as ONEOK's energy services segment, while Martinovich is currently president of ONEOK Partners' natural gas gathering and processing segment.

Spencer will be responsible for ONEOK Partners' four operating segments - natural gas gathering and processing, natural gas pipelines, natural gas liquids gathering and fractionation, and natural gas liquids pipelines.

Martinovich will be responsible for ONEOK's distribution and energy services operating segments, as well as the company's environmental, safety and health, and technical services organizations.

The company also announced that Caron A. Lawhorn, 48, becomes senior vice president-corporate planning and development, a new position, responsible for business development, long-range planning and capital investment, reporting to Gibson.

Lawhorn will be succeeded as senior vice president and chief accounting officer of ONEOK and ONEOK Partners by Derek S. Reiners, 38, when he joins the company on Aug. 10. A certified public accountant, Reiners is currently with Grant Thornton LLP in Dallas, where he has been a partner since 2004 and currently leads the accounting firm's north Texas energy industry practice. He will report to Curtis L. Dinan, senior vice president and chief financial officer.

Other changes announced include the following:

• Robert S. Mareburger, 47, is promoted to president - natural gas of ONEOK Partners, responsible for the partnership's two natural gas segments - gathering and processing and natural gas pipelines - reporting to Spencer. Mareburger was most recently vice president and chief information officer.
• Sheridan C. Swords, 40, is promoted to president - natural gas liquids of ONEOK Partners, responsible for the partnership's two natural gas liquids segments - gathering and fractionation and natural gas liquids pipelines, reporting to Spencer. Swords was most recently president of the natural gas liquids gathering and fractionation segment.
• Pierce H. Norton II, 49, becomes president of ONEOK Distribution Companies, responsible for the company's three natural gas utilities - Oklahoma Natural Gas, Kansas Gas Service and Texas Gas Service, reporting to Martinovich. Norton was most recently executive vice president.
• David R. Scharf, 52, is promoted to president of ONEOK Partners' natural gas gathering and processing segment, reporting to Mareburger. He was most recently vice president - commercial, in the natural gas gathering and processing segment.
• Michael L. Turner, 35, is promoted to vice president of ONEOK Partners' natural gas liquids gathering and fractionation, reporting to Swords. He was most recently director of distribution and Mid-Continent exchange services in the natural gas liquids gathering and fractionation segment.
• Kevin L. Burdick, 44, is promoted to vice president and chief information officer, reporting to David E. Roth, senior vice president, administrative services. He was most recently manager - information technology design integration.