BISMARCK, N.D. – Jan. 8, 2015 – MDU Resources Group, Inc. today announced that Nicole Kivisto has been named president and CEO of the corporation’s utility group, which includes Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., Great Plains Natural Gas Co., Cascade Natural Gas Corp. and Intermountain Gas Company. The utility group serves more than 1 million electric and natural gas customers in eight states.

Kivisto’s new role will be effective Jan. 9. She replaces K. Frank Morehouse, who has resigned.

“Nicole is an outstanding leader who is widely respected across our utility group’s management team,” said David L. Goodin, president and CEO of MDU Resources. “With her broad financial expertise and success in her operational role, Nicole is ideally suited to lead the utility group’s continuing growth.”

Kivisto has been vice president of operations for Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. and Great Plains Natural Gas Co. since January of 2014. Prior to that she was vice president, controller and chief accounting officer for MDU Resources Group. Kivisto joined the company in 1995 and has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, including controller.

Kivisto is a native of Beulah, N.D. She has a degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota-Moorhead and is also a graduate of the Carlson School of Management Minnesota Executive Program and the University of Idaho’s Utility Executive Course. She is a certified public accountant.