Jack Thomas to Succeed Page as SDG&E; President

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. Chief Operating Officer Jack Thomas will assume the additional title of president Jan. 1, the company said Friday. Tom Page, SDG&E;’s president now, will continue to serve as the utility’s chairman and chief executive officer.

Thomas, 59, will be responsible for all of SDG&E;’s utility operations, except internal auditing, which will continue to report to the utility’s board of directors.

“I’ve dealt with most of these operations for a number of years,” Thomas said Friday during an interview. “The only real change is (that) direct reporting of legal, financial and human resources functions . . . will be to me.”

Page “will be focusing additional portions of his time on board relations, longer-term strategies and Wahlco,” SDG&E;’s unregulated, non-utility business, Thomas said.

Also effective Jan. 1:

* Gary D. Cotton, 51, now senior vice president of engineering and operations, will become senior vice president of customer services. Cotton replaces Alton D. Davis, who left the utility earlier this month.

* Stephen L. Baum, 50, now senior vice president and general counsel, will become senior vice president of a newly formed law and corporate affairs division. Baum, who will retain the general counsel’s title, will handle all outside relations--government affairs, regulatory affairs, public relations and community affairs, Thomas said.

* Donald E. Felsinger, 44, vice president of marketing and resource development, will be promoted to senior vice president of marketing and resource development. Felsinger also will oversee the utility’s corporate strategic planning duties.

* Edwin A. Guiles, 41, vice president of corporate planning, will become vice president of engineering and operations, replacing Cotton.

Thomas described the changes as “an evolution that is logical and predictable. . . . We are simply assigning to our younger officers some additional responsibilities . . . that will give them new exposures and new insights into our company.”

Thomas said the changes are designed to help SDG&E; “pursue and be successful with its long-term strategic goals.”

SDG&E; earlier this month told state regulators that the utility intends to remain the state’s low-cost energy producer. SDG&E;’s electric rates are now lower than those charged by Southern California Edison Corp. and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.