BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Melanie J. Dressel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tacoma-based Columbia Bank and its parent company, Columbia Banking System, Inc., has been appointed as a director on the boards of Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and its parent company, Puget Energy.
Dressel joins Bill Ayer, chairman of the PSE and Puget Energy boards and chairman, president and chief executive officer of Alaska Air Group; Herbert Simon, University of Washington regent and member of Tacoma investment firm Johnson Simon LLC; and Mary McWilliams, executive director of the Puget Sound Health Alliance, as local representatives of the Bellevue-based boards.
“Melanie Dressel understands the needs of local businesses and residents, and has great insights into the Puget Sound area economy,” said Ayer. “Her expertise will further strengthen PSE’s ability to serve our local natural gas and electric customers.”
At Columbia Bank, Dressel is responsible for more than 100 branches in Washington and Oregon.
“Consumers and businesses in our area face many challenges today, and I look forward to bringing my experience in solving those challenges to PSE,” said Dressel. “A close connection with the community is a cornerstone of serving customers, and I know that my fellow board members share this commitment.”
Dressel is a graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Political Science. Her community involvement includes ArtsFund, the Council for a Greater Tacoma, Washington Bankers Association, Washington Roundtable and Washington State Historical Society among many other civic, charitable and business organizations.
About Puget Sound Energy
Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, dependable and efficient. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.