Atmos Energy (ATO) announced on November 4, 2026 that Kim R. Cocklin will retire from the board of directors and from his position as chairman of the board on the date of the 2027 annual shareholders' meeting. Cocklin has reached the mandatory retirement age set forth in the company's corporate governance guidelines and will not stand for reelection. He remains chairman of the board until the meeting.
On November 3, 2026, the board approved the change in leadership structure to combine the roles of chairman of the board and CEO. J. Kevin Akers, current president and CEO, will assume the chairmanship of the board on the date of the 2027 meeting, subject to his reelection as a director by shareholders. The board believes the change serves the best interests of the company and its shareholders at this time.
The independent directors selected Nancy K. Quinn, current Lead Director, to continue in the role from the 2027 meeting onward, also subject to her reelection. Cocklin stated that his decision does not result from any disagreement with the company on operations, policies or practices.
Cocklin has been with the company since 2006. He was CEO from October 2010 to September 2017, executive chairman of the board from October 2017 to December 2020, and chairman of the board since December 2020. He stated that Akers has "leadership ability and deep industry experience" to continue the safety-focused investment strategy.
