Williams and Williams Partners announced the realignment of executive leadership responsibilities designed to further enhance their operating and commercial capabilities. The realignment results in new leaders for the Northeast Gathering & Processing operating area and Williams' Corporate Strategic Development function. As a result, the following changes will become effective immediately: Jim Scheel, 49, will serve as senior vice president of the Northeast Gathering & Processing operating area, with responsibility for gathering and processing business in the Marcellus and Utica shale regions.

Frank Billings, 51, will serve as senior vice president of Corporate Strategic Development, with responsibility for enterprise-level business development and customer relationship management. Billings most recently led the Northeast Gathering & Processing operating area. Since joining Williams in 1988, Scheel has served in leadership roles that include operations, engineering and operational excellence; the company's natural gas liquids business; business and strategic development with more than $6 billion in transactions and business integrations; and management of international and joint-venture operations.

Billings' current tenure at Williams began in August 2010 as vice president of business development for the company's gathering and processing business. Prior to rejoining Williams, Billings was president of the privately owned Cumberland Plateau Pipeline Company.