Natural gas utility NW Natural turned 160 years old today, making it one of the oldest companies in Oregon. Officers from NW Natural and its parent company Northwest Natural Holding Company (NYSE: NWN) will commemorate this milestone by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange today. NW Natural was founded on January 7, 1859, five weeks before Oregon became the union’s 33rd state, when the territorial government gave founders Herman C. Leonard and John Green a perpetual franchise to provide natural gas service. Today, the company serves about two million people through more than 740,000 meters in Oregon and Southwest Washington with 1,200 employees and one of the most modern pipeline systems in the nation. “We have a long history serving customers in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s why our tagline ‘We Grew Up Here’ has such meaning,” said David H. Anderson, president and CEO of NW Natural. “Every day our employees are committed to delivering an affordable, efficient product to our customers safely and with excellent customer service.” Our utility is in more than 140 communities, and NW Natural Holdings’ shareholders give nearly $1 million from its Corporate Philanthropy Fund to help children and families in need each year. “NW Natural is a longstanding local business that truly makes a difference in our community,” said Andrew Hoan, president and CEO of Portland Business Alliance. “From donating to important causes to providing high-quality jobs, the company makes the cities it serves stronger.”
