Locals move up on Fortune 500
by Jerry Shottenkirk
The Journal Record
8/24/2005

Several Oklahoma energy companies are listed in the Fortune 500, which will appear in the Sept. 9 issue of Fortune magazine, and some are listed in growth and "most admired" categories.

Williams and Oneok of Tulsa and Devon Energy, Kerr-McGee and OGE Energy of Oklahoma City are listed in this year's Fortune 500.

Williams is No. 165 on the list and has the third-highest ranking of energy companies. Williams was listed No. 98 in 2004.

Devon Energy is No. 243 this year after a No. 268 ranking in 2004.

Kerr-McGee is No. 379, up from No. 412 in 2004, and Oneok is No. 336, making a jump from No. 525 in 2004.

OGE Energy is No. 397, up from No. 446 a year ago.

Devon, Kerr-McGee and Chesapeake Energy of Oklahoma City also made separate lists in Fortune.

Devon is listed No. 4 among the Most Admired Companies in mining and crude oil production, after being No. 3 in 2004. Kerr-McGee is listed No. 8 in the category, up from the No. 5 spot a year ago.

Devon and Chesapeake also are listed in Fastest Growing Companies. Devon, which experienced 152 percent growth, is No. 24 on the overall list for company growth and Chesapeake, which had a 44 percent growth increase, is No. 46.

"While it is an honor to be included on the list of Fastest Growing Companies, Devon's focus is on growing value for shareholders," said Vince White, Devon's vice president of communications and investor relations. "Therefore, it is much more important to us to be listed on the Most Admired Companies list. The criteria for that list include a number of measures that are independent of size, such as shareholder return, balance sheet strength and community citizenship."

Tom Price, Chesapeake Energy senior vice president of investor and government relations, said the local company "is honored to be included with such prestigious company.

"I think, though, the measure we think is more important is to be among the Top 100 companies to work for, a list that comes out in January," Price added. "We've been overlooked as a great company to work for. One of the reasons we are one of the top companies to work for is that we've created an environment in which people truly like to produce for the company and shareholder. And if that honor is chosen by attitude of employees toward enhancing the community, we feel we should be in the Top 10."