(Merrillville, IN) - There’s been a change in leadership at NIPSCO, as Vince Parisi has been named the new president and chief operating officer at the Merrillville-based utility company.

He previously served as interim president after Mike Hooper left the position to take a job with another utility company in the Midwest earlier in the month.

Officials touted Parisi for his extensive prior experience, which includes being the former president and chief operating officer at Columbia Gas of Ohio, a subsidiary of NiSource alongside NIPSCO.

“Vince has played a pivotal role in advancing a number of key business priorities on behalf of our customers and the communities we serve across Ohio, and we’re confident he’ll do the same in northern Indiana as we cement our position at the forefront of an industry transition into a diverse menu of energy options,” said Melody Birmingham, NiSource executive vice president, and group president.