Reliant Energy Names Tom Gros Senior Vice President of Sales

HOUSTON, Nov 02, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Reliant Energy today announced the appointment of Tom Gros as Senior Vice President of Sales. Gros, who has extensive sales and operational experience in energy and capital markets, will have responsibility for all of Reliant Energy's retail sales efforts.

"Tom's exceptional record of leading established businesses in new directions and successfully starting new ventures aligns perfectly with Reliant Energy's competitive business model," said Jason Few, president, Reliant Energy. "His demonstrated ability to innovate and lead combined with his deep understanding of energy increases our ability to flexibly meet the needs of our customers." "With Tom's leadership of our professional sales organizations, Reliant is better positioned to fully leverage the benefits of being part of NRG, one of the largest power generators in Texas and the United States, and to bring the benefits of NRG's low- and zero-carbon solutions - including wind, solar, nuclear and biomass generation - to our customers," Few continued.

Gros has more than 20 years experience in high-profile business development, strategic planning, energy and commodity trading, and risk management. Most recently as Managing Director of Strategic Solutions for Tradition Energy - one of the world's largest energy management advisors to commercial, industrial and governmental organizations - he led the effort to leverage the company's wholesale market strengths to successfully differentiate their global retail operations. Before joining Tradition he was Acting CEO of PriceLock, an innovative start-up offering motor fuel risk management programs.

From 2002 to 2007 he held positions of increasing responsibility at Reuters, focusing on commodity and energy information. In his earlier career he founded and led a stand-alone corporation owned by Enron that developed and successfully commercialized software solutions for commodities markets. Gros has bachelor's degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Sloan School at MIT.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to lead Reliant Energy's sales effort as we develop strategies, products and services to meet the energy needs of all of our customers - from the largest and most energy intensive to the residential consumers who make up the vast majority of our customers," said Gros. "Texas' competitive retail market offers opportunities for innovations that will give customers a better understanding of their energy use so that they can make informed decisions about how to manage and use electricity." About Reliant Energy: Reliant Energy provides electricity and energy services to more than 1.6 million retail customers--including homes, small and large businesses, manufacturing facilities, government entities and institutions across Texas. As part of NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG), Reliant Energy is backed by one of the nation's largest power producers. NRG owns and operates more than 24,000 megawatts of generation capacity, including more than 11,000 megawatts of capacity in Texas. For more information about Reliant Energy products and services, visit www.reliant.com.

SOURCE: Reliant Energy CONTACT: Reliant Energy Pat Hammond, 713-497-7723 Copyright Business Wire 2009 -0- KEYWORD: United States

North America

Texas INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Energy

Utilities SUBJECT CODE: Personnel