Valero Will Get a New Chief Exec in May

SAN ANTONIO -- Bill Klesse, CEO of Valero Energy Corp. since 2005, will step down as of May 1. He will be replaced by current President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Gorder.

Klesse, 67, has spent his entire 45-year career with Valero and its predecessor companies. He will remain a Valero director and chairman of the board, a role he was elected to in 2007.

"I would like to thank our employees, Valero's shareholders, our customers and suppliers, and our communities where we live and work for the support they have given Valero and me," Klesse said. "I ask that these same stakeholders give Joe the same support they have given me. Joe has long played a vital role in developing and implementing our strategies as a key member of Valero's executive team.”

This succession plan has been in place for some time and progressed as planned with the complete involvement and support of the board of directors,  Klesse noted.

"We have accomplished so much and improved the performance of all areas by working together as a team over the years,” he added. “At Valero, it is always about a safe, stable and reliable operation, providing quality products for our customers and adding value to society. We must pursue excellence every day."

Gorder, 56, will assume the role of CEO on May 1 and has also been elected a director by the board of directors. He will join Valero's board immediately.

"Bill has done a great job of leading Valero, and he has positioned the company very well to continue to succeed," he said.

Gorder has been with Valero and its predecessors for 27 years. He was named president and chief operating officer in 2012. He previously held positions including executive vice president, chief commercial officer and president of Valero Europe; executive vice president -- marketing and supply; and senior vice president for corporate development and strategic planning.

Valero Energy Corp., through its subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, other petrochemical products and power. Approximately 7,400 outlets carry the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock and Beacon brands in the United States and the Caribbean; the Ultramar brand in Canada; and the Texaco brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland.