LAS VEGAS, Aug. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Gas Corporation (SWX) today announced that James P. Kane plans to retire as President and CEO of its Centuri Construction Group, Inc. (the construction services subsidiary of Southwest Gas Corporation) on December 31, 2015.  Mr. Kane's retirement will bring to a close a distinguished 43-year career in the utility and construction industries, including the last 31 years serving Southwest Gas Corporation, its customers, and shareholders.  Heidrick & Struggles, a leading executive recruiting firm, has been retained to assist in the search for Mr. Kane's successor.

Mr. Kane joined Southwest Gas Corporation in 1984 and was the company's President prior to being named CEO of NPL Construction Co., the company's primary United States construction subsidiary, in July 2012.  Following the acquisition of the Canada-based Link-Line Group of Companies in 2014, he became CEO of Centuri Construction Group, which oversees all of Southwest Gas Corporation's construction services operations.

"Jim has been instrumental in our evolution and growth, and we are grateful for his extraordinary service, culminating as CEO of our construction services group," said John Hester, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Gas Corporation.  "Jim helped lead NPL's strategic expansion, which enabled us to diversify our portfolio and geographic reach.  Among his many contributions were overseeing NPL's acquisition of the Link-Line Group of Companies and the recent formation of Centuri Construction Group."

Mr. Hester continued, "Today, Centuri Construction Group is one of the largest natural gas distribution contractors in North America with a strong platform, world-class operations team, and attractive customer base.  Centuri Construction Group is well-positioned to take advantage of its tremendous growth opportunities as regulated utilities move forward with their long-term natural gas infrastructure projects."

"My time at Southwest Gas Corporation has been extremely rewarding, and I am especially proud of the accomplishments made in the construction services business over the past three years," said Mr. Kane.  "With the Link-Line integration largely completed, John and the Board will now move forward to identify a new leader who can leverage Centuri Construction Group's enviable market position, extensive capabilities, and broad geographic footprint to take this business to the next level of success.  Southwest Gas Corporation has built one of the industry's most talented and dedicated teams, and I am confident that our regulated utility and construction services businesses have incredibly bright futures."

About Centuri Construction GroupCenturi Construction Group is a full-service natural gas piping contractor that provides trenching, installation, maintenance, and industrial construction solutions through a family of businesses that includes NPL Construction Co., Link-Line Contractors Ltd., W.S. Nicholls Construction Inc., and Brigadier Pipelines Inc.  A subsidiary of Southwest Gas Corporation, Centuri Construction Group is active in 22 major markets in the United States and Canada and serves a wide range of customers such as regulated utilities, where it supports multi-year gas pipeline infrastructure projects, and oil and gas, pulp and paper, and automotive companies.