Tallgrass Announces Executive Leadership Transitions

Tallgrass Announces Executive Leadership Transitions

Crystal Heter Named President and Chief Executive Officer; Gary Watkins to Assume Chief Investment Officer Role in Addition to Chief Financial Officer

LEAWOOD, Kan. (Mar. 30, 2026) - Today, Tallgrass announced that Crystal Heter has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer effective March 27, 2026. Crystal succeeds Matt Sheehy, who has led the company as President since 2019 and has served as CEO and Chairman since 2022 and 2024, respectively. Additionally, Gary Watkins, currently the company's Chief Financial Officer, will also assume the role of Chief Investment Officer.

Most recently serving as Tallgrass' Chief Operating Officer, Crystal was a key member of the team that founded Tallgrass in 2012, helping transition several core assets into the company at its inception. Since then, she has held senior leadership roles across the enterprise, including leading the company's Natural Gas Transportation segment and serving as President of the Rockies Express Pipeline-experience that uniquely positions her to lead the company's continued growth and execution across its core businesses.

"Crystal is a proven leader with deep industry expertise and a clear strategic vision," said Matthew Runkle, Tallgrass Director and Senior Managing Director in Blackstone's Infrastructure Group. "Her experience, leadership style, and focus on disciplined execution position Tallgrass well as we continue to build on our strong foundation and pursue opportunities across the evolving energy and power landscape." Mr. Runkle will assume the role of Chairman of the Board.

The Board expressed its appreciation to Matt Sheehy for his leadership and significant contributions to Tallgrass, including growing the company to $1 billion in EBITDA, leading the acquisition of the Ruby Pipeline, and developing the nation's largest CO2 transportation and sequestration infrastructure, among other accomplishments.

"When I rejoined Tallgrass, I knew what this company could become, and I could not be more grateful to our team, customers, and shareholders for our successes to date," said Matt Sheehy. "Now Crystal - an already highly-accomplished leader - will build on everything we have built and go further than we ever imagined."

"I am stepping into this role with a deep sense of responsibility and confidence in our team and path ahead," said Crystal Heter, President and CEO of Tallgrass. "I'm thankful to Matt for his leadership over the past 13 years and for where he's taken the company. Tallgrass has a strong team, high-quality assets, and a clear platform for growth. As we take this next step, I remain focused on safe, reliable operations and disciplined execution to build on our momentum and deliver long-term value for our stakeholders."