Marathon Oil Corporation reports the following organizational changes within Marathon Petroleum Company LLC, the Company's wholly-owned downstream subsidiary. These changes are all effective Jan. 1, 2010.

J. Douglas Sparkman, currently senior vice president, Transportation and Logistics, will retire effective Jan. 1, 2010, after 30 years of service.

Mary Ellen Peters, currently senior vice president, Marketing, will succeed Sparkman as senior vice president, Transportation and Logistics.

Thomas M. Kelley, currently director, Crude Supply and Logistics, will succeed Peters as senior vice president, Marketing.

"On behalf of all Marathon employees, I want to extend our thanks to Doug for his 30 years of outstanding service to our Company," said Gary R. Heminger, executive vice president Downstream and president of Marathon Petroleum Company LLC. "His dedication and commitment to personal and professional excellence have contributed significantly to Marathon's success over the years.

"I also want to congratulate Mary Ellen and Tom on their new assignments. Both of these individuals have a deep understanding of our business and proven track records of being able to successfully tackle the substantial challenges that we face each and every day, and to do so with professionalism and a commitment to the highest standards of ethics and integrity."

Sparkman graduated from Louisiana State University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, and he joined Marathon that same year. He was appointed to his current position in February 2007. In this role, he has provided oversight for the Terminal, Transport and Marine organization, Marathon Pipe Line LLC, Marketing and Transportation Engineering, and the Product Quality organization.

Throughout his career, Sparkman has held positions of increasing responsibility at the Company's refineries in Garyville, Louisiana; Detroit, Michigan; Texas City, Texas; and he also served as manager of the Detroit, and Catlettsburg, Kentucky refineries.

Peters graduated from Indiana University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and she subsequently earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Bowling Green State University in 1986. She joined Marathon in 1979 and has held several management positions of increasing responsibility in the Company's marketing operations organization, including products distribution, supply analysis, products supply, operations planning, advertising, and asphalt & heavy oil sales. In 1996, she was named president of Marathon Pipe Line Company, the position she held until her most recent assignment.

In her current role, Peters is responsible for all aspects of Marathon's Brand, Wholesale, Specialty Chemicals and Asphalt marketing, including a network of approximately 4,600 Marathon-branded retail outlets in 17 states, primarily in the Midwest and Southeast.

Kelley graduated from Indiana State University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and he joined Marathon that same year as a marketing associate in the Company's Retail Marketing organization. He assumed his current role in January 2008, and in this position he is responsible for all of Marathon's domestic and international crude oil supply and crude oil trading activities which support Marathon's network of seven U.S. refineries.

Tags: Marathon Oil Corporation