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Welcome to the FRI

The Financial Research Institute (FRI) was established in 1988 at the University of Missouri to promote education, research and service across various areas of finance. Today, through its public utility division, the FRI provides a neutral environment for stakeholders in regulated public utility industries to come together to examine, understand, and debate current issues relating to public utility policy.

The FRI Public Utility Symposium, held in the fall, examines issues that impact consumers, industry, and regulators. Held on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, MO, this one-day symposium brings together regulators and commission staff, legislators, utility managers, policy analysts, attorneys, consumer advocates and academics. The FRI Advanced Pricing Seminar, held in late spring, brings together a range of industry experts to discuss issues around industry innovation, dynamics, and pricing in the electric industry. We also host a series of Hot Topic Hotline webinars throughout the year.

The FRI is housed within and under the academic leadership of the University’s Division of Applied Social Sciences. Working in cooperation with MU Extension, the FRI shares in the University’s mission of engagement and economic development. Learn more about FRI, our staff, and programs from the About FRI page.

Save the Dates for 2025!

Don’t miss out on FRI programs in 2025! Mark these dates on your calendar!

 

  • Our Advanced Seminar on Transformational Pricing and Rate Design will be held on the University of Missouri campus April 7-9. This program focuses on current and emerging issues facing the electricity and natural gas sectors and how those issues affect rate design as well as examining alternative rate design processes intended to facilitate industry transformation. Registration will begin in early February.
  • The Regulated Utilities Leadership Institute (RULI) will be held on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia June 2-5. This program is designed for regulatory and industry personnel newer to the regulated utility space or not directly involved in regulatory affairs. This will also mark the first year for FRI’s Utility Policy Fellows program, which will bring four early-career scholars to participate in RULI alongside industry participants. Registration will begin in mid-March.
  • Our 34th Annual Public Utility Symposium will be held September 17, 2025. This program brings utility and regulatory leaders from across the country to address current issues and challenges. Registration will begin in June. Stay tuned for details on the conference theme and location.

FRI Spotlight

Aug. 21, 2024

WUTC’s Ann Rendahl Joins FRI Advisory Board

FRI is pleased to welcome Commissioner Ann Rendahl of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to our Advisory Board. Ann Rendahl was first appointed to serve as a commissioner of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission in December 2014 for a six-year term that ended Jan. 1, 2021. Ann has been reappointed and confirmed to a second six-year term ending Jan. 1, 2027. Ann serves as the Second Vice President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, or NARUC, and serves as a member of the Committees on Electricity and Critical Infrastructure, prior chair of the Committee on…

Dec. 9, 2024

FRI Welcomes Ewell Lawson as Program Director

The Financial Research Institute (FRI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ewell Lawson as our new Program Director. As Program Director, Mr. Lawson will direct the operations and implementation of FRI’s educational programs, including the Annual Public Utility Symposium, the Advanced Seminar on Transformational Pricing and Rate Design, and the Regulated Utilities Leadership Institute (RULI). He will also contribute to FRI’s policy analysis and industry research efforts. Mr. Lawson brings a wealth of experience in utilities, government and association management, and policy leadership. Recognized nationally for his contributions to public power and…

Dec. 16, 2024

FRI Receives Sloan Foundation Grant

The Financial Research Institute (FRI) at the University of Missouri is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to connect early-career energy economics researchers with energy industry practitioners through FRI’s Regulated Utilities Leadership Institute (RULI). This three-year grant will allow FRI to recruit four early-career energy economics scholars each year to be FRI Utility Policy Fellows. Selected Fellows will participate in a week-long research workshop in conjunction with FRI’s regular RULI program. In addition to sessions focused on public utility economics, data sources,…