May 14, 2025

RULI Registration Deadline Looms

Don’t miss it! Friday, May 16 is the deadline to register. The Regulated Utilities Leadership Institute covers the history, economics, rate setting, and future trends that are shaping the utility industry. Learn from our industry-respected instructors – Dr. David Loomis, Dr. Adrienne Ohler, and Dr. Michael Sykuta. From foundational principles to advanced topics and leadership skills, this intensive program promises you impact. Register here. The direct access to cross-sector leaders and regulators was impactful. The insights I gained were of significant benefit. – S.K., Engineering Mgr, American Water…

May 9, 2025

FRI Announces Inaugural Cohort of Utility Policy Fellows

FRI is pleased to announce the inaugural class of its Utility Policy Fellows program, made possible through the generous support of the Sloan Foundation. These three accomplished individuals bring significant expertise in critical areas of the regulated utility sector, establishing a strong foundation for FRI’s impactful research and analysis in this vital field. Dr. Joseph Duggan joins the fellows cohort from the University of Dayton. He specializes in industrial organization with a focus on the design and regulation of wholesale electricity markets. His work as an associate editor for Renewable Energy Focus and co-editor…

Feb. 10, 2025

EEI’s Nethercutt Joins FRI Advisory Board

FRI is pleased to welcome Elliott Nethercutt, Senior Director of State Regulatory Affairs at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) to the FRI Advisory Board. In his current role, Elliott guides EEI’s members on advocacy, policy positions, and initiatives related to the energy transition, resource adequacy, resilience, rate design, and other industry issues. Elliott has over 10 years of policy and regulatory experience in the energy sector. His career has engaged him in several topics of importance, including performance-based ratemaking, advanced market design, and the development of reliability assessments. Prior to EEI, his career has included meaningful stints with NARUC,…

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,…

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…

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…

June 13, 2024

Missouri PSC Chair Kayla Hahn Joins FRI Advisory Board

May 28, 2024 FRI is pleased to welcome Chair Kayla Hahn of the Missouri Public Service Commission to our Advisory Board. Chair Kayla Hahn was first appointed to the Missouri Public Service Commission on June 1, 2023, and was appointed to a new six year term on January 2, 2024. On February 6, 2024, she was named Chair of the Public Service Commission. Prior to her appointment, Chair Hahn was on the Governor’s senior staff team as Policy Director and had served as Senior Advisor and Policy Director for Governor Parson since August 2018. As Policy Director, Chair Hahn…

May 3, 2024

FRI Recognized as a “Program of Distinction”

May 3, 2024 We are excited to announce that FRI has been named a Program of Distinction by the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.Since its founding in 1988, FRI has been bringing together state utility regulators, utility executives, and consumer advocates across the United States to learn about, discuss, and debate issues affecting regulated utility industries and how those utilities should be regulated. By providing a neutral environment to engage in these conversations, FRI contributes to more efficient and effective utility regulation that supports economic, environmental, and human health.This Program of Distinction designation…

April 18, 2024

Stan Wise Selected for 2024 Crystal Award

April 18, 2024 FRI has selected Stan Wise as recipient of the 2024 Crystal Award for Distinguished Service. Stan Wise was elected statewide four consecutive times, to serve on the Public Service Commission from January 1995 through February 2018. His first elected public office was as a Cobb County Commissioner in 1990. He previously served the county as a member of the Cobb County Planning Commission and also on the Board of Zoning Appeals. Wise was a Board Member of the ten-county Atlanta Regional Commission from 1992 through 1994. Stan served on the National Petroleum Council for the 2016-2017 term…

April 3, 2024

Kaley Bangston Joins FRI Advisory Board

April 3, 2024 FRI is pleased to welcome Kaley Bangston, Director of Regulatory and Political Affairs for NextEra Energy to our Advisory Board. In her current role with NextEra Energy, Kaley serves as lead on PJM region state legislative and regulatory issues and activities across all business activities. Kaley has more than 10 years of policy experience in the policy sector. She previously worked at Chicago-based clean energy company Invenergy and Boston-based environmental management consulting firm, M.J. Bradley and Associates supporting independent power producers and environmental nonprofit organizations in policy strategy.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in finance…