FRI welcomes four new advisory board members

Bingman is in his first term as a Commissioner of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, a state agency that oversees regulation of the fuel, oil, gas, public utilities, and transportation industries in Oklahoma. A Sapulpa, Oklahoma native, Bingman has worked in the oil and gas business for his entire career, beginning as a city commissioner and mayor of his hometown. He was later elected to the Oklahoma State House and Senate, serving as Senate President Pro Tempore from 2011-2016, the longest-serving President Pro Tem in his party’s state history. In 2020, he was appointed as Oklahoma Secretary of State and Secretary of Native American Affairs, serving in the role until he resigned in 2023 to run for his current position. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Petroleum Land Management, Bingman is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation.

Kiessling, of Fairfax, Virginia, is managing director of state affairs in the American Gas Association (AGA)’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Group. In his role, he leads the Association’s state government affairs and state regulatory efforts, supporting AGA’s public policy priorities and state advocacy initiatives across the country. Before joining AGA, Kiessling had extensive experience in government affairs, leading state and national lobbying and advocacy efforts for a technology-focused trade association and serving in management roles on state and federal political campaigns for a global public relations firm. He holds various leadership and advisory roles in state legislative and government affairs organizations throughout the nation and is a graduate of the University of Idaho’s Energy Executive program.

Marke, of Jefferson City, Missouri, is chief economist for the Missouri Office of the Public Counsel (OPC), where he manages a technical staff that advocates for Missouri ratepayers in utility regulatory and legislative filings involving electric, gas, and water/sewer companies. In his role, he has provided expert testimony on a variety of issues, including demand-side management, class cost of service studies, performance-based regulation, lead service line replacements, stranded assets, and integrated resource planning. Marke has been a frequent speaker at National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) conferences and at the State of Michigan’s Institute of Public Utilities. He has also served as a U.S. Department of State/NARUC representative to the nations of Angola, North Macedonia, Georgia and Indonesia. Marke holds a Ph.D. from St. Louis University and is a graduate of The Citadel.

Naughton is manager of regulatory affairs for Nicor Gas, based in Naperville, Illinois, where he is responsible for executing the company’s regulatory strategy, overseeing its various proceedings at the Illinois Commerce Commission, and working with key stakeholders through the state’s regulatory process. He began his career with Nicor Gas in the rates department, taking on roles of increasing responsibility until taking over regulatory affairs, a position he has held for the past five years. Naughton currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the Illinois Utility Business Diversity Council. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in Finance and has worked at Nicor Gas since 2015.