Nov. 7, 2023
Rachelle Whitacre and Nicor Gas Join FRI Advisory Board
November 7, 2023 FRI is pleased to welcome Rachelle Whitacre, Director of Regulatory Affairs for Nicor Gas, to the FRI’s Advisory Board, and to announce Nicor Gas as our newest Gold-level FRI Sponsor. As Director of Regulatory Affairs for Nicor Gas, Rachelle leads regulatory policy, strategy and planning and is responsible for regulatory activities with the Illinois Commerce Commission. Rachelle joined Southern Company Gas in 2014 leading external affairs strategies for Virginia Natural Gas. She has 25 years of experience formulating and executing regulatory and legislative solutions in the natural gas, telecommunications, and health care industries. For six…
Oct. 19, 2023
Kansas Commissioner Annie Kuether Joins FRI Advisory Board
October 19, 2023 FRI is pleased to welcome Commissioner Annie Kuether from the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to our Advisory Board. Commissioner Kuether was appointed to the KCC in September 2023. She is a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 55th district from 1997 to 2022. She was the highest ranking Democratic member of the House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee and served on the House Judiciary, House Corrections and Juvenile Justice, Joint Committee on Rules & Regulations, and Joint Committee on Pensions, Benefits, and Investments. She is a past president of the Women’s…
July 24, 2023
FRI Welcomes New Advisory Board Members Helland, Gunn, and Kuzman
October 2, 2023 FRI is pleased to welcome Chairman Erik M. Helland of the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB), Kevin Gunn of NextEra Energy Resources, and Robert (Bob) Kuzman of MISO to FRI’s Advisory Board.
July 21, 2023
Josiah Cox Joins FRI Advisory Board
July 21, 2023 FRI is pleased to announce that Josiah Cox, President and Founder for Central States Water Resources, has joined FRI’s Advisory Board. An experienced and deeply passionate water utility industry executive, early in his career, Josiah spent several years leading wildlife habitat studies and water and wastewater civil engineering land development efforts. In 2010, he developed a business strategy to acquire and recapitalize failing water and wastewater systems as investor-owned utility companies. Ultimately, this became Central States Water Resources which now operates in 11 states and is the 10th largest investor-owned utility in the U.S. He is…
July 3, 2023
California Commissioner John Reynolds Joins FRI Advisory Board
July 5, 2023 FRI is pleased to welcome Commissioner John Reynolds of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to the FRI Advisory Board. Commissioner Reynolds was appointed to the CPUC by Governor Gavin Newsom on Dec. 23, 2021, and reappointed on Dec. 22, 2022. Commissioner Reynolds had previously served as Managing Counsel at Cruise LLC since 2019. Prior to that, he held multiple positions at the CPUC, including Interim Chief of Staff to Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma in 2018, Advisor to former Commissioner Carla J. Peterman from 2015 to 2018, and Public Utilities Counsel from 2013 to 2015. He was Associate…
June 29, 2023
DC Commission, Chair Thompson Join FRI Advisory Board
June 29, 2023 FRI is pleased to welcome the District of Columbia Public Service Commission and Chairman Emile C. Thompson to the FRI Advisory Board. The DC PSC regulates the monopoly electric distribution, natural gas, and telecom utilities serving the District’s approximately 700 thousand residents. The District of Columbia joins 16 state public utility commissions represented on FRI’s Advisory Board. Chairman Thompson was first appointed to the DC PSC by Mayor Muriel Bowser in 2021 and re-appointed as Interim Chairman on December 1, 2021. He was confirmed as Chairman on June 7, 2022. He is an active member of…
April 12, 2023
Andreas D. Thanos Selected for 2023 Crystal Award
April 12 ,2023 FRI is pleased to announce that Andreas D. Thanos has been selected as recipient of the 2023 Crystal Award for Distinguished Contribution. In addition to his exemplary work as a long-time state energy regulatory commission staffer, Thanos also demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to the larger energy community, both nationally and internationally, through his active work with NARUC, USAID, North American Energy Standards Board and the Gas Technology Institute. Thanos began his work with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities in 1993 as an economist in the gas division. Today, Thanos relies on his knowledge and expertise to…
April 4, 2023
FRI Welcomes Commissioners Rupp, David, and Tate to Advisory Board
March 21, 2023 FRI is pleased to welcome three new members to its Advisory Board: Chair Scott Rupp of the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), Commissioner Kim David of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, and Commissioner Justin Tate of the Arkansas PSC. Chairman Scott Rupp has served as a PSC Commissioner since 2014. He was appointed Chairman in January 2023. Previously he served two terms in the Missouri State Senate and two terms as a State Representative. Chairman Rupp earned his Master of Science degree in Energy & Sustainability from the University of Denver, and his MBA from Lindenwood University.
July 6, 2022
Illinois Commissioner Ann McCabe Joins FRI Advisory Board
July 6, 2022 FRI is pleased to welcome Commissioner Ann McCabe of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to the FRI Advisory Board. Commissioner McCabe was appointed to a five-year term at the ICC starting February 1, 2022. She previously served on the Commission from March 2012 to January 2017. Prior to returning to the ICC, for two years Ann led the US team at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a non-profit that advises state utility regulators, staff and stakeholders. She has over 25 years of energy and environmental policy and regulatory experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. In…
June 22, 2022
Shelby Linton-Keddie Joins FRI Advisory Board
June 22, 2022 FRI is pleased to announce that Ms. Shelby Linton-Keddie, Managing Director of State Regulatory Affairs for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), has joined FRI’s Advisory Board. Linton-Keddie oversees EEI’s national engagement and strategy on state regulatory issues before public utility commissions and state legislatures. Prior to joining EEI, she came from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where she held various positions including an Assistant Small Business Advocate, Manager, State Regulatory Strategy and Sr. Legal Counsel for Duquesne Light Company, Counsel to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner Pamela Witmer, Associate at the law firm of…