CommissionersThe Minnesota Public Utilities Commission consists of five commissioners appointed by the governor to six-year, staggered terms. By law, no more than three commissioners can be of the same political party and at least one commissioner must reside at the time of appointment outside the seven-county metropolitan area. The governor designates one of the commissioners to serve as chair. The commissioners and staff work full time at the Commission's office in Saint Paul, except when attending hearings in other parts of the state.
David Boyd holds a B.A. degree with majors in biology and chemistry from St. Olaf College, a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from the University of Minnesota, and has performed two years of post-doctoral research. Dr. Boyd was a member of the faculty at the University of St. Thomas from 1989 to 2009 including six years as Chairman of the Chemistry Department. Dr. Boyd has over 25 years of research experience in inorganic and materials chemistry, including significant experience in the field of solar energy conversion (catalytic water splitting and photovoltaic devices). Other areas of inquiry include sensor development, and the synthesis of useful conducting and semiconducting thin films. Dr. Boyd currently serves as a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Board of Directors. He serves as a member of the NARUC Committee on Electricity, Subcommittee on Clean Coal and Carbon Sequestration, Subcommittee on Education and Research, and Chairs the Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues-Waste Disposal. He is a member of the NRRI Board of Directors, serves as an Executive Committee Member on the Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition, and in 2010 was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to serve on the Midwestern Governors Association's (MGA) Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Task Force. Dr. Boyd currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Eastern Interconnection States' Planning Council (EISPC), the Subcommittee Steering Committee (SSC) of the Eastern Interconnect Planning Collaborative (EIPC). He is a member of the Organization of the Midwest ISO States (OMS) Board of Directors and serves as Treasurer. He is also a member of the OMS Executive Committee. He previously co-chaired the Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative (UMTDI). Dr. Boyd was appointed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by Governor Tim Pawlenty on July 10, 2007 and was reappointed on December 18, 2008. His term as Commissioner has included three years served as Chairman. Dr. Boyd's current term expires January 5, 2015.
Phyllis Reha was appointed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by Governor Jessie Ventura in May 2001, reappointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in June 2007, and serves as Vice Chair. Commissioner Reha's past service includes: (Chair) Energy Resources and the Environment Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC); (Member) NARUC's Board of Directors; (President) Mid-America Regulatory Conference, current service includes; (Member) Energy Resources and the Environment Committee, and the Subcommittee on Clean Coal and Carbon Sequestration of NARUC; (Co-Chair) FERC/NARUC Collaborative on Smart Response; (Co-Chair) State Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEE Action), Consumer Information and Behavior Working Group; (Member) Advisory Councils of the New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities, The National Council on Electricity Policy, and the Financial Research Institute of the University of Missouri. Prior to appointment, Reha spent 20 years as an Administrative Law Judge and was an Adjunct Professor for 13 years, Hamline University Graduate School of Public Administration and Management. Reha earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. Her current term expires January 1, 2013.
University of Minnesota School of Law, J.D.; University of Minnesota., B.A. J. Dennis O’Brien joined the Pawlenty administration in January 2007 as Executive Director of the Governor’s Health Cabinet. He also served as Director of Strategic Planning. Prior to his appointment, Dennis was a partner in the Littler Mendelson Law Firm, a national law firm with over 600 lawyers. He advised and represented employers in a broad range of employment law matters. He successfully tried State and Federal court employment matters and negotiated private and public sector collective bargaining agreements. Mr. O’Brien provided traditional labor relations service in the private sector. He has tried grievances and unfair labor practice cases, and has argued those cases in the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court, and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. He also has extensive experience in employment litigation including Title VII and the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Prior to joining Littler & Mendelson in 2005, Mr. O’Brien practiced education law in the Twin Cities area for over 35 years. He began his career as a Special Assistant District Attorney General representing the State Department of Education and other State Education agencies. He was a partner in the firm of LeFevere, Lefler, Kennedy, O’Brien and Drawz from 1969-1989 and was a partner at the Rider, Bennett Firm from 1989-2004. He has extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in all aspects of education law, including labor relations and collective bargaining, employment matters, employee discipline and discharge, school funding and finance, administration procedures, and State and Federal court litigation. Mr. O’Brien was a registered lobbyist from 1969 through 1983 sessions of the Minnesota Legislature, principally working in the areas of school finance. Mr. O'Brien has written publications such as “Project Agreements, A Modern Dilemma,” Business Lawyer (1981). He is an adjunct member of the University of Minnesota College of Education and has also been a frequent lecturer at CLE seminars on labor relations matters, discrimination, and school law. In 1994 and again in 1997, Mr. O’Brien was the only education lawyer in Minnesota selected as an “Outstanding Lawyer” by the American Research A Corporations, a distinction received by fewer than five percent of Minnesota lawyers. He is active in the Minnesota State Bar; Wisconsin State Bar; American Bar Association’s Administrative Law Section for Labor & Employment Law; Minnesota State Bar Association’s Labor Committee; Wisconsin State Bar Association’s Labor Law Section; Member of the Hennepin County Bar Association. Appointed Commissioner February 7, 2008, term expires January 6, 2014.
Betsy Wergin grew up in a family of 11 children on a dairy farm in Minnesota. After completing high school, Betsy took accounting courses at St. Cloud State College as well as other courses at various Technical Colleges. She is currently attending Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. Betsy and her husband Richard live in rural Princeton and have two adult children. At the age of 20, she purchased her first business, a dry cleaners. After selling the business, Betsy worked as a Cost Accountant for a manufacturing company and then a benefits and payroll manager and later assistant to the Chief Financial Officer of a group of nursing homes. She opened a second retail business which she owned and operated for 20 years. Part of the business was also speaking and teaching at many national seminars. Betsy and her husband Richard provided a home for about 100 foster children, primarily teen age girls, over a period of 17 years.
Betsy's current service includes; (Chair) Committee on Consumer Affairs of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC); (Member) NARUC's Board of Directors; (Member) Telecommunications Committee; (Member) Committee on Washington Action. |
