Infrastructure 
PHOENIX — Members of the Arizona Corporation Commission today voted to name Kris Mayes as Chairman. Mayes has served on the Commission since 2003. She replaces Chairman Mike Gleason whose term ended in December 2008.
In remarks before the Commission, Mayes said she is looking forward to working with her colleagues to increase the amount of renewable energy and energy efficiency in Arizona, as well as building on the Commission’s record as a leader in water conservation policy.
“This Commission has been at the forefront of efforts to make Arizona a solar energy capitol of the country,” Mayes said. “We should insist on the diversification of our energy sources and turn our focus as well to energy efficiency – the “negawatt,” which is the cheapest of all forms of energy.”
She added that the Commission should focus where possible on consolidation of small troubled water systems to promote water conservation, and continue to push water companies to aggressively adopt water conservation measures to combat the state’s ongoing drought conditions.
Mayes also hopes to advance the Commission’s efforts to reach out to greater Arizona by holding town halls on major rate cases, renewable energy policy and water conservation. And she stated that she would like to improve on the Commission’s web site to make the Commission’s activities and decisions even more accessible to every Arizonan.
“No branch of Arizona government impacts Arizonans’ everyday lives more than the Corporation Commission,” Mayes said. “We should do everything in our power to make this a transparent process that any citizen can participate in.”
Mayes, a Republican, was appointed to the Commission in 2003 by Governor Janet Napolitano. She won election to the post in 2004 and re-election in 2006. While at the Commission, Mayes has made renewable energy a priority, helping to author the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES), and has focused on energy efficiency, natural gas issues, and pipeline safety.
Prior to working at the Commission she served as Napolitano’s Communications Director, was a political reporter for the Arizona Republic and a general assignment reporter for the Phoenix Gazette.
She holds a law degree from Arizona State University, a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arizona State University. Mayes was born and raised in Prescott.
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