WA Gov. Ferguson appoints Brian Rybarik to lead Utilities and Transportation Commission
Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Wednesday that he has selected a new head of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.
Brian Rybarik will lead the commission that ensures the safety, reliability and affordability of the state’s investor-owned utility and transportation services.
“Washingtonians are impacted every day by the availability and safety of electricity, telecommunications, natural gas, water and transportation,” Ferguson said in a news release. “Brian’s decades of regulatory experience will help the Commission to protect these vital services and center people’s needs as Washington advances forward on a clean energy transition.”
The appointment takes effect March 3.
Rybarik’s resume features more than 20 years of regulatory experience and “leadership in utility law and policy in utility ratemaking, energy development and regional energy markets,” the news release says. Recent experience includes leadership at Microsoft; he helmed a team to advance and protect workers’ rights in the supply chains.
Rybarik also served as chief of staff for that company’s environmental sustainability team, the news release states. On Microsoft’s cloud energy team, he worked with utilities and policy makers on delivering cost-effective and sustainable energy.
In addition, Rybarik has held various leadership and legal positions, including at the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, MidAmerican Energy Company and Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, according to the news release. His legal career started in private practice, and he received bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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