Finalists for state utility regulator spot released

The three finalists for a vacant Republican slot on the powerful Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission — with the ultimate pick up to Gov. Mike Braun — have been chosen.

A nominating committee voted unanimously Tuesday to make their recommendations:

• Indianapolis City-County Council member Josh Bain, who has represented the southwest corner of Marion County since 2020. He has worked as executive director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management since February, according to his LinkedIn, and was previously Indiana director and Midwest Director at the Center for Energy Education.
• Nathan Cazee, the divisional solutions development manager for Daikin Applied, a commercial and industrial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system manufacturer. His LinkedIn page shows he has worked in the HVAC and energy industry since at least 1999.
• Joby Jerrells, the chief counsel of advisory at the Indiana Office of Attorney General, according to a staff list. He previously worked as ethics counsel for the U.S. Army for more than a decade. His legal career spans about 23 years, per his LinkedIn.

The trio were selected from a list of 11 semi-finalists. The twelfth, Tim Rushenberg, withdrew. There were originally 25 applicants.

Bain and Cazee were both shortlisted for a different vacancy last year.

One of the three men will succeed Republican Commissioner David Veleta, who delivered his letter of resignation late last month.

Under Indiana law, the IURC is an “impartial fact-finding body” balancing ratepayer and utility needs. The five-member body can have at most three members of the same political party.

Braun, a Republican, will name a fellow member of the GOP to fill the vacancy left by Veleta.

It’s unclear when, however. The governor’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The commissioner job comes with a salary of about $152,000.