Idaho Public Utility Commissioner Mack Redford, who has served on the PUC since 2007, died on June 30.
Redford, appointed by Gov. Butch Otter as one of three members of the state regulatory commission and reappointed to a six-year term in 2013, was an attorney with a history of public service in the Idaho Attorney General’s Office and as deputy attorney general for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands based in Saipan in the Northern Marianas. He also worked as general counsel for Morrison Knudsen, including in Saudi Arabia. And he was counsel for the contractors who built the France-to-England Channel Tunnel, better known as the “Chunnel.” Before being appointed to the PUC Redford joined the Boise law firm of Park & Burkett. He went on to join the law firm Elam & Burke in 2001.
Redford grew up in the Weiser and Caldwell areas, graduating from Caldwell High School and receiving his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Idaho.
“Mack was the true embodiment of what it means to be a public servant,” Otter said. “His wealth of international business experience coupled with his numerous positions inside government gave Mack the kind of insight and combination of skills that is extremely difficult to find and even harder to replace. The people of Idaho lost a true champion and I have lost a good friend.”
Commissioners Paul Kjellander and Kristine Raper are continuing with PUC’s schedule to process the large utility solar case (see above) that has drawn so much attention. Otter will likely name a commissioner to take Redford’s slot in the next several weeks.
More information about Redford’s background can be found here.