Jerry Colangelo is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA,the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA,the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League,the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League,and the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. He was also instrumental in the relocation of the original Winnipeg Jets team in the NHL to Phoenix to become the Phoenix Coyotes. In 2014,Grand Canyon University renamed its Christian based school of business after Jerry Colangelo,replacing Ken Blanchard's namesake. From December 2015 to April 2016,Colangelo served as chairman of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers,before serving as a special advisor to the team until December 2018.
The Palo Verde Generating Station is a nuclear power plant located near Tonopah,Arizona,in western Arizona. It is located about 45 miles (72 km) west of downtown Phoenix. Palo Verde generates the largest amount of electricity in the United States per year,and has the second largest rated capacity. It is a critical asset to the Southwest,generating approximately 32 million megawatt-hours annually.
Jeff Hatch-Miller served as the Executive Director of the Arizona State Lottery from 2009 to 2015,the longest term of service of any chief executive officer to date. Under his leadership,Arizona Lottery ticket sales increased by nearly $260 million,over 50%,and the Arizona Lottery ranked in the top 10 nationally for percentage increases in sales each year.
Richard Kimball is an American politician who is the founder and president emeritus of the nonprofit voter education organization Vote Smart.
David Sheridan Schweikert is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 6th congressional district from 2013 to 2023 and Arizona's 1st congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party,he first entered Congress in 2011,representing Arizona's 5th congressional district until redistricting. His district includes most of northern Phoenix as well as Scottsdale,Paradise Valley,and Cave Creek.
The Solana Generating Station is a solar power plant near Gila Bend,Arizona,about 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Phoenix. It was completed in 2013. When commissioned,it was the largest parabolic trough plant in the world,and the first U.S. solar plant with molten salt thermal energy storage. Built by the Spanish company Abengoa Solar,the project can produce up to 280 megawatts (MW) gross,supplied by two 140 MW gross (125 MW net) steam turbine generators:enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 70,000 homes and obviate the emission of roughly 475,000 tons of CO2 every year. Its name is the Spanish term for "sunny spot".
The Arizona Corporation Commission is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Arizona,established by Article 15 of the Arizona Constitution. Arizona is one of only fourteen states with elected commissioners. The Arizona Constitution explicitly calls for an elected commission,as opposed to a governor-appointed commission,which is the standard in most states,because its drafters feared that governors would appoint industry-friendly officials. They are directly elected statewide and serve staggered four-year terms. Due to its separation from the executive branch,the commission is often referred to as the "fourth branch of government." The characterization of the Commission as the "fourth branch of government" is contradicted,however,by Article III of the Arizona Constitution,which provides that "[t]he powers of the government of the state of Arizona shall be divided into three separate departments,the legislative,the executive,and the judicial".
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is the national association representing the U.S. state public service commissioners who regulate essential utility services,including energy,telecommunications,and water. Founded in 1889,the Association is a resource for its members and the regulatory community,providing a venue to set and influence public policy,share best practices,and foster solutions to improve regulation.
Andrew Michael Tobin is the Director of the Arizona Department of Administration. He formerly was a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission and also served in the Arizona House of Representatives from the state's 1st district,and as former Speaker,beginning in 2011. He currently serves as the Director of the Arizona Department of Administration.
Janson Theodore "Ted" Vogt is a former Arizona State Representative and director of the Arizona Department of Gaming. Prior to his appointment as Gaming director by Governor of Arizona Doug Ducey in 2019,Vogt served as the executive director of the Arizona Corporation Commission. Before that,he served as Governor Doug Ducey's chief of operations,and later as the director of legislative and regulatory affairs for Traversant Group. Vogt briefly served as interim director of Arizona State Parks and Trails in 2018.
The 2014 Arizona gubernatorial election was held on November 4,2014,to elect the Governor of Arizona,concurrently with elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Javan Daniel "J.D." Mesnard is an American politician and a Republican member of the Arizona Senate representing District 13 since 2023. He previously represented District 17 from 2019 to 2023.
Rick Gray is an American politician and former member of the Arizona Senate as well as a former Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 21. Gray previously served consecutively from January 10,2011,until January 14,2013,in the District 9 seat. In 2016,Gray ran for the ⠀⠀Arizona Corporation Commission⠀⠀seat Arizona Corporation Commissionbut placed fourth in the Republican primary. In 2018,Gray was appointed to fill the Arizona State Senate seat vacated by Debbie Lesko after she resigned to run for Congress. Gray would leave office on January 9th,2023.
Thomas "Tom" Forese is an American politician,a Republican,and former chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission. He was also in the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 17. Forese also previously served consecutively from January 10,2011,until January 14,2013,in the District 21 seat.
Debra Kay Lesko is an American politician and a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives,representing Arizona's 8th congressional district since 2018. The district is in the West Valley portion of the Phoenix metropolitan area and includes Glendale,Surprise,Sun City,Peoria,and part of western Phoenix.
Brenda Burns is an American politician,real estate agent and member of the Republican Party from the state of Arizona who served as a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission from 2011 to 2015. Elected in 2010,she was eligible to run for re-election to a second term in 2014 but chose not to do so.
Douglas James Burgum is an American businessman and politician serving since 2016 as the 33rd governor of North Dakota. He is among the wealthiest governors in the U.S.,with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion. A member of the Republican Party,Burgum is a candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Arizona on November 6,2018. All of Arizona's executive offices were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat and all of Arizona's nine seats in the United States House of Representatives. The Republican Party won the majority of statewide offices,albeit by much narrower margins than in previous elections,while the Democratic Party picked up three statewide offices.
Net metering in Arizona is a public policy and political issue regarding the rates that Arizona utility companies pay solar customers sell excess energy back to the electrical grid. The issue has two political sides:utility companies that to pay solar customers the "wholesale rate" for their excess electricity,and solar panel installers and solar customers who want utility companies to pay the "retail rate".
Christopher Robert Stump is an American politician who served two terms on the Arizona Corporation Commission from 2009 to 2017. Due to term limits,he was prevented from running for re-election in 2016. Prior to serving on the Commission,Stump served in the Arizona House of Representatives for the 9th district from 2002 to 2008. Prior to running for the legislature,Stump worked as a journalist and freelance writer.
