Utilities
and Transportation Commission director announces retirement, new executive
director appointed
Olympia, Wash. - The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission today
announced the retirement of its current executive director and secretary Steve
King and the appointment of Mark L. Johnson as the agency’s new director,
effective May 1.
“Steve King has done an outstanding job shaping the UTC for
the past five years as executive director, and throughout his 35 year career
with the organization,” said UTC Chairman David Danner. “We thank him for his
dedication to public service and appreciate the work he has done to ensure a
smooth executive transition.
“Mark Johnson is an
experienced executive who has a strong background in financial management and business
process improvement,” Danner said. “We are pleased that he has agreed to take
on this important leadership role and build on the value system of
professionalism, respect, integrity, and accountability that Steve constructed
during his time at the UTC.”
King joined the commission in 1983 taking on various roles in
public safety and utility regulation. As executive director, King oversaw the
development and implementation of the agency’s values, leadership principles,
and lean program. Under his executive leadership the agency also saw a 15
percent increase in positive responses on the annual statewide employee engagement
survey.
Most recently, Johnson served as the UTC’s director of administrative
services. In that role, he oversaw the commission’s financial portfolio,
information technology, library services, and facilities.
Prior to joining the commission in 2017, Johnson was the chief
financial officer of the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture.
Johnson, 57, holds a bachelor of science in business administration
and finance from Central Washington University.
The UTC regulates the rates and services of
telecommunications companies, investor-owned electric utilities, natural gas
and water companies, garbage-collection haulers, residential movers and
charter-bus companies, commercial ferries, pipeline companies, and a low-level
radioactive waste repository. The commission ensures that the services of
regulated companies are safe, available, reliable, and fairly priced.
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