Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission names new vice chair

David W. Sweet was named vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC).

Sweet will replace Andrew Place, who has served as vice chairman since 2015. Sweet’s term will begin on Jan. 1. Place will remain as a PUC commissioner until his term expires on April 1, 2020.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Vice Chairman Place for his three years of service in the role of Vice Chairman.  He has brought passion and intelligence to this role, and I know he will continue his ongoing efforts to share his knowledge base with not only us at the PUC but also OPSI (Organization of PJM States Inc.) and NARUC (the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners),” PUC Chair Gladys Brown said last week at a PUC meeting. “We have voted to select as our Vice Chairman Commissioner David Sweet. Let me add my congratulations to Commissioner Sweet, who is fully equipped to now take on the new challenge of being the Vice Chairman beginning in 2019.”

Sweet joined the commission on May 4, 2016. His five-year term expires in 2021.

Sweet leads the PUC’s efforts to encourage enhanced veterans’ outreach and hiring by utilities across Pennsylvania. Further, he is also a member of the NARUC Presidential Task Force on Veterans’ Workforce.

Before joining the commission, Sweet worked as a senior advisor to Gov. Tom Wolf, focusing on energy and economic development issues. In that role, he served as a liaison to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority and helped shape the governor’s economic growth strategy for the Philadelphia region. Sweet also served on the governor’s Banking and Securities Commission.