To: Editors, News Directors

Date: October 7, 2003

For: Immediate Release

Mayes to Take Oath in Ceremony Wednesday

PHOENIX - At a welcome reception planned for 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 8, Kristin K. Mayes will be sworn in as a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission. (A biography of Commissioner Mayes is attached.) Judge James B. Sult of the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division 1, will administer the oath of office. Judge Sult is a longtime friend and mentor to Mayes who was appointed last week by Governor Janet Napolitano to fill the seat previously occupied by Jim Irvin.

Mayes, whose career and educational background include public policy and law, says she is looking forward to delving into the complex issues that come before the Commission.

"Right now, my full attention is focused on the complex cases and issues that affect the daily lives of so many Arizona residents," Mayes said. "I look forward to working with the other Commissioners to restore public trust in the Commission by serving the public faithfully while putting Irvin's tumultuous legacy behind us."

Few state offices affect the daily lives of Arizonans as much as the Arizona Corporation Commission. Most states have a Public Service Commission or a Public Utility Commission to regulate and set the rates for public gas, electric, water, sewer and telecommunication utilities. The Arizona Corporation Commission fulfills these duties but has additional responsibilities granted by the Arizona Constitution. The Commission also registers corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) doing business in Arizona, regulates the sale of securities or investments, registers investment advisers and sales representatives and enforces railroad and pipeline safety statutes.

The Commission oversees railroad safety by enforcing federal and state safety statutes, conducting inspections and investigating crashes and derailments. Similarly, the Commission's Pipeline Safety staff enforces state and federal statutes governing natural gas, hazardous materials pipelines and investigates violations of the Arizona Underground Facilities laws.

By virtue of the Arizona Constitution, the Commissioners function in an Executive capacity; they also adopt rules and regulations, thereby functioning in a Legislative capacity; and they act in a Judicial capacity by making decisions in contested matters.

Commission Chairman Marc Spitzer and Commissioners Bill Mundell, Mike Gleason and Jeff Hatch-Miller complete the five-member panel.

Jim Irvin, who was facing potential impeachment, resigned his position as Commissioner on September 23. When there is a vacancy, the Governor appoints a Commissioner to serve until the next statewide general election. Mayes has the option to run in the November 2004 election if she wishes to retain her new seat.

The Commission is required by the Arizona Constitution to maintain its chief office in Phoenix and it is required by law to conduct monthly meetings. For the convenience of the public, Open Meeting agendas and Hearing Calendars are posted on the Commission website. For a schedule of Open Meetings, see http://www.cc.state.az.us/meetings/index.htm. For the calendar of upcoming or recent evidentiary hearings, click on http://www.cc.state.az.us/hearings/index.htm.

For more information about the Arizona Corporation Commission, please visit the agency's main website at www.cc.state.az.us. For specific information about the Utilities Division or for help resolving a utility matter, the following shortcut will take you to Utilities website: http://www.cc.state.az.us/utility/index.htm.

Arizona Corporation Commission (Main Office)
1200 West Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Southern Arizona Office (Staffed to assist with corporate filings, hearings and utility issues)
400 West Congress Street
Tucson, AZ 85701

Important phone numbers:
Commissioners' Offices: 602-542-2237.
Listen Line (Live Audio Feed of Commission Open Meetings or Hearings): 602-542-0222.
Utilities Division Consumer Services: 602-542-4251 or 800-222-7000.*
Corporations Division Consumer Services: 602-542-3026 or 800-345-5819.*
Securities Division Consumer Services: 602-542-4242 or 877-811-3878.*
Southern Arizona Office 520-628-6554 or 800-535-0148.*
*Toll free numbers work outside the Phoenix metro area or Tucson area respectively.

Biography Of Kristin K. Mayes

Commissioner Kris Mayes was born and raised in Prescott, Arizona. After graduating from Prescott High School and winning the prestigious Flinn scholarship, Mayes attended Arizona State University. While attending ASU, she served as editor in chief of the State Press, one of the nation's largest college newspapers and completed an internship with the Johannesburg Star in Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition, Mayes won the Truman Scholarship, the nation's top scholarship for public service, was a national finalist for the Rhodes scholarship and graduated valedictorian from ASU with a degree in political science.

Mayes immediately went to work as a general assignment reporter for the Phoenix Gazette, and later as a political reporter for the Arizona Republic, covering the Arizona State Legislature. Mayes left her post at the Republic to attend graduate school at Columbia University in New York, where she earned a Master of Public Administration.

Following graduate school, Mayes returned to the Arizona Republic, where she was assigned to cover the 2000 presidential campaigns of Sen. John McCain, former Vice President Dan Quayle, publisher Steve Forbes and then-Governor George W. Bush. During this time Mayes co-authored a book entitled "Spin Priests: Campaign Advisors and the 2000 Race for the White House".

Mayes left the paper to attend law school at Arizona State University. While attending law school, she went to work as press secretary to the gubernatorial campaign of then-Attorney General Janet Napolitano, and later became communications director to Governor Napolitano. Mayes graduated magna cum laude from ASU Law, and on October 3, 2003, she was appointed by Napolitano to the Arizona Corporation Commission. A lifelong Republican, Mayes met the requirement that the Governor appoint someone of the same party as the departing commissioner.

Mayes considers reading about politics and jogging her chief hobbies, and spends a considerable amount of time in Prescott, visiting her mother Karen Mayes, who still resides in the Mile High city. Mayes has a sister, Kimberly, who is a child life specialist in California, and a brother, Kirk, who is an accountant in Boston, Mass.