Five questions with Juli Tuson, Randy Lewis

Juli Tuson

1. What qualifications would you bring to the job of Mason PUD 3 commissioner?

The PUD 3 Commissioners are the policy makers for the utility. In addition, they set rates and charges for service, approve the budget, and hire the manager. The commissioners do not manage the utility. I think this is an important distinction, the commissioners govern, they do not manage.

My qualifications for PUD 3 commissioner are an accumulation of my employment, volunteer work and ongoing educational opportunities. My career is in procurement, and I understand supply chain, budgets, and managing spend as well as how to negotiate. The facility I work at has a power plant and sells energy. My current position includes being a member of the leadership team where I participate in interviewing and hiring management. My previous employment included working for Olympic Panel Products and Simpson Lumber Co. for 25 combined years. My connection to the community runs deep.

I know policy. I was involved in a leadership program where I was the lead in a small group that had a bill passed in the Washington State Legislature and signed into law. This experience will aid me when working with energy stakeholders throughout the state as together we make policy and ensure PUDs keep local power.

I am currently an Associate Board Member for a credit union and understand governing vs managing. My background also includes experience in audits and grant writing/compliance. While these are not part of the commissioner’s job, it gives me knowledge in areas managed by PUD management.

2. Beyond your qualifications, what are your personal strengths that would contribute to this position?

I am respectful, determined, and dedicated. I am a collaborator and a leader who brings people together to accomplish common goals. I am committed and when I set my mind to something, I not only do it, I strive for excellence. Before making a decision, I like to hear different sides of an issue, ask questions, and do my own research. I believe building relationships is vital to any success. I work hard to build trust which results in those relationships. I consider myself a motivator and servant leader. Integrity and accountability round out my strengths.

3. Why are you running for office?

I grew up in Mason County and chose to live here most of my life. As a rate payer and community member, I want to ensure Mason County continues to have reliable energy at an affordable rate and that PUDs retain local control. I also want to make sure PUD 3 has a great General Manager and to support the manager in maintaining a highly trained and competent workforce. I have experience in governing and my career and volunteer experiences give me the skills to be an effective commissioner. I will work hard for you and represent you well!

4. How do you differ from your opponent?

I chose to live in Mason County. My volunteer work, ongoing education, and employment opportunities provide me a well-rounded list of qualifications. I not only understand numbers, I understand people and am great at building relationships. I have some policy experience which will make the learning curve easier when working with energy stakeholders.

I am great communicator. I listen and provide thoughtful feedback. I know how to engage people, explain the why, and get a team to come together to get things done. I am a creative thinker that will step up and champion solutions (ask any of my former Centennial Guild members who sweated it out with me at Safeco Field serving concessions to pay for the Wellness Garden at Mason General Hospital!)

As Linda Gott, PUD 3’s first female commissioner, did her first 10 years serving as your Commissioner, I work full time. One of the things learned from Covid is that working from home and flexible schedules work. My employer is supportive of my community involvement, and I have the flexibility to serve as your commissioner. I see my employment at a Fortune 200 company as a positive for my role as your PUD Commissioner. My position keeps me on top of national and local issues including safety, the economy, supply chain, and work force.

Question from Randy Lewis

Lewis offered no question for Tuson, writing “In general, I am not a big fan of candidates asking questions of opponents.

Randy Lewis

1. What qualifications would you bring to the job of Mason PUD 3 commissioner?

I will be the Guardian of the PUD3 rate setting process.

My experience, skill set and education make me far and away the best fit for PUD3 as it faces severe challenges going forward.

Electricity is the lifeblood of the community. The future ebb and flow of electricity has an associated ebb and flow of money attached to it. Actuaries, the original financial engineers, use mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to assess and mitigate the risk of potential uncertain contingent events, and minimize the cost of those risks.

(American Academy of Actuaries / Society of Actuaries / International Association of Actuaries)

As Chair of rate setting and other important committees for national and international companies, I am well prepared to direct similar processes for PUD3.

My unique background and education lend insight on PUD 3 issues. I am a creature of large corporate organizations, yet know our community, having grown up here. I have worked in the woods, on tree farms, in the mills and several other jobs in our community.

The PUD3 organizational structure is very similar to organizational structures I have been part of (at a much larger scale that that of the PUD3). In such organizations, I have become skilled at boiling down the drivers of complex financial issues and explaining them in a way others can understand.

I will be very aggressive in making sure the public understands the drivers of their rates and other PUD3 decisions.

2. Beyond your qualifications, what are your personal strengths that would contribute to this position?

In my career, I have been involved in complex negotiations, communicating with people of diverse backgrounds. In my roles I have developed relationship with staff such as Finance, Legal, Marketing, the sales force, customer service, IT and other technical staff, and boards of directors for example. Also developed relationships with external investment advisors, and with rating and regulatory agencies both State and Federal.

Creativity has been a strength. To quote the Head (EVP) of the last company I worked for in Seattle: “While I always valued and appreciated your technical expertise in developing and designing products, your spirit of cooperation and your desire and commitment … I always knew you would be willing to look at issues from all perspectives and develop solutions that we did not think of or anticipate initially.”

I have, very publicly, been an advocate for the vulnerable. Examples:

Mentored a Shelton Citizen in Love Inc’s Jobs for Life program.

Mentoring children in Awana’s, a program at a local church.

I am Treasurer of Shelton Centennial Lion’s Club (SCLC), founded in 2017, the centennial year of Lion’s Club International, founded in 1917.

I have been involved in several SCLC initiatives to help our community. Perhaps the most visible project is funding the equipment for an outdoor basketball court on the City parking lot.

I am the founder and coordinator of Shelton Math Motivators, a national math tutoring program sponsored by the Actuarial Foundation. I am proud to say we are entering our fourth year of service.

3. Why are you running for office?

My father, Roscoe Gordon “Bud” Lewis, a degreed engineer and WWII hero (wounded in the Battle of the Bulge) worked for Simpson as one of the first method analysts at the dawn of the computer age. Tragically Bud died at age 37 of a brain tumor.

This left Dixie Lewis (Now Burnett) a 35-year-old widow, not only grieving, but supporting three children. As Dixie was knocking on doors looking for work, she approached KMAS, an entity that had just been started by Bruce Jorgenson and partner Bob Sheets.

Bruce Jorgenson opened the KMAS door Dixie was knocking on, and hired her on the spot. Bruce and Bob were very kind to her at a time she needed kindness and support.

Many years later, after retiring from back east, and returning home to Mason County, I noticed that Bruce Jorgenson was a PUD3 Commissioner. I attended the next PUD3 meeting, simply to go up to Bruce after the meeting, to thank him for being so kind to mom and the family.

During the meeting however, I became very interested in the subject matter, and have attended pretty much every meeting in the several years since; almost always I have been the only member of the public in attendance, and have often asked questions. PUD3 staff have been very generous and accommodating.

I early on found there to be a close fit between my experience and upcoming PUD3 challenges that are very interesting to me.

4. How do you differ from your opponent?

Quoting the incumbent for this position, Linda Nutt Gott, about my candidacy: “You are the candidate who has been attending the meetings and preparing for the job” (The Incumbent is not formally endorsing any of the candidates).

As a retired actuary, I can focus 100% on PUD3 issues, going to industry meetings and developing relationships. I can talk with for example Bonneville, in their language, about their complex rate setting process.

This is not just about me personally; this is an opportunity for the community to put someone in this position with a unique skill set. I am very much a son of this community – however, after spending decades in the “Big City” (ING/Genworth Financial/Blue Cross of Illinois) I have returned home with experiences and knowledge that make me far and away the best fit for this position.

PUD 3 staff have done a nice job evaluating and quantifying the many moving parts that go into the rate setting process. However, the rate setting process is not simply about crunching numbers and explaining rate drivers such as matching expenses with revenues.

Rates and budgets are also about our community; these exercises reflect who we are and aspire to be, what is important to us, and how we treat and help each other. Rate setting and budget decisions ultimately rest in the hands of the commissioners, representing the ratepayer citizens who elected them.

This perspective illustrates somewhat the thought process I am uniquely bringing to the position.

Question from Juli Tuson

TUSON: Do you think the PUD should provide retail broadband service and if so, how do you see that developing and how soon?

LEWIS: First things first. My attitude is that the fiber optic network, which PUD3 is constructing, needs to expand so that fiber optic is available throughout the county.

This need was demonstrated most acutely during the recent covid school closings. 

PUD3 has implemented what it calls a “Fiberhood” program that is providing fiberoptic in much of the county.

So ... how to provide fiberoptic elsewhere, in particular the more rural areas of the county? 

I believe ultimately fiberoptic will be available throughout, the question is how is this initiative funded? What is fair?     

As far as PUD3 providing content via broadband, my initial bias is no. PUD3 has many challenges in coming years, without jumping into a new arena, where there are already several providers available. 

As with anything, I will reconsider a position, if a compelling argument is made. For example, suppose PUD3 set up a stand-alone broadband provider entity in which every penny of net revenue is applied against the PUD3 debt, currently tens of millions of dollars. A proposal such as that would gain my immediate attention.