Commissioner Hanson| previous page

Gary Hanson was elected to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission in 2003 and re-elected by the citizens of South Dakota in November 2008. He served as chairman in 2005 and 2008. Gary represents South Dakota on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioner's Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment, and he represents the nation's NARUC Commissioners on the steering committee of the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative. He is chairman of the South Dakota Underground Pipeline Task Force and past treasurer of the Organization of MISO States.

Gary’s service to the state also includes three terms in the South Dakota Senate, where he was chairman of the Senate Government Audit and Operations Committee and vice chairman of the Senate Taxation Committee.

A native of Sioux Falls, Gary was twice elected as Mayor of that city and oversaw the multiple departmental operations of more than 1,200 employees. Prior to that, he was Sioux Falls’ Utilities Commissioner for six years and was responsible for the development and day-to-day activities for three municipal utilities.

As a regional and industry leader, Gary has been involved as a co-founder, past president and chairman of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System; past chairman of the South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance; and past president of the Sioux Falls Board of Realtors. Gary owned small businesses for 16 years and is a licensed Real Estate Auctioneer, Appraiser and Broker.

Gary has received many awards and honors including being named Distinguished Alumnus of Northern State University; Sioux Falls’ City Father of the Year; YMCA Tri-State Hall of Fame, International Lions Club Melvin Jones Fellow and Outstanding Young Citizen of South Dakota.

He has regularly shared his passion for athletics as a volunteer coach for a variety of youth sports. His other interests include hunting, fishing and skydiving.

Gary and his wife, Sandy, make their home in Sioux Falls and Pierre. The couple has three children and six grandchildren.

December 2008