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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 13, 2003

PUC COMMISSIONERS APPOINT NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PUC Commissioners Bob Sahr, Gary Hanson and Jim Burg join together in announcing the appointment of Pamela Bonrud to the position of Executive Director.  Bonrud joins the PUC after serving the past 9.5 years as Executive Director of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System. Prior to Lewis and Clark, she worked in the state departments of Environment and Natural Resources and Health.

While with Lewis and Clark, Bonrud spearheaded the successful federal authorization effort for the $365 million project and was successful in securing the project's first federal appropriations.  She was able to build a strong coalition supporting the project at the local, state and federal levels within the tri-state project area. During her tenure with Lewis and Clark, she served as President of the SD Water Congress, Secretary on the Board of Directors for the SD Association of Rural Water Systems and on legislative committees for the SD Section of the American Water Works Association. In Sioux Falls, Bonrud was active in the Downtown Lions Club and served for a short time on the Sioux Falls City Board of Health and Governing Board for the Community Health Center.

"Pam has demonstrated her abilities to work with many differing constituencies in moving the Lewis and Clark RWS through a difficult federal authorization", said PUC Commissioner Gary Hanson.  "Her experience and abilities will go a long way in assisting the commission to meet our goal of providing good service to all South Dakotans."

"We are excited to have Pam joining our team and to utilize her experience in working with state government and Congress", said PUC Commissioner Bob Sahr.  "Her experience in the water utility industry will translate well to working with those utilities that the commission works with on a daily basis."

Bonrud is a Pierre native and graduate of South Dakota State University.  Lewis and Clark rural water system is a drinking water wholesale system designed to serve 23 communities and rural water systems in southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southeast Minnesota.  Once construction is complete, over 200,000 people will receive drinking water from the project.

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