TOPEKA - At today's annual Kansas Corporation Commission Organizational Meeting, Commissioner Andrew J. French was elected to serve as Chairperson of the three-member Commission. Governor Laura Kelly appointed French to the Commission on June 12, 2020. His term will expire on March 15, 2024.

“As Chairperson, I look forward to supporting our staff as we continue our mission to promote and protect the interests of Kansans in the coming year,” said French. He also thanked Commissioner Susan Duffy, the previous Commission Chair, for her strong leadership during a challenging year.

Prior to his appointment to the KCC, French practiced law with the firm of Smithyman & Zakoura, Chartered, in Overland Park, Kansas. His law practice focused on energy policy and the regulation of utility rates and services.

French began his legal career in Kansas government serving as a research attorney with the Kansas Court of Appeals before accepting a staff position with the KCC. During his tenure at the KCC from 2012 to 2017, French held a number of positions within the agency, including Senior Litigation Counsel representing the KCC Staff in litigated administrative proceedings. He also advised the Commission on legal, electric reliability, and cost-recovery issues associated with actions of the Southwest Power Pool, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

French has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kansas School of Law.

Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate. They serve staggered four-year terms. State law provides that no more than two of the three commissioners may belong to the same political party.

The KCC is an independent regulatory agency that oversees the state's electric, natural gas, telecommunications, oil and gas, and transportation industries with the responsibility of ensuring safe, adequate, and reliable services at reasonable rates for the citizens of Kansas.