Brad Tschida to serve as executive director for Montana Public Service Commission

Former legislator Brad Tschida will take the executive director position at the Montana Public Service Commission starting Jan. 17, 2023.

The agency announced Friday in a news release that Tschida, a Republican from Missoula and “lifelong Montana resident,” accepted its offer. PSC Vice President Jennifer Fielder praised the hire in a statement.

“It is a demanding job with a significant amount of internal and external pressure,” Fielder said in the statement. “We needed someone with the right mix of professional skills who is also capable of shouldering those types of demands. Mr. Tschida is very well-qualified with his legislative leadership experience and diverse background in management, finance, education, and public policy spanning over 40 years.”

Last week, Tschida confirmed with the Daily Montanan he was in discussions with the PSC about the job. In a statement Friday, the former Montana House majority leader said he was looking forward to getting to work.

“I am humbled and excited at the opportunity to assist the Commission with its critical work of regulating Montana’s largest monopolies,” Tschida said in the statement. “I fully believe in the PSC’s mission to fairly balance the interests of regulated companies and the public they serve, and I look forward to focusing my attention on this vital objective for the PSC and the people of Montana as a whole.”

Tschida served four terms in the Montana House of Representatives. He is a realtor and said last week he had been semi-retired.

The news release noted Tschida in his career has “provided business services under the oversight of the Department of Commerce, served as a high school administrator and dean of students, managed a number of private business operations, and worked as a financial advisor and licensed real estate agent.”

In a brief phone call, PSC spokesperson Lucas Hamilton said the position is an “at will” appointment with a salary of $90,000.

“The commission’s expectation is he will be primarily working out of the Helena office,” Hamilton said.

The PSC created the executive directorship in response to a legislative audit that said it was “falling short in administrative matters,” the agency said in the news release. Its first executive director left after less than one year on the job, and the position has stayed open for more than six months.

“Certainly, we would hope to have some stability in this role moving forward,” Hamilton said.

Tschida has been at the center of controversy in recent years.

Tschida alleged wrongdoing at the Missoula elections office — claims the local Republican party disputed after a review.

He drew national attention after the Dobbs decision when he said a woman’s uterus “serves no specific purpose to her life or well-being,” and the Washington Post ran a story noting the uterus supports reproductive health.

Tschida also successfully challenged a state law, which the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down as an unconstitutional restriction on free speech. The state was ordered to pay Tschida $75,000 in legal fees.

The Public Service Commission is made up of five elected commissioners from five districts in Montana, currently all Republicans, who oversee regulated utilities.

In a statement, longest-serving current Commissioner Tony O’Donnell praised Tschida.

“I believe Mr. Tschida will do an excellent job of managing the expectations of commissioners, supporting our expert staff, and assisting the PSC with our ongoing efforts to improve agency operations and ensure that consumers receive vital utility services at fair and just prices,” O’Donnell said.

In a brief phone call, Commissioner Randy Pinocci said he would have welcomed applications from Democrats, and he said Tschida will serve well — not because he’s a Republican but because he has legislative and energy experience and relationships with lawmakers.

“This gives an advantage to anyone applying for the job,” Pinocci said.

The news release said the executive director serves as the department’s chief administrative officer, chief of staff, and director of external affairs. Tschida is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day internal operations of the department; carrying out the adopted plans and policies of the Commission; and overseeing the agency’s public affairs.

Keila Szpaller is deputy editor of the Daily Montanan, a nonprofit newsroom. To read the article as originally published, click here.