Kristie Fiegen Public Utilities Commission

Meet Kristie

Kristie Fiegen currently serves as the chairperson of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. Governor Dennis Daugaard appointed her to the PUC on August 9, 2011, to fill a vacancy on the commission. Kristie was then elected to the commission in November 2012, to serve a six-year term. She previously served as vice chairperson of the PUC in 2012, 2015 and 2016. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Committee on Gas and Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety. She is also vice president of the Southwest Power Pool’s Regional State Committee. Kristie provides guidance related to the interests of the public and gas consumers to the Gas Technology Institute as a member of GTI’s Public Interest Advisory Committee.

She grew up on her family’s farm near Chancellor, S.D., and graduated from Parker High School. Kristie attended South Dakota State University, earning bachelor degrees in both commercial economics and agricultural business. She went on to complete a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Dakota.

Prior to her service on the Public Utilities Commission, Kristie was the president of Junior Achievement of South Dakota for 17 years. Under Kristie’s successful leadership, participation in Junior Achievement increased from 2,400 to over 44,000 students each year. Additionally, her team was named among the top eight franchises in the country nine times. In 2008, Kristie was honored as the top Junior Achievement USA President. Before her work at Junior Achievement, Kristie was the South Dakota Area Manager for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for nine years. She was also a sales representative for Monsanto Company.

Kristie is no stranger to public service. She was elected to four terms in the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving the taxpayers of District 11 from 1993 to 2001. As a representative, Kristie served as chair of the House Health and Human Service Committee.

Kristie has been active in Rotary, United Way and Toastmasters. She’s a dedicated member of her church and has held several leadership roles. In addition, Kristie has volunteered her time for many other causes, events and charities. Kristie and her husband Tim, live in Sioux Falls. They have two amazing sons, Alexander and Jackson, and 58 remarkable nieces and nephews. Tim is a professor at DSU.