Commission chief of staff departing for new role with electric cooperatives

Ryan Heater, who has been chief of staff of the Commission since late 2019, will be departing for a new role. As the chief of staff, he has managed an array of departments, encompassing Administrative Law Judges, External Affairs, the Office of General Counsel, and Technical Operations. Furthermore, he has provided strategic counsel to both the Commission Chair and the Commissioners. A proud alumnus of Purdue University and the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Ryan hails from Star City, IN.

Before his tenure at the Commission, Heater held significant positions in the Office of the Lt. Governor. He served as the Policy and Legislative Director for three Lt. Governors: Suzanne Crouch, Eric Holcomb, and Sue Ellspermann. In this pivotal role, he was entrusted with overseeing all policy and legislative matters pertaining to the Lt. Governor’s office. Additionally, he managed the operations of the five agencies that reported directly to the Lt. Governor.

Heater is slated to assume the role of Vice President of Government Relations at Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC); a position presently held by Mark Maassel. Maassel previously served as the President of the Indiana Energy Association, advocating on behalf of the state's investor-owned utilities. In a press release John Cassady, CEO of IEC, praised Heater, stating, “Ryan is a respected government relations professional. He emphasized Heater's deep understanding of the energy industry and legislative processes, adding that his expertise will be "an asset to our member cooperatives."

Reflecting on his journey, Heater remarked, “It has been a privilege and honor to serve Hoosiers throughout my career,” and expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I am excited for this opportunity to support IEC and our REMC communities across Indiana.”