The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO) has appointed Rob Berntsen, former chair of the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB), vice president of government and regulatory affairs for the Midwest region and named Darlene Phillips to lead the organization's issues management efforts.
Berntsen will serve as MISO's primary liaison with the governors and state regulatory and legislative policymakers in the MISO region. He was appointed a member and chair of the IUB in May 2009 and served as chair until April.
Prior to joining the IUB, Berntsen worked as corporate counsel for Vectren Corp., one of MISO's founding transmission-owning members. He also served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Phillips comes to the government and regulatory affairs team from MISO's operations division, where she served as director of market operations planning, overseeing the market advisory committee and divisional planning activities.
Prior to joining MISO in 2004, Phillips, a former control room engineer, worked as a management consultant for Arthur Anderson LLC in its national energy business consulting practice.
Berntsen and Phillips will report directly to Aldie Warnock, vice president of government and regulatory affairs.
