State Representative Jason Shaw (R-Lakeland) will fill a vacancy on the Georgia Public Service Commission that was created by Monday’s resignation of Commissioner Doug Everett, according to Gov. Nathan Deal.
A little less than two weeks after Georgia voters went to the polls in the General Election, Everett announced that he was retiring, effective December 31, 2018. Everett has served on the commission since 2003, representing District 1, which is comprised of several counties in southwest Georgia.
Tuesday, Gov. Deal announced that he was appointing Rep. Shaw to fill the vacancy. Shaw will serve the remainder of Everett’s term – which is set to expire in 2020. The appointment will be effective Jan. 1, 2019.
“I would like to thank Doug Everett for his more than 15 years of dedicated service as a commissioner and I wish him all the best in retirement,” said Gov. Deal. “Rep. Shaw has significant experience both as a businessman and in public service, and I am confident that he will be an effective representative for the people of Georgia as a member of the Public Service Commission.”
Shaw currently serves as Sub-committee Chair; Appropriations-Transportation in the House of Representatives. He was a member of the House Economic Development & Tourism Committee, the House Game, Fish, and Parks Committee, the House Industry and Labor Committee, the House Insurance Committee, the House Small Business Committee and the House Transportation Committee. A special election will have to be held to fill his House seat.
Shaw is the owner of Shaw Insurance Services Inc. and a partner of Georgia Olive Farms Inc. In the Georgia House of Representatives, he also served as chairman of the Georgia Legislative Rural Caucus for four years. He is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Lanier and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. He is a former president of the Lakeland/Lanier County Chamber of Commerce and the Lanier County Lions Club. Shaw is also a former director of the Greater Valdosta United Way and a member of the Professional Insurance Agents of Georgia, the South Regional Joint Development Authority and the American Olive Oil Producers Association.
Tricia Pridemore, first appointed to the PSC early this year by Gov. Deal, won the District 5 PSC race in the November 5 general election. Republican incumbent Chuck Eaton is in a runoff with Democrat Lindy Miller for the District 3 seat. The runoff is set for December 4, and also pits Republican Brad Raffensperger and Democrat John Barrow in the race to become Georgia’s next Secretary of State.
