Richard A. Bilas, Ph.D., was appointed to the California Energy Commission in March 1987 and reappointed in January 1992. Dr. Bilas filled the economist position until his retirement from the Commission in October 1995.
Dr. Bilas served as Presiding Member of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, the 1994 Electricity Report Committee, the Air Quality Committee and the 1992 Electricity Report Standing Committee. He was Second Member of the Fuels Report and Planning Committee.
He was a member of the United States Department of Energy steering committee to coordinate federal/state energy emergency activities, an advisory committee member of the University of California's Program on Workable Energy Regulation, and the Western Economic Association's Contemporary Issues editorial board.
Dr. Bilas was formerly E.C. Reid Professor of Economics and Chair of the Department of Economics at California State University, Bakersfield. He also has served on the faculties of the University of Southern California, the University of Colorado and Georgia State University. He is a member of various economic organizations including the Mont Pelerin Society. He is the author of three books and numerous articles in scholarly journals.
A former Fulbright scholar to the Philippines and member of Phi Beta Kappa, Dr. Bilas received his A. B. Degree in mathematics from Duke University and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia.
In 1996, Dr. Bilas was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to the California Public Utilities Commission.