Pat Colburn
The Quail Creek Republican Club met at the Madera ballroom on April 18. President Pat Colburn welcomed all attendees and acknowledged newly joined members.
A current 2028 Republican candidate for the Presidency, Gary Barve, was introduced for a five-minute introduction of himself and his agenda for the future of the Republican Presidency. He is a pro-President Trump candidate and will continue with the America First Agenda.
Kevin Thompson, current Chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission, was the guest speaker.
In January 2023, Kevin was sworn in to a four-year term as a Commissioner with the Arizona Corporation Commission. In January 2025, he was elected by his peers as Chair of the Arizona Corporation. He currently serves on the Western Energy Imbalance (WEIM) Body of State Regulators (BOSR), an independent, self-governing states committee.
He has over 25 years of utility, regulatory, and public service experience, including serving as a twice-elected Mesa City Councilman.
Kevin was previously the Manager of New Business Development for Southwest Gas for over 12 years, responsible for all new business engineering including the sale, design, and installation of billions of dollars of natural gas pipelines for residential, multi-family, retail, and commercial development.
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is the recipient of multiple awards and recognition.
Kevin explained the mission of the Commission:
“The Arizona Corporation Commission’s mission is to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable utility services; have railroad and pipeline systems that are operated and maintained in a safe manner; grow Arizona’s economy as we help local entrepreneurs achieve their dream of starting a business; modernize an efficient, effective, and responsive government agency; and protect Arizona citizens by enforcing an ethical securities marketplace.”
In keeping with the club’s emphasis on educating members, the attendees received a complete explanation of the necessity of the Arizona Corporation Commission in the state government and the various functions of the Commission to protect the citizens of Arizona. The Commission was created as part of the State Constitution in 1912. It is an independent Commission created separately from the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches of the state government.
Surprisingly, Kevin told the attendees that prior to 2023, the Commission did not adhere to any meeting rules of order, but that changed when Kevin and Nick Myers, another Republican Commission member, instituted Robert’s Rules of Order.
After explaining the current staffing of the Commission, Kevin reviewed all the ongoing issues facing the Commission, from regulating rates for electric, natural gas, telephone, and water/wastewater to pipeline and railroad safety.
Following his presentation, Kevin entertained 30 minutes of questions and answers. Many thoughtful questions were presented, including ones concerning the increase of power requirements for future data centers in the state, water usage for new mining ventures, and the future of Small Modular Reactors (SMR).
Pat Colburn then made some announcements about upcoming events and meetings. Unfortunately, the proposed trip to Douglas was scrapped. The planned guest for the May meeting is Chris DeSimone, local radio host and small business advocate. Karrin Taylor Robson, 2026 gubernatorial candidate, has been scheduled for the June 20 meeting.
The Quail Creek Republican Club continues to pursue its goal to be the most educational and fun club in Quail Creek. For more information and for membership forms, visit the website at www.quailcreekrepublicans.com.