Anchorage Daily News

Editor's note: This story was originally published February 19, 2003

Gov. Frank Murkowski on Tuesday appointed Alaska Republican Party chairman Randy Ruedrich and Republican lieutenant governor runner-up Sarah Palin to state jobs overseeing the oil and gas industry.

Murkowski chose Ruedrich and Palin to fill two of the three seats on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, a regulatory agency. The seats are full-time jobs that pay about $118,000 a year.

Ruedrich has long experience in oil field engineering. And, as the political party chairman, he is often credited as a substantial force behind the Republican success in last fall's elections, including Murkowski's overwhelming victory in the governor race. He will fill the commission seat reserved for engineers.

Palin is a former mayor of Wasilla and a rising political star. She finished second to Loren Leman in the race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor and was later featured in TV ads for the Murkowski campaign.

The governor appointed her to the seat reserved for a member of the general public.

Murkowski dismissed the suggestion that the appointments could be viewed as driven by politics.

"I think they are both well qualified, I mean (Ruedrich) has a Ph.D. in engineering, I don't know how far up the ladder you have to go to find someone more qualified," the governor said. "And certainly Sarah has an extraordinary record in local government."

Rep. Eric Croft, an Anchorage Democrat who attended the press conference where Murkowski announced the appointments, said they both appeared qualified.

But, he said, "Anytime you appoint the head of your party to something and the lieutenant governor runner-up, it looks a little questionable."

Ruedrich has more than 30 years experience in the oil and gas industry, including work in Yemen and the United Kingdom. He was a senior drilling engineer for Arco's Alaska operations and general manager of Doyon Drilling.

"I probably have more oil and gas background than anyone who has ever been in that job," he said.

Ruedrich said he will continue to do political work on behalf of the Alaska Republican Party on his own time. He will focus on federal politics, Ruedrich said.

He said he believes the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission can play a substantial role in boosting the state's economy by working with the industry to develop oil reserves.

The Alaska Oil Gas Conservation Commission has a broad mission: to protect the public interest in the exploration and development of oil and gas, including both conservation and the "maximum ultimate recovery" of the resources.

Palin said she had turned down other jobs with the Murkowski administration, but jumped at the chance to work on oil and gas issues.

"As Governor Murkowski put it, this is the bread and butter of the state of Alaska."

She said her qualifications fit the public seat on the commission.

Her term on the commission will last until 2008. The seat Ruedrich is taking is slated to last until 2006. The third seat on the commission, reserved for a geologist, is held by Dan Seamount, whose term expires in 2004.

Ruedrich took the seat held since November by Mike Bill, who had been appointed but not confirmed. The public seat was held by Camille Oechsli Taylor, a former assistant attorney general, whose term was up.

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