Governor Rell today announced that she has nominated Amalia Vazquez Bzdyra of Wallingford to be a Commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control. Vazquez Bzdyra has extensive public and private sector experience and has served in all three branches of Connecticut government. Since February 2007, she has served as Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Social Services.
“Amalia understands the energy needs of Connecticut and the pressures energy costs place on our families and businesses,” Governor Rell said. “She understands that our economy, our quality of life and the future we build for our children are all linked to clean, affordable, renewable and reliable sources of energy.
“Connecticut must approach our energy needs in a comprehensive manner that will help us achieve energy independence through green and alternative energy sources and new technologies,” the Governor said. “Creating a new energy future will require the coordinated actions of government and the private sector. It will require decision-makers who are both responsive and forward looking. Amalia brings great experience and judgment to this task.”
In 2005, Vazquez Bzdyra, an attorney with over 20 years of experience, was appointed by Governor Rell to the new Contracting Standards Board. The Board was created by Executive Order to craft standards for awarding state contracts and removing political connections and considerations from the process. In 2004, Vazquez Bzdyra was appointed by Governor Rell to the Governor’s Task Force on Contracting Reform. The Task Force was charged with reviewing and recommending improvements in the procedures used by the state of Connecticut to purchase goods and services.
From 2000 to 2005, Vazquez Bzdyra served as Chairperson of the state’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO). From 2000 to 2004, she was Vice President of Government Relations for the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA). As head of the department, she developed health care policy initiatives to improve Connecticut’s system of health care and collaborated with state agencies to develop and implement legislative and executive branch policies, procedures and legislative enactments affecting all 31 hospitals statewide.
Prior to that, Vazquez Bzdyra was Director of Legal, Legislative and Policy Affairs for the state’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM) from 1993 to 2000. In that post, she advised the Secretary of OPM and the Office of the Governor on state policy, legal and budgetary matters. Vazquez Bzdyra also served as Chief Legal Counsel to the state agency and supervised OPM’s legal staff.
Vazquez Bzdyra also served as Legislative Counsel to the Chief Court Administrator from 1990 to 1993.
Vazquez Bzdyra earned her law degree from Western New England College School of Law and worked to establish the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association. She received her undergraduate degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Vazquez Bzdyra is fluent in Spanish and has three children.
The DPUC regulates the rates and services of Connecticut’s investor-owned electric, natural gas, water and telecommunication companies and is the franchising authority for the state’s cable television companies.
In wholly regulated utilities such as gas and water service, the DPUC must balance the public’s right to safe and reliable service at reasonable rates with the provider’s right to a reasonable profit on its investment.
When it comes to competitive services such as telecommunications, the DPUC’s job is to ensure fairness among the competitors so customers reap the price and quality benefits of competition and are protected from unfair business practices.
