John R. Spencer

Biography
[EPA press release - July 27, 1981]

John R. Spencer, the executive manager of municipal utilities in Anchorage, today was appointed Northwest Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the four-state Region 10 that includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The appointment, effective August 3, was made by Anne M. Gorsuch, the Administrator of EPA. Mrs. Gorsuch announced the appointment at a morning news conference in Seattle, where EPA's Region 10 is headquartered.

"Mr. Spencer is a skilled manager with solid experience in both business and government," Mrs. Gorsuch said. "He will bring to EPA a pragmatic, results-oriented approach that will help State and local governments protect the justifiably highly-prized quality of life of people living in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska."

Since 1977, Spencer has been the chief executive officer of Anchorage Telephone Utility, the Anchorage Water and Sewer Utility, and the Municipal Light and Power Department, spervising a total staff of about 1200 employees and managing an annual operating budget of approximately $100 million and a current construction budget of more than $65 million.

Spencer, 41, has introduced new planning and budget processes for the three Anchorage utilities that have reduced expenses at a time when levels of service were being increased, with the result that the utilities--although owned by the city government--are operated as a profit-making business earning in excess of 20 percent on equity.

Spencer's departure from Anchorage city government drew this comment from George M. Sullivan, mayor of the municipality of Anchorage.

"In the 10 years during which John has worked for my administration, first as city attorney, and now as executive manager for our utilities, I have found him to be a dedicated, excellent manager. I congratulate him on this appointment and I'm sure Anchorage, the State and the entire EPA region will benefit from his appointment."

After his 1970 discharge, Spencer entered private law practice in Anchorage and became city attorney in 1971. In 1975, he joined RCA Alaska Communications Inc. where he became vice president and general counsel of the company. He returned to Anchorage city government in 1977 to assume the position of executive manager of the municipality's utilities, a job that has required him to coordinate environmental-energy relationships in compliance with Federal, State and local environmental laws and policies.

At EPA, Spencer will supervise a staff of more than 250 persons working in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The EPA regional office has an annual operational budget of about $10 million, and disburses more than $150 million a year in grants to State and local governments throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

Spencer, as EPA's Northwest Regional Administrator, will succeed Donald P. Dubois. Dubois last week announced his July 31 retirement as a career officer of U.S. Public Health Service.

John R. Spencer

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