For Immediate Release: Contact: Nicolette Nye
Monday, March 1, 2010 (202) 347-6900
Randall Luthi Takes Over as President of the
National Ocean Industries Association
WASHINGTON, DC – Former Minerals Management Service (MMS) director Randall Luthi today began work as President of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA).
“I am honored to have this opportunity to represent the NOIA membership and excited by the upcoming challenge of working to impact policies favorable to the offshore energy industry,” said Luthi
A former Wyoming State Representative and Speaker of the House, Luthi is an attorney and rancher from Freedom, Wyoming, who brings with him a solid background in federal service.
Luthi was the Director of MMS at the Department of the Interior (DOI) from July 2007 through January 2009. Under his leadership, MMS conducted the largest Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sale in history as well as the largest Arctic Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sale in history. He also oversaw collection of the highest dollar amount of mineral revenue collections and distributions in history as well as the creation of a renewable energy office. Luthi also served as the Deputy Director of DOI’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) immediately prior to directing MMS.
He was first elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives in 1995, and served as Speaker in 2005 and 2006. Based on his work in the Wyoming legislature, Luthi developed an understanding of the importance of energy royalties paid to the federal government. As Majority Leader and Speaker of the Wyoming House, Luthi was instrumental in formulation of state budgets which relied heavily upon royalties and taxes paid by energy companies.
He was also a legislative member of the Energy Council, an organization of legislative representatives from energy-producing states, Canadian provinces and private energy-related industries.
Luthi previously served in other federal government career positions in Washington, including Senior Counselor for Environmental Regulations in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of General Counsel from 1990 to 1993, and as an attorney in DOI’s Office of the Solicitor from 1986 to 1990.
Early in his career, Luthi worked as a legislative assistant in the office of U.S. Senator Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming.
Luthi graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1979 with a B.S. in administration of justice, and earned a J.D. from the University of Wyoming in 1982. He owns a cattle ranch in Freedom, Wyoming.
The NOIA Board of Directors unanimously elected Luthi to succeed Tom Fry as NOIA president October 9 during NOIA’s Fall Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“I applaud the NOIA Board of Directors for selecting Randall as my successor. I have no doubt that he will excel at representing the best interests of the offshore energy industry,” said Fry who has served as NOIA President since December, 2000.
Fry, who is retiring from his position at NOIA, serves on the boards of Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP), The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED), and The National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation (NMSF).
Fry expects to remain actively engaged in the oil and gas industry and energy policy.
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NOIA is the only national trade association representing all segments of the offshore industry with an interest in the exploration and production of both traditional and renewable energy resources on the nation’s outer continental shelf. The NOIA membership comprises more than 250 companies engaged in business activities ranging from producing to drilling, engineering to marine and air transport, offshore construction to equipment manufacture and supply, telecommunications to finance and insurance.
