Former PA House Speaker Mike Turzai Takes Gas Company Job

PITTSBURGH, PA —Former state House Speaker Mike Turzai wasn't out of work for long. A day after leaving the House seat he held for nearly two decades, Turzai was named general counsel for Peoples, the Pittsburgh-based natural gas subsidiary of Essential Utilities Inc.

Turzai said in January that he would not be running for re-election. He announced last week he was stepping down before the end of his term in December.

Often mentioned as a potential gubernatorial candidate in 2022, Turzai previously said he has no current plans to seek another elected office. In announcing his resignation last week, he said he hoped to take a position in the private sector but did not mention the pending Peoples position.

“As general counsel for Peoples, (Turzai) will be one of the key leaders of our natural gas business that plays a critical role in the everyday lives of families and individuals in more than 760,000 homes and businesses," Essential Utilities CEO Christopher Franklin said in a release.

Turzai represented the 28th Legislative District in Pittsburgh's northern suburbs.