Tom Aridas

Tom Aridas was named Vice President of Local Affairs & Community Relations for Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas in August 2025. In this role, he leads strategies that strengthen relationships between the utilities and the communities they serve across Chicago and 54 North Shore municipalities. He oversees local government relations, corporate and charitable giving, energy efficiency programs, and community partnerships, focusing on building trusted relationships with government officials, labor leaders, businesses, and civic organizations while advancing initiatives that support economic development and strong corporate citizenship.

Previously, he served as Director of Gas Regulatory Policy, leading regulatory strategy and advocacy for both utilities before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). He also served as Director of Local Government Affairs, managing relationships with all levels of government and acting as the company’s primary liaison to the Chicago Departments of Transportation and Water Management on the utility’s delivery system upgrade program—one of the largest natural gas infrastructure modernization efforts in the nation.

Prior to joining the private sector, he held multiple leadership roles at the Illinois Commerce Commission, including Chief Administrative Law Judge, where he oversaw complex regulatory proceedings affecting Illinois’ energy sector. He also represented the agency before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. Earlier in his career, he practiced labor and employment law representing workers and labor unions in arbitration proceedings and matters before the National Labor Relations Board and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

He currently serves on the Board of Governors of Lake County Partners, supporting efforts to attract investment, grow jobs, and strengthen regional economic competitiveness. He previously served as Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Public Utilities Division and on the advisory board of the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council.

He holds a J.D. from Marquette University Law School and a B.S. in Political Science from DePaul University and is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Northern District of Illinois.