Former Chicago Budget Director Teams with Select Energy Partners Founder to Launch Retail Energy Company

A former Budget Director for the City of Chicago has partnered with the founder of Select Energy Partners to launch a new retail energy broker.

Specifically, Bennett Johnson III and Ryan Anthony have teamed to start Ocean's Energy, LLC, which has applied for an Illinois electric agent, broker, and consultant license. Ocean's Energy, LLC stated that it intends to operate in all other deregulated energy markets as well.

Johnson, who serves as President of Ocean's Energy, previously served as the City of Chicago's Budget Director in the Office of Budget and Management from July 2007 to December 2008. As Budget Director, Johnson was responsible for preparing, managing, and executing the City's annual $6 billion operating budget and the $8 billion capital budget for over 40 departments with more than 35,000 employees. More recently, Johnson was Senior Managing Consultant, at Public Financial Management. From July 1995 to July 2007, Johnson was President of The UCI Group, specializing in building and managing small teams of experts focused on information, finance, energy, and technology trends shaping market dynamics.

Anthony, who serves as Director of Sales for Ocean's Energy, previously founded and built Select Energy Partners (SEP), a commercial energy brokerage firm headquartered in Chicago. Select Energy Partners was sold to Satori Energy in 2011. More recently, Anthony co-founded Table Host, an online premium dining concierge service.