Jason Phillips is ending his decade-long tenure as the chief executive officer of Friant Water Authority to enter the private sector. His last day will be Jan. 19, 2026.

The fact of his leaving was less a surprise than the timing, with the announcement coming out Tuesday, the first day of Friant’s annual off-site board retreat being held this year in Exeter.

“He’s been there more than ten years so it wasn’t unexpected,” said Friant director Brett McCowan, who represents Porterville Irrigation District, adding that the board knew he was looking at other opportunities. “Lots of directors and staff knew it was coming, but we were not sure it was going to happen that fast.”

Friant secretary/treasurer Josh Pitigliano agreed.

“I was shocked at the timing, I thought he would be around a little bit longer,” said Pitigiliano, who represents Lower Tule River Irrigation District. “He was great for the organization and it’s a good time to get new blood. New blood is always good.”

In August, the Friant board approved a modified employment contract for Phillips, who chose to work remotely from Scottsdale, Ariz., where he moved to be closer to family. In 2024, he earned $493,747 in salary and other pay plus $82,675 in benefits, according to the nonprofit public employee pay tracking website Transparent California.

Chief Operating Officer Johnny Amaral said via text message that the Friant board accepted Phillips’ resignation Tuesday morning and “has directed staff to prepare and issue a request for proposal to consider candidates to be the next CEO.”

Friant Wants Unified Voice, End to Litigation

Recent changes within Friant, include hiring an interim attorney after longtime attorney Don Davis resigned. The board also moved its monthly board meetings from Visalia to its Lindsay headquarters.

“I’m supportive of all of it,” Pitigiliano said. “You pivot, it’s a moving target. We are trying to make the organization better every day.”

Both McCowan and Pitigliano said they would like to see a new CEO promote unity among districts and wrap up a recent slew of lawsuits between Friant and some of its member districts.

“I think creating a unified voice and getting past the litigation issues that have popped up recently will be a lot more beneficial than having different factors battling over water issues,” McCowan said.

McCowan referred to four lawsuits that have been filed in less than two years.

The fusilade started when Friant sued Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency for breach of contract, alleging that landowners were allowed to over-pump so much groundwater that it sank a 33-mile section of the Friant-Kern Canal and did not pay their share to fix the canal.

That left Friant short of cash it needed to repay the federal government for its help in the construction of a parallel canal on a 10-mile segment with the worst subsidence damage.

Challenge of Paying for Friant-Kern Canal Repairs

To get those funds, the Friant board asked four member districts to pony up at least $90 million. One district, Tea Pot Dome, settled with Friant for $1.4 million. But the other three, Porterville, Saucelito and Terra Bella, are fighting back, alleging extortion because they held seats on Eastern Tule’s board.

Since then, the Tule subbasin was placed on probation by the state Water Resources Control Board and the Eastern Tule GSA imploded, with districts breaking off to form their own GSAs.

McCowan said Phillips was hired to solve specific issues for Friant and he served that purpose. It’s time to take that same approach with a new CEO.

“I hope we take the process seriously,” he said. “We need to evaluate what we’re looking for as Friant as a whole going forward and hire accordingly.”

Board chairman Richard Borges said Phillips’ efforts at Friant are far-reaching.

“During his time with FWA, Jason has been a dedicated and results-driven leader whose influence was instrumental in advancing major infrastructure improvements, strengthening relationships with state and federal partners, and ensuring that Friant’s priorities were at the forefront of critical water policy discussions,” he stated in a press release.

In a press release, Phillips said he would remain engaged in western water issues in the private sector.

SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site covering water in the San Joaquin Valley, www.sjvwater.org. Email us at sjvwater@sjvwater.org