STILL ON THE FRONT ROW

Who's the Laughing Boy? Why, it's Keith Turley, soaking up the Suns from his prime courtside seat. You can't blame the guy for relaxing; he was so busy last decade. Turley became Arizona Public Service Company chairman in '81 and set up Pinnacle West Capital Corporation to play with the...

April 24, 1991

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Who's the Laughing Boy? Why, it's Keith Turley, soaking up the Suns from his prime courtside seat.

You can't blame the guy for relaxing; he was so busy last decade. Turley became Arizona Public Service Company chairman in '81 and set up Pinnacle West Capital Corporation to play with the utility's guaranteed revenue.

Smart move. He snapped up First Federal thrift (renaming it MeraBank), along with vast plots of worthless desert. Meanwhile, his Palo Verde nuke plant (built on land APS bought from a Turley relative) racked up record fines and shutdowns.

In '88, when Pinnacle West profits plunged 98.5 percent, Turley trimmed his own pay to a meager $601,694.

Last year, Turley finally "retired" to his 7,800-square-foot manse next to Paradise Valley Country Club. Sure it's a long drive from PV to the coliseum, but hey, buddy, it's a great seat!

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