Gov. Parris N. Glendening appointed J. Joseph "Max" Curran III, a member of one of Maryland's leading political families, and former state Sen. Catherine I. Riley to seats on the Public Service Commission yesterday.

Curran, 33, a lawyer in private practice in Baltimore, is the son of Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. and is related to several past and current elected officials from Baltimore.

The five-member commission regulates Maryland's public service companies and will set the rules for the deregulation of the state's electric-utility market.

Curran, who ran unsuccessfully for the House of Delegates last year, works in the law firm of Adelberg, Rudow, Dorf, Hendler & Sameth. He will fill out the last year of the five-year term of E. Mason Hendrickson, who is retiring.

Riley, 52, a 16-year veteran of the General Assembly, has served as a legislative lobbyist for Glendening the past four years. She will begin a five-year term July 1, succeeding Gerald L. Thorpe, who was not reappointed.

Commission members are paid $87,540.