Bruce F. Duke, facing questions about discrepancies on his resume, resigned Wednesday as executive director of the S.C. Public Service Commission.

He had held the job seven months. Efforts to reach Duke were unsuccessful Wednesday.

Jeff Nelson, staff attorney for the PSC, said the state was investigating possible misstatements about his education and military service.

Duke’s brief letter issued to the commission late Tuesday stated he is leaving the $83,600 a year post to “pursue alternate career opportunities.”

After waiting a mandatory 24 hours to hold an open meeting, the seven commissioners convened Wednesday at 3 p.m. After entering a brief executive session to discuss Duke’s departure, they voted 7-0 in an open session to accept his resignation.

The commission voted 7-0 in January to give him the job. None of the commissioners would comment after the meeting, Nelson said.

Duke went to work for the commission in 2002, spending a year as deputy director before taking over the top job in January. Before that, he spent seven years working for a pair of legislative commissions.

After nagging questions about his resume would not fade away, the commission said it investigated the matter for before turning it over to the State Budget Control Board.

The investigation focused on whether Duke held a master’s degree and about his time in the military.

Now that Duke has resigned, Nelson said, the commission considers the matter closed.

It was unclear Wednesday what, if anything, the commission will do to name a replacement.

The commission — appointed by lawmakers to regulate utility and transportation rates — holds its next meeting on Aug. 17.

Further complicating matters, Nelson added, is that the PSC is in the middle of a massive reorganization. Lawmakers passed a law that includes moving part of the commission’s staff into an independent investigative agency.

The agency recently was told how many workers it will have next year but has not finished developing a plan, Nelson said.

“We don’t have a final organizational chart,” Nelson said.

Reach Werner at (803) 771-8509 or bwerner@thestate.com