No person in the employ of or holding any official relation to any person, corporation, or utility, which person, corporation, or utility is subject, in whole or in part, to regulation by the public utilities commission, and no person holding stocks or bonds of, or in any manner pecuniarily interested in, any such corporation or utility shall be appointed to the office of public utilities commissioner or be appointed or employed by the commission. If any such person becomes the owner of such stocks or bonds, or becomes pecuniarily interested in such corporation or utility otherwise than voluntarily, he shall, within a reasonable time, divest himself of such ownership or interest. If he fails to do so, his office or employment shall become vacant.
R.C. § 4901.04