LAWTON – In a parallel universe, Tim Hushbeck might be spinning up the hits on a local radio station as a disc jockey.
“Music has always been one of my passions,” said the External Affairs Manager for Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO).
Hushbeck is one of six regional PSO external affairs managers throughout Oklahoma and serves the southwest region based out of Lawton.
“I grew up with kids who had a lot of interest in radio. We would make tapes, like radio shows, in a converted garage,” he said.
Hushbeck was born in Anacortes, Wash., and moved with his family to Tulsa in 1967. He is the son of Walter and Marilyn Hushbeck and is the youngest of six children.
His dad, who served in the military during World War II throughout Europe, including Normandy Beach, was a strong influence on Hushbeck obtaining a college degree.
“My dad went to college on the GI Bill and earned a degree in engineering. He was an engineer for Texaco. I didn’t plan to go to college. I was ready to go to work. Even my high school guidance counselor said I wasn’t major college material and suggested I go to junior college,” he said.
Hushbeck attended Daniel Webster High School in Tulsa and was elected Senior Class President in 1980.
“My dad said ‘no’ to junior college and said that I needed to get a college degree. I went to Oklahoma State University and majored in Radio/TV/Film. I graduated in December of 1984 – got out and couldn’t find a job,” he said.
While at OSU he worked for the college radio station as the On-Air Talent (DJ) Production Director. Also, while at OSU, he met his wife Traci. She graduated from OSU in 1985 and now works as City Clerk for Lawton.
“She really wanted me to have a job before we got married,” Hushbeck said and then grinned, “so I took a job as a sales floor manager for Grundy’s Sporting Goods."
He worked there for about three years before his career with PSO began in 1988 as a field representative reading electric meters.
Thirty-one years later, Hushbeck has an extensive, impressive history and resume documenting his career development with the Oklahoma-based energy provider. PSO is a public utility subsidiary of American Electric Power (AEP).
MARKETING & BUSINESS
Hushbeck worked as a field representative then as a construction technician from 1988 through 1992, before transitioning to sales and marketing as a Power Conditioning Coordinator. In this position, he sold and marketed surge protection equipment.
As a marketing representative and consultant from 1992 through 1996, he worked with PSO's Good Cents Program and also helped develop the commercial cooking program. He promoted the use of electric cooking equipment across Oklahoma.
In 1996, Hushbeck was promoted to Area Business Manager and his involvement in community PSO services began to blossom. He started working with local and state elected officials and key community impact leaders and with the community and economic development.
He served as a registered PSO Legislative Lobbyist in 1998.
Since 2001, Hushbeck has worked in the southwest region from Lawton. He was an integral part of PSO receiving four major AEP Foundation grants for Lawton District customers.He also served as the point person for PSO when Elk City attempted a hostile buyout of the PSO electric system.
"This was an almost two-year process of public speaking, making media contacts, rallying support and delivering our positive PSO message that allowed us to prevail in the election," he said.
Serving communities is a key component of Hushbeck's position.
He has served on numerous Chamber of Commerce Boards throughout the area, including Elgin, Chickasha and Lawton, and also served on the Elgin Economic Development Authority; South Central Oklahoma Workforce Board; the Salvation Army in Lawton and the Elgin Library Board - just to name a few.
"PSO is in the people business," Hushbeck said. "We are always looking for projects that will aid in economic development.
THE FUTURE
Hushbeck said it was common several years ago for an individual to get a foot in the door at PSO as a meter reader. It was an entry-level job.
"That's not the case today. As the grid gets more technical and the meters are totally automated, entry-level jobs are found as a customer service representative in the PSO phone center or as a lineman or starting in the warehouse.
"There are always a job and career opportunities with PSO. Most of the openings are listed on our website at psoklahoma.com," he said.
Hushbeck emphasized that PSO is not just an electric company.
"We are interested in the development of small businesses in the community. We support and invest in economic development expansion of existing companies. We invest in students through robotics programs, which is a way to invest in our future workforce. We want PSO to be a destination company," he said.
SPARE TIME
Hushbeck may not be spinning up the hits on a local radio station as a disc jockey in this timeline, but music is still an important part of his life. He said he has built a lot of his vacation time around attending concerts all over the nation. He can't even count the number of concerts he has attended and still tries to see new artists.
Whether it's music or helping people and communities, passion is a driving force in Tim Hushbeck's life.