Bruce Evans

Corporate Executive – Volunteer

Bruce Evans was born to Murray C. and Ila Mae (Johnson) Evans, both 1942 graduates of Hardin-Simmons University, on November 7, 1955 at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene.

Bruce grew up in Abilene, and after graduating from Cooper High School, attended Baylor University for three years before returning to his hometown. He completed his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance at HSU in 1978. His wife Kim graduated from Hardin-Simmons the following year.

Bruce and Kim were very active members of Abilene’s First Baptist Church, where their pastor, Dr. James Flamming – also a Hardin-Simmons alumnus – officiated at their wedding.

Bruce began working at West Texas Utilities (WTU) in 1979, initially as a district auditor in Childress before returning to Abilene as customer service supervisor, and then on to Marfa where he was a district manager. For 21 years, Bruce held a wide array of positions in the Central and South West system, whose utility holdings included not only WTU, but also Central Power and Light Company, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company. Bruce’s service with the CSW system includes executive assistant to the chief operating officer of CSW, president of CSW Services, president and chief executive officer of Central Power and Light, and vice president of customer relations at CSW.

Bruce attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University in 1993, and he completed his Master of Business Administration in Finance at Dallas Baptist University in 2009.

In 2000, following the merger of Central and South West with Columbus, Ohio based American Electric Power (AEP); Bruce held leadership positions with major energy consulting firms, as well as Cirro Energy and Nexant, Inc. He also founded North Star Strategic Management Consulting and served as its chief executive officer.

In 2012, he rejoined AEP as vice president of distribution operations for AEP Texas. He was responsible for all electricity distribution system maintenance and operations activities for AEP facilities and customers in AEP Texas. In 2015, he was named president and chief operating officer of AEP Texas. In 2016, he became Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer of American Electric Power, relocating to the Columbus, Ohio area. In his current role, Bruce has responsibility for customer services, marketing and distribution services, technology business development, and infrastructure and business continuity.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity and custom energy solutions to nearly 5.4 million customers in 11 states. AEP owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP also operates 223,000 miles of distribution lines. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning approximately 31,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S.

Bruce shares that besides his own father, the individual who has had the most profound effect on him as a business leader is Dick Brooks, who is here with us today. Bruce’s career path is very similar to that of Dick, who had a long and stellar career with West Texas Utilities, Central Power and Light, and Central and South West, where he served as president and chairman.

The Evans family has been actively involved in church and civic organizations in the various towns and cities in which they have lived. Bruce has been known to do his fair share of volunteer fundraising. He has served and continues to serve on many critical corporate, government and non-profit boards, and was appointed to the Texas Strategic Economic Development Planning Committee by Governor Bush.

Currently, Bruce and Kim have a daughter, a son, two grandsons and one granddaughter.

In recognition of his outstanding career as a corporate leader and his volunteer service to others, Hardin-Simmons University is highly honored to induct one of its own, Bruce Evans, into the HSU Hall of Leaders.