Inspired by coverage of the Watergate scandal, Jay Rosser enrolled at Texas Tech University with a major in journalism and a minor in political science in 1973.

Rosser (BA journalism, 1978) is now the vice president of public affairs with BP Capital and chief of staff to the company’s CEO, T. Boone Pickens.

“I was fortunate enough to know in high school what I wanted my career to be,” Rosser said. “I was fascinated by the reporting on the Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration, and that triggered my interest in both politics and journalism.”

After serving as the editor of Texas Tech’s newspaper, then called The University Daily, Rosser joined Harte-Hanks Communications as a reporter. He went on to become a political reporter and columnist for the company’s 14 Texas newspapers. Rosser said he was then promoted to help lead two magazines from the Harte-Hanks’ corporate office in San Antonio, Texas Weekly and San Antonio Monthly.

Rosser switched gears in 1987 when he joined the Texas Governor’s Office as a press secretary for then Gov. Bill Clements. He said that while he was familiar with the environment, switching from a probing reporter to a political spokesman was an adjustment.

Rosser next went to work for Kent Hance, then chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission and new Chancellor Emeritus of Texas Tech. Hance said he was impressed by Rosser’s professionalism and ethical standards.

“Jay is one of the most professional persons I’ve ever met in the communications industry,” Hance said. “He handles every situation with dignity and class. He always tells the truth and seeks the truth when he is on the other side. Jay helps his clients communicate in a way that tells their story in the most positive way. He is the best!”

Rosser’s work with Pickens began in 1990 when he was hired as the communications director for Pickens, who was chairman of Mesa Petroleum. Rosser said that although it was a risk to go into the private sector, he believed it was one that would pay off in the long run.

“[Jay Rosser] handles every situation with dignity and class. He always tells the truth and seeks the truth when he is on the other side.”

Rosser later left Mesa to manage communications for Koch Industries in 1996. He said he worked closely with Charles and David Koch, who have been ranked by Forbes magazine as being among the richest individuals in America.

“It was probably one of the best experiences of my life,” Rosser said. “They hire brilliant people, and they brought me to a whole new level of strategic thinking and strategic implementation.”

Rosser said his duties ranged from speechwriting to managing high-profile corporate litigation and other often controversial public affairs challenges tied to regulatory and political issues.

Leaving Koch Industries in 2002, Rosser rejoined Pickens and acquired his current title as vice president of public affairs with BP Capital and Pickens’s chief of staff. Rosser said he currently works to coordinate media, legislative and philanthropic initiatives for the Dallas-based energy hedge fund led by Pickens.

Rosser said he also manages the “Pickens Plan” initiative, a broad, award-winning grassroots campaign designed to secure legislation to reduce the national security and economic threat posed by America’s dependence on OPEC crude oil.

“Luckily, I have always had the opportunity to work for individuals and entities that I really believe in,” Rosser said. “Everything Boone has been trying to do to make American energy independent and to educate the public on energy issues and to help bring him into a whole new world of social media has, frankly, been fun.”

Todd Chambers, associate dean for undergraduate affairs in the College of Media & Communication, said Rosser’s career is notable given the fact that he is one of only a handful of people who can say they have worked for a governor, Koch Industries and T. Boone Pickens.

“It’s always amazing to meet CoMC alumni, especially when it is totally unexpected,” Chambers said. “A few weeks ago, I was caught off guard when Jay Rosser, a journalism graduate, was on a campus tour with his daughter. Although he and I had met years earlier and I knew about the ‘Jay Rosser,’ it was such a wonderful story to be able to share with current students about where a degree in journalism can take you.”

Rosser also helps Pickens manage his social media presence, and through outlets such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and a new podcast, Pickens now has a following of 3 million. Rosser said one of the keys to maintaining Pickens’s presence is showcasing his sense of humor.

“I started to see the evolution of social media—when you get right down to it, a tweet can be no different than a lead of a story,” Rosser said. “If you want Boone to remain relevant to a new generation of people, it’s a no-brainer. You have to go there. And he has a great sense of humor that translates well on Twitter.”

Rosser said the main goal is to make news, which Pickens has done through Tweets aimed at notable figures such as rapper Drake and President Obama.

“It’s fun,” Rosser said. “It’s a skill that I’ve had to learn in my late 50s that I never anticipated. The forms of communication evolve over time, and you have to not only keep pace, but also try to lead it.”

Rosser said he would advise that current students gain experience in multiple areas of the communications field in order to see what they have a passion for and to understand the jobs of others.

“I think anyone who goes into public relations today ought to have some experience in the news business. I think that’s critical,” Rosser said. “You need to understand how they think, how they write, how to tell a story. You also have to continue to find ways to challenge yourself and to keep abreast of emerging communications technologies.”

(Rachel Blevins is a junior journalism major from Mineral Wells, Texas.)