Distinguished Engineer Citations

                 

Roger K. Owen

Distinguished Engineer

1981

Degree

Electrical Engineering – 1948

 

Citation

At Time of Nomination in 1981

Roger K. Owen was born in 1921 on the family farm near Vernon, Texas. He reached college age during World War II and elected to serve his country in the U.S. Air Force before completing his education. After his active military service (he remained in the Air Force Reserve and is a retired Major) he enrolled at Texas Tech where he distinguished himself as president of the Student Chapter of IEEE and a member of Tau Beta Pi, Kappa Mu Epsilon, and the Alpha Chi scholastic honor societies. In 1948, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and shortly thereafter he joined Southwestern Public Service Company, where he remains thirty–two years later.

Roger Owen is familiar with every aspect of Southwestern Public Service Company because he has, at one time or another, held all of the following positions: electrical design engineer, operating engineer, industrial sales manager, industrial marketing manager, area development manager, director of rates and budgets, vice president-rates and administration, and finally, his present position as vice president–finance, which he has held for the last two years.

Believing that he has an obligation to share his knowledge and expertise with others, he has taught a financial analysis course (ACCESS), and mathematics and electricity classes for the Training Department at Southwestern Public Service company, and he has lectured to classes at West Texas State University and Amarillo College.

Roger Owen is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas and is a Senior Member of IEEE. He has been president of the Petroleum Electric Power Association and through the years he has published over a dozen papers in the field of industrial engineering. He has been called as an expert witness on many cases involving such things as rate hearings, certification hearings, etc.

Mr. Owens is one of those individuals whose multifaceted interests and talents reach in many diverse directions. He has published some original poems; he has a book on religion ready for publication; and he can read, write, and speak Spanish (though he hastens to say–not fluently). He is a consulting engineer in economics; an electrical management lecturer; and a teacher in economics, management, and religion. He is interested in estate management and has managed investments for others.

His family has always been active in the Church of Christ, and Roger has been either a teacher or department director of the Bible Training School for twenty–five years. He is also a deacon in the church.

Because of exceptional contributions through his many endeavors, Texas Tech University is proud to recognize Roger K. Owen as a DISTINGUISHED ENGINEER.

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