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RANGE RIDER | SPRING-SUMMER 2018
BRUCE EVANS
Corporate Executive,
Volunteer
Bruce Evans has always
believed in giving back to
his community through his
tireless work ethic and his
commitment to volunteering.
Evans comes from a long line
of HSU graduates, including
his parents who both graduated
from HSU in 1942. Evans
and his wife Kim met at
HSU. He graduated in 1978
with a Bachelor of Business
Administration in Finance; she
graduated a year later.
Bruce and Kim were active
members of Abilene’s First
Baptist Church, where their
pastor, Dr. James Flamming
— also a Hardin-Simmons
alumnus — officiated at their
wedding.
In 1979, Evans began
working for West Texas
Utilities as a district auditor.
For 21 years, he 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.
He attended the Advanced
Management Program at
Harvard University in 1993
and 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,
Evans 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. 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.
The Evans family has been
actively involved in church
and civic organizations in
the various towns and cities
in which they have lived. He
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.
Bruce and Kim have a
daughter, a son, two grandsons
and one granddaughter.
ELTA JOYCE
MURPHEY
MCAFEE
Philanthropist,
Community Leader
Elta Joyce Murphey McAfee’s
lifelong commitment to
education and the fine arts
cannot be understated. She
has worked tirelessly to make
sure that fine arts thrived in
her hometown of San Angelo,
Texas.
After graduating from HSU
with a degree in elementary
education, McAfee has
spent her time teaching and
volunteering in Concho Valley
organizations.
She is best known for her
generosity and as a supporter
of education, especially in the
performing arts. Among her
numerous civic and charitable
endeavors is her endowment
of the nationally recognized
San Angelo Museum of Fine
Arts En Plein Air Texas, a
juried art competition where
artists throughout the United
States and the rest of the
world participate. She also is
a founding member of the
museum and has served as
president of the San Angelo
Civic Theater.
In 1983, she chaired the
fundraising effort to introduce
ballet to San Angelo. She played
a key role in birthing what
is known today as Ballet San
Angelo. She also has been active
with the San Angelo Symphony
Board and the San Angelo
Symphony Guild.
In 2017, she was recognized
by the Texas Senate for
her donation toward the
restoration of the San Angelo
City Auditorium, which
was renamed the Elta Joyce
Murphey Performance Hall.
She was honored by the
Girl Scouts of Texas as one of
five “Women of Distinction”
of 2015. She was named
honorary chairman of the
Texas Association of Symphony
Orchestras and was grand
marshal of the San Angelo
Christmas Parade in 2017.
San Angelo’s business leaders
honored McAfee naming her
the 2017 San Angelo Chamber
of Commerce Citizen of the
Year.
She has contributed to
a widely attended concert
entitled “Christians United
for Israel” which featured
Holocaust survivors.
She has two adult children,
four grandchildren, and one
great-grandchild. The family
enjoys traveling and spending
time on their ranches.
Honoring those whose service and distinguished accomplishments exemplify the values and character of Hardin-Simmons University.
2018 Hall
of
Leaders
AWARDS