Thompson named new External Affairs Manager
Lisa Porterfield Thompson brings extensive experience in municipal government and communication.
Southwestern Electric Power Company today announced that Lisa Porterfield Thompson has been named manager of External Affairs for Arkansas. She will serve southwest Arkansas and northeast Texas. She begins Sept. 30. In her new role, Thompson will work with local communities and collaborate with stakeholders on issues concerning local economic development, government, business, education, emergency service coordination and other community needs.
Thompson takes over from Jennifer Harland, who retired July 1, following a career with SWEPCO that spanned more than three decades. Before joining SWEPCO, Thompson worked for the City of Texarkana, Texas. Since 2017, she has worked as its economic development and communication manager. Prior to that, she spent several years as the city’s public information officer. She also has previous experience as the president of the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce and the Public Relations Director for Texarkana College.
“Lisa brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in community relations and corporate communications to our team,” said William C. Bradford, Vice President of External Affairs, SWEPCO. “Her dedication to fostering strong community partnerships and her strategic vision will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our engagement efforts throughout the Texarkana service territory. We are thrilled to welcome Lisa to SWEPCO and look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly make.”
Thompson received an undergraduate degree in mass communication, journalism and public relations from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark. She earned a master’s degree in public service from the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Ark. She and her husband, Brad, make their home in Atlanta, Texas, and are proud parents to three children.
SWEPCO provides many of the Cass County residents with power. “ We deliver safe, reliable and affordable power to more than half a million homes and businesses in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Our 1,400 employees power today’s necessities and inspire tomorrow’s possibilities. You’ll see us improving communities, promoting sustainability and building grid resiliency throughout our territory, spanning more than 25,000 distribution line miles.
“Our work in energy efficiency has been repeatedly recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy, which honored us as an ENERGY STAR 2023 Partner of the Year for Sustained Excel- lence. We recognize that innovative approaches to workforce development are necessary to effectively recruit qualified, diverse talent in today’s competitive labor market and this includes a commitment to building a diverse and skilled workforce through partnerships to grow the talent pipeline. We’re proud to be named Texas Workforce Commission’s 2023 Employer of Excellence and to receive the 2023 Curt Eysink Excellence in Workplace Development award from the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Because we produce and deliver one of the most powerful forces on earth, we keep the safety and well-being of our customers and employees at the forefront, always.”
“We are proud of the Million Work Hours Safety Award from the Arkansas Department of Labor Licensing and Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission on behalf of our Flint Creek Power Plant for working four million hours without a losttime accident. We believe we can deliver reliable electricity while protecting the environment. Our work to support habitat conservation was recently recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation (WHC) who awarded us a Silver Certification for supporting sustainable ecosystems at our Eagle Watch Nature Trail. SWEPCO is an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, LA. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com.”