Autobiography of John E. Hargrove, P.E.

A Life of Purpose: Faith, Engineering, and the Quiet Work That Lasts

I was born in Kirbyville, Texas, in 1958, and raised in the small town of Buna—a place that grounded me in the values of family, faith, and responsibility. My father, Robert Hargrove, was a Korean War veteran and a man of quiet integrity. He spent 35 years at Dupont and taught me what it means to work hard and keep your word. My mother, Lavee Richbourg Hargrove, gave me a sense of belonging to something larger—both in faith and in heritage. Her family line traces back to early Texas settlers and the French Huguenots of the South.

I met Leisa, the love of my life, in high school. She was graceful, kind, and full of life. I was the quiet boy from a working-class family. But something clicked, and we started dating just before graduation in 1975. We married in 1980 during college, and that was the beginning of a lifelong partnership built on love, faith, and perseverance. Our son, Joshua Blake Hargrove, was born in 1984—a bright, compassionate young man whose life, though short, touched many. Losing him in 2002 changed everything. Grief rearranged my soul, but it also deepened my sense of calling.

My professional life began in earnest in 1978, when I took a student engineering position at Gulf States Utilities (GSU) while finishing my degree in electrical engineering at Lamar University. I earned my BSEE in 1981 and went on to spend 15 years with GSU, eventually leading telecommunications engineering for a multi-state electric utility network. My work supported SCADA, microwave, PBX, and protective relaying systems across more than 30 locations. It was formative, high-pressure, and rewarding—an environment that shaped how I see systems, risk, and people.

In 1993, I left GSU as the utility prepared for the Entergy merger. I joined Lockard & White in Houston for two years, managing major infrastructure projects. One of the most memorable was a 100-hop analog-to-digital microwave upgrade for Transcontinental Gas Pipeline. That experience reignited my entrepreneurial spirit. I wanted to serve clients directly and build something of my own.

In 1995, I founded New Signals Engineering Corporation. The early days were lean and intense—every project mattered, and I wore every hat. But the work was good, and God opened doors. In 1996, my former boss at GSU, Bob Pohl, hired my firm to design and implement a 100 Mbps fiber ring for the City of College Station. That project not only cemented my credibility—it changed the trajectory of my life. Bob introduced me to Sam Houston Electric Cooperative, and that single referral began a 25-year journey of trust, engineering, and service.

At Sam Houston EC and other East Texas co-ops, I designed SCADA communications, built microwave paths, engineered dispatch and tone relaying systems, and integrated critical infrastructure. I helped these utilities bridge from legacy systems into modern IP networks. Much of it was quiet work—done in rural counties, far from headlines—but it mattered. People depended on it.

From 1997 through 2014, I ran New Signals full time, serving electric cooperatives, municipalities, pipeline operators, and Fortune 500 clients. My work extended to public safety radio systems, oil and gas SCADA, offshore communications in Africa, and early cybersecurity practices. Whether it was a remote fire tower in the Big Thicket or an urban fiber buildout, I showed up with one aim: to serve well and solve the right problem.

In 2015, I joined Sam Houston Electric Cooperative as Engineer II. My largest project there was leading the design and deployment of a 72,000-meter Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. The system required RF planning, cyber segmentation, and deep coordination across IT, SCADA, and operational leadership. I also re-architected the cooperative’s WAN into a Layer 3 structure, introducing OSPF and BGP protocols to support network resilience. I helped establish NERC CIP cyber compliance zones and built trusted systems for the grid of the future.

In 2019, I stepped into the role of Chief Technology Officer at East Texas Electric Cooperative. I provided strategic guidance for ten member co-ops and their G&T provider, leading projects that integrated 24/7 network monitoring, cybersecurity analytics, and OT/IT convergence. We addressed real-time threat detection, failover redundancy, and data visibility—modernizing how co-ops protect and manage grid operations in an increasingly complex world.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was approached by a group of former clients who needed help. With schools closed and remote work rising, rural families in Buna had no access to reliable broadband. They asked me to build a wireless internet service provider (WISP) from scratch. I accepted.

For the next two years, I worked over 3,900 hours of overtime—designing backhaul, erecting towers, integrating routers, and building a support and billing system from the ground up. By 2022, we had 725 customers and were generating $55,000 a month in revenue. But more than that, we were changing lives. Kids could attend school online. Families could work from home. Businesses could stay open. We turned crisis into connectivity, and it remains one of the projects I’m proudest of.

In 2023, I returned to Lockard & White as a Senior Telecommunications Engineer and took on the role of Chief Operating Officer at Evergreen Technology Solutions. At Evergreen, I lead our broadband buildout across Jasper and Newton counties. Our work includes VOIP integration, public safety radio, library infrastructure, and digital equity partnerships. We’re building not just networks—but bridges for rural communities to access opportunity.

Alongside all this, I’ve never stopped serving locally. I was President of the Buna Chamber of Commerce and co-founded Buna Regional Economic Development LLC. I serve on the board of the Buna Public Library and help guide it toward becoming a digital and cultural hub. I lead Bible studies, support Chrysalis and Emmaus ministries, and do what I can to serve the people and places God put in my path.

When I look back, what I see is not a career, but a calling. A life built on systems, yes—but more than that, a life built on faith, integrity, and quiet service. I’m still learning. Still building. Still showing up.

And that, for me, is enough.