Doug Turk has been named CEO and general manager of Sam Houston Electric Cooperative.
“During my tenure at other East Texas cooperatives, Sam Houston EC has always been seen as a world-class cooperative,” Turk said. “It’s a progressive and service-driven organization. Its employees are well-known for their drive to provide quality service for the membership.”
The licensed professional engineer most recently served six years as general manager of Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative in San Augustine. His career spans 16 years, including his tenure at Deep East Texas EC and prior to that, at Wood County Electric Cooperative in Quitman.
“To me, the culture of a cooperative is different from other businesses,” he said. “Cooperatives are a family. We work for the members, and because of that, there is not a drive to produce dividends for an outside entity. We are working to build our communities and working for the member at the end of the line. To me, that’s what makes the job worth it.”
Turk earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University. He is also a graduate of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Robert I. Kabat Management Internship Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I truly hope that our members see this organization as being service-minded and member-focused,” he said. “I hope that you see the fruits of our labor as we move forward and work to improve our service. I also hope members see us as a strong partner to the communities we serve.”
Turk succeeds Kyle J. Kuntz, who served Sam Houston EC members for nearly 37 years, the last 17 as CEO.
“Kyle did an excellent job in leading the Co-op,” Turk said. “He’s very well-known in our industry, as are many of the other members of management. They’re seen as leaders in the industry. I’m very proud to be a part of it and look forward to working with everyone.”
Turk’s family has close ties to Sam Houston EC’s service area—his wife is originally from Sour Lake. The couple has two children.
“We’re all excited about moving to the area,” he said. “The kids are active in 4-H and looking forward to continuing their involvement here.”
As Turk has examined the state of the Cooperative, he has seen several changes on the horizon. The change that presents the greatest impact on our area is the continued growth of Houston and its surrounding communities.
“I want our membership to see us as an organization that is able to evolve and continue to drive improvements on behalf of our members,” Turk said. “As our membership grows rapidly in some areas, we must adapt and serve both our new members and our existing members in the manner that they are accustomed to. At the same time, we must continue to find opportunities to improve the service we provide.”
