Mike Hughes received his BSEE from the University of Arkansas in 1982. He is also a Dale Carnegie graduate and an SPP Leadership graduate. He started working at Arkansas Power & Light (Entergy Arkansas) as an Electrical Engineer in 1981 and remained there until 1985. His career moves took him to Mayes, Sudderth & Etheredge, Trans-Tec Consulting, the City of Bentonville, the City of Clarksville Light & Water Department, Power Systems Solutions, Southwest Power Pool Regional Entity, and finally to ReliabilityFirst Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio, where he has worked remotely, since June of 2020. He is the Manager of Entity Engagement for ReliabilityFirst. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. He is also a Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Protection Professional, and holds a FEMA NIMS ICS Certification. Mr. Hughes currently lives in Conway, Arkansas, with his wife, Betty. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, tending to fruit trees, and other outdoor activities.