Our Story
Why a lightbulb, and what’s the significance of John 1:5? For as long as I can remember the lightbulb played an important role in my family story. My dad worked as an engineer for General Electric manufacturing lightbulbs when I was a kid. (Seems like some guy named Thomas Edison had the “bright” idea that lightbulbs would be a popular product.) Then my brother, also an engineer, went to work for GE making light bulbs too. We always had the latest and coolest Christmas lights, as well as odd ball prototypes, lighting up my childhood home. In fact, my brother still has a working bulb Dad brought home when I was in Junior High School during the ‘70s. It was the “bulb of the future,” but as far as I know the technology never made it to production. But I digress… Since graduating from college as an engineer (notice a pattern?), I worked in the electric utility industry “keeping the lights on.” My kids always knew that when the weather got bad, Dad had to go to work.
When I was starting this business, I searched for a bible verse that mirrored the importance light plays in my life. There are many by the way, but John 1:5 struck a chord. All Christ followers go through dark periods because we close our eyes to the light; I’m no different. When the light of Christ reilluminated my life, it changed me as a person, a husband, and a father. It is my hope that Watson Performance Solutions can spread light in all that it does.
Watson Performance Solutions brings an outside perspective and helps business leaders pinpoint critical processes that drive our clients’ success. WPS utilizes a balanced scorecard approach to align performance of frontline employees with targeted strategic initiatives. We help clients optimize their operations and realize their potential through a deeper understanding of their drivers of success. These outcomes are achieved by utilizing data analytics to develop and track key performance indicators that will propel your business toward its goals.
Along the way, Watson Performance Solutions will shine a light on areas of your business that hold unrealized opportunity. We unlock the value of price signals in electric rates by working with electric distribution utilities and electric consumers. Watson Performance Solutions helps utilities, businesses, and consumers win!
Michael Watson
Founder
For over 30 years I held positions at a large municipal multi-service utility and a large electric cooperative. From junior engineer to CEO, I passionately pursued continuous improvement and built the data analytics systems to measure and report the KPIs that informed and documented success. It is important to recognize that at an electric utility the consumer is the owner, and customer satisfaction is the ultimate measure of success. Customer satisfaction, as measured by American Customer Satisfaction Index, rose from median to top quartile while I was the CEO.
Numerous committees and organizations work tirelessly to improve the communities, and industries where we live and work. Throughout my career, I enjoyed the privilege of holding leadership roles in many of these, including: President of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, Chairman of the Central District Managers Association, TVPPA’s Solar Advisory Group Chair, Vice-Chairman of the Bedford County Planning Commission, Chairman of NRECA’s T&D Power Quality Subcommittee, and President of the Rotary Club of Shelbyville.
I earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University and a MSEE from the University of Memphis. In 1991, I became licensed as a Professional Engineer in the State of Tennessee. Through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, I achieved the Board Leadership and CCD certifications, and successfully finished the Management Internship Program. I completed all the requirements needed to attain the Advanced Certified Power Executive designation from the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association.
My wife Dianne and I raised our three children on a farm in rural Bedford County, TN. I enjoy photography and gardening while helping Dianne run a successful Bed and Breakfast, the Fox & Ivy.
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