MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Amarillo, Texas, native and 1986 Palo Duro High School graduate, Alvin Plexico, was presented with the Rising Star award on June 24 for demonstrating remarkable leadership in the electric vehicle sector.
“Alvin Plexico’s work as Drive Electric Memphis’s Chapter Leader has been exceptional,” said Alex Strong, program manager of Drive Electric Tennessee.
Plexico and his family moved to Atoka with the U.S. Navy in 2006. When he retired from the Navy in 2013, Plexico chose to live in Atoka with his wife of 36 years, Lucinda, and his two daughters, Shiloh and Savannah. He’s been an electric vehicle driver since 2016.
“The Rising Star Award recognizes those who are not only shaping the present but also have the potential to be key drivers of change in the years ahead,” Strong said. “Alvin’s work as a chapter leader is helping drive awareness and education around electric vehicles in the community, and we’re proud to celebrate his accomplishments.”
“This award is not about me,” Plexico said. “It’s an acknowledgement of all the members of Drive Electric Memphis who support our mission of educating those interested in electric vehicles and advocating for a charging infrastructure that makes vehicle choice possible, including the choice to drive an electric vehicle.”
Plexico earned a Naval ROTC scholarship in 1986 and attended Texas Tech University, earning a commission in 1990. He served as a surface warfare officer aboard the destroyer, USS Arthur W. Radford from 1991 to 1994. Plexico later transferred to the public affairs officer community, completing tours of duty as a Pentagon Press Officer, spokesperson for the U.S. Pacific Fleet and commissioning public affairs officer aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan.
Plexico currently serves as the National Director of the U.S. Navy’s American Connections Media Outreach Program in Millington, Tennessee.
“I joined the Navy following a tradition of military service,” Plexico said. “My father and uncle both served in the Navy in Vietnam and five great uncles served in the Navy during WWII. I also had one grandfather who served aboard the USS Phelps in Pearl Harbor and another grandfather who earned a Bronze Star in the Army for his service during the Battle of the Bulge.”
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Plexico has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of my marriage of nearly 37 years that produced two daughters who blessed us with three granddaughters,” Plexico said. “There’s nothing more important or enjoyable than spending time with our daughters, sons-in-law and granddaughters.”
Plexico serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy has been a blessing that has provided more opportunities than I could have ever imagined growing up in the Texas Panhandle,” Plexico said. “All three of my degrees have been provided by the Navy. My family has moved around the world and experienced many different cultures that provided a worldview that helps us appreciate all different kinds of people.”
Plexico is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“First and foremost, I want to thank my wonderful wife, Lucinda, for her never-ending support and selfless service to me and my career in the Navy,” Plexico said. “When we first met, I was a broke college student who didn’t have two nickels to rub together. She saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself. I am the man I am today thanks to her. She raised two daughters who have blessed us with wonderful families and memories that will last us a lifetime.”
“I’m thankful to my family for their support, to the Navy for the opportunities to serve my country, and to my friends and family in Amarillo who instilled in me the values that continue to guide my life today,” Plexico added.