Olen moved to Starkville to attend Mississippi State after graduating from Southwest MS Community college in Summit. Once here, he not only earned his BS in Electrical Engineering Technology but proceeded to carve a niche for himself and his partners in the broadcasting field, resulting in the birth of Innovative Broadcasting Services in 1987 (be sure to read how it all began with a station wagon and $5,000.) For Olen, success is something achieved daily when you feel like your job isn't work, but something you enjoy doing. It is perhaps this attitude that has helped attract the many quality members of the IBS/Hawk SCADA team over the years. Olen thinks these three things describe Hawk SCADA best: quality, forward-thinking and customer-focused — and we couldn't agree more. Of course, as co-owner of IBS, he wouldn't turn down the chance to expand their customer base across the country — or even global domination, for that matter. On the personal side, if it were possible Olen would invite Jesus and Judas to a dinner (because of the interesting conversation, of course) and he would serve his favorite food: pizza. And if he's coming to dinner at your house, best to avoid dishing up sweet potatoes and pumpkin, in any form. Ironically, Olen's focus on "water" isn't confined to the business. He is passionate about water on a personal level, as well –whether laying beside it, skiing on it or swimming in it as a diver just one certification short of a master. When (if) Olen retires, you may catch a glimpse of him on a small island just off St. Thomas – lounging by the water and sipping Cruzan rum, with his goggles, fins and air tank close by, ready for his next dive.

The phrase, “It isn’t rocket science!” does not apply here because in this case, it is. Albert Shannon graduated from Mississippi State University with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Mathematics in 2010. Two years later he was part of the Hawk SCADA team, serving in a multi-faceted position as an electrical engineer, design engineer, and systems integrator. In the time in-between college and his present position, however, he launched his engineering career building sensor platforms to help agricultural scientists gather data like atmospheric conditions within the crop canopy and assisting in the design and manufacturing of high-powered amateur rockets by designing and implementing apogee detection, pyrotechnic control, and radio telemetry systems. In his downtime, Albert will shut down the pathways to the portion of his brain designed to process mathematical equations and spend time in the good ol’ outdoors. Winding down for him means spending time hiking, camping, fishing or woodworking. In fact, if he weren’t doing what he does now for a living, he would be utilizing his mathematical skills in a wildlife and forest management career helping preserve it for generations to come. Success means different things to different people, and for Albert, it means an overall feeling of happiness, accomplishment, and financial stability. With a hidden talent for teaching, you’re apt to see Albert in the front of a classroom in a continuing education class at the next trade show. It’ll be an opportunity you won’t want to pass up.

Ross Swanner defies the saying, “He knows a little bit about a lot.” That’s because he knows a lot about a lot. In a crowded room, you will see him sitting quietly with an Orson Welles-esque stature, but rest assured he’s taking mental notes of what is going on around him filing it away for great conversations later. Besides the company founders, Ross is the most tenured employee at Hawk SCADA having joined its parent company, Innovative Broadcast Services, a year after incorporation. His forte is broadcast engineering and has a strong connection with Mississippi State, where he majored in Electrical Engineering and has been involved with the MSU radio network for over two decades. If you’re grilling out and want to invite Ross, put on some Pink Floyd and then move over and let him handle the grilling as it’s one of his favorite hobbies — along with watching old movies, listening to great music and general boondoggling. You probably can’t serve anything he won’t try at least once (since he’s had a foie gras milkshake before) except for milk, canned spinach, and overcooked meat. With Ross’ strong background in broadcasting, it’s no wonder his two favorite work projects have been studio buildouts: Apex Broadcasting in Destin (hard work but fantastic view) and Cumulus’ studio in Columbus, MS. Two projects, we are sure, that has helped Ross formulate his best piece of career advice: never assume a best-case scenario when budgeting your time.

We wouldn’t exactly say that Chris’ life totally revolves around radio. But if radio were a person, it would win best leading role in the continuing run of the life of Chris White. Some might even say as large of a role as Bruce Willis plays in the Die Hard series" which is Chris’ favorite. Chris was recruited in mid-2016 by Olen Booth to join the Hawk SCADA team to help care for their customers in the broadcast industry. It was something they both knew a little about, having worked together in broadcasting just out of college. You often go to great lengths to secure good talent. And in this case, it meant a road trip to New York City. But the culture shock of a move south wasn’t as dramatic as you might think (even after also living in LA), since Chris was settling down just next door to his boyhood home of West Point, MS. If you want to get to know Chris better, invite him over for steak and potatoes, washed down with a frosty diet coke. What not to do? Maybe not save a seat for him at your book club, since the last book he read was Green Eggs and Ham. But Chris’ lack of interest in consuming the written word is eclipsed by his gift of gab, where you quickly learn he knows more than just a little about a lot of things. Just tune in to his live audio broadcast on Sunday evenings. Chris’ unique mix of brains and wit makes it impossible to pass him by when selecting your all-star team. He operates in problem-solving mode. For instance, when we asked what one non-living thing he’d grab if his house was on fire, he said a fire extinguisher. And if you ever find yourself washed up on dry land out in the ocean, Chris is the guy you’ll want to be there with — as he will have selected a boat, gasoline and a GPS as three things he’d want to have along if stranded on a deserted island. That is, if you actually want to escape back to reality. Better decide fast, though, because we're pretty sure if you don’t, you’ll see Chris speeding off yelling back his favorite Die Hard quote, “Yippy Ki Yay …!" Yes, we did leave off the ending. This is, after all, a family website.