As Frank Huston approaches his retirement from NAES, he reflects on a legacy built through a front-row seat to the company’s evolution.
By: Emily Adelman, NAES Communications Specialist
After more than four decades of dedicated service and contributions, one of the most familiar faces at NAES is embarking on a new journey. Commercial Proposal Manager Frank Huston is retiring this summer after 41 years on the job. His final day with the company will be on June 6, 2025. Frank was kind enough to sit down and discuss NAES throughout the years, from its humble beginnings as a Pacific Northwest company to the now largest third-party O&M operator in the United States, and a global leader in the field. Celebrate Frank’s remarkable journey as he shares his unique perspective on his career with NAES.
NAES company history, through Frank’s eyes
“Being here for more than 41 years, I’ve seen a lot,” Frank said with a smile, reflecting on his journey with NAES. He began by highlighting the significant changes made by the company over the years. He remembered the early days at NAES, first known as Northwest Energy Services Company. It was formed in 1980 to manage large-scale electric power projects in the Pacific Northwest for the four major utilities in the region. But the challenging economic climate of the time, marked by high interest rates, impacted the company and how it conducted business. It was forced to adapt, shifting the focus away from the management of two foundational power projects and instead towards business development, enabling the company to secure new opportunities in the utility sector. “Some people went back to their home utilities,” Frank remembers. “The others who stayed buckled down and did some business development work. I remember thinking, ‘we’ll go get some business, do the work, and then try to figure out what to do next.’ I was assigned to an operating procedures project at a coal-fired power plant in Wyoming.”
The shift towards building new business opportunities led to the company’s rebranding as North American Energy Services Company in 1986. The change came as the company moved towards a more national approach to offering its services ranging from maintenance and modification, construction management, and technical services. “We were just trying to make a new splash into services, all aimed at trying to help the company get new business in the utility space wherever we could,” Frank said. “Our big break came in plant operations and maintenance (O&M) with the award in two biomass projects in Northern California followed by the award of a cogeneration plant in Paris, Texas in the late ‘80’s”
As the company grew, Frank’s role became more specific, focusing on preparing O&M proposals since the beginning of O&M. “When the company was younger and smaller, my role was to help out wherever I was needed, and then I worked as the Proposal Manager for many years,” he recalled.
“It’s been a neat story to see how NAES has adapted and grown to be a billion-dollar company,” Frank said. “It’s a quite an achievement, and I am proud to have worked here with so many wonderful people who give their very best every day.”
NAES today is a testament to its ability to adapt to the changing times, as shown by its steady expansion into new service areas, including exploring new emerging power technologies, like robotics and artificial intelligence. “I think the company is large and significant enough that if you want to try something, you could be given that chance,” Frank said. “Like in any job, there are always things that need upgrading, fixing, or a better approach. I think the opportunity to innovate here is really cool.” In fact, that is what kept Frank coming back all these years. “You get to do something a little bit different,” he said. “The technology is changing incrementally, and we’re entering new fields and new power technologies.”
A company moving in the right direction
Frank’s view of the company’s growth and expansion over the last four decades is nothing short of remarkable. He had a front row seat to see the small, engineering project company morph into a global operations and management services powerhouse today. He has witnessed the ebb and flow of different leadership styles, transformations, and different focuses. “They always brought something new to the table,” Frank said. “I’ve been here since the beginning, and all of the changes that have happened, have happened for the better.”
As the company shifted throughout the years, the company culture did not. Frank remembers how consistent the company and its people were and still are. “There is some satisfaction knowing that whether you win or lose, you are working with people that are driven at an honest and high-integrity company. That has been really nice.” Early on, Frank recalled how seriously his colleagues took their work and how necessary that was for the time. “They did what they needed to in order to win,” he noted. “I think we needed that at the time early on. We had mouths to feed at home and everyone took that seriously.”
In terms of his own journey, Frank said his favorite part was taking trips to places he would have never gone to before. Trips from New Orleans to London, to Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. These experiences came together with the unique dynamics of work travel and created strong bonds with colleagues. “It’s exciting to be able to talk to somebody anywhere to get their help or their input, or they call you up and they need something,” Frank remembered fondly. “It’s fun to be wanted a little bit, to be able to deliver. It’s also nice to get input and thank people afterwards. Just the entire process.” The collaborative nature of his work made Frank feel valued and accomplished during his time at NAES and is something he will miss the most.
“I’ll miss the camaraderie of the people and the excitement of doing things. I think that is going to be the hardest part.”
Moving forward
As Frank walked through his experience at NAES over the last 41 years, he points to a few reasons why he stayed for as long as he did. “I’ve got a streak, a tendency for loyalty,” he said. He also found a genuine appeal in the industry itself. “Everybody needs energy, and it needs to be managed. It’s not going anywhere anytime soon.” Frank also pointed to how different each day became and how important that was to stay engaged in his work. “There’s been a lot of variety along the way, so you never know what will come up at times.”
As he approaches his retirement on June 6th, Frank is looking forward to embracing a new chapter, while also cherishing the moments and memories of his time at NAES. But the idea of change does not come without a few jitters. “I’m a little nervous in some parts. I’ll be home with my wife, so she’ll have to put up with me more,” he said with a big smile.
As Frank’s remarkable 41-year journey at NAES draws to a close, all of us at NAES extend our deepest gratitude for his unwavering dedication, insightful contributions, and wealth of knowledge he shared throughout his career. His firsthand experience is invaluable in shaping the company’s history and understanding its evolution. We wish Frank a retirement filled with happiness, health, and the opportunity to pursue all his passions (and a “honey-do-list” here or there) in his next chapter.