Patrick Grace

CEO
Oklahoma Electric Cooperative/OEC Fiber

Patrick has been with Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) since graduating college in 2000. His career began in the Engineering Department at OEC, conducting load and line studies, long-range electric system plans as well as financial analysis and rate design. As Patrick’s career progressed, he has transitioned into management and leadership roles being named Vice-President of Engineering in 2006 and named CEO & General Manager in January 2016. 

Under Patrick’s leadership in 2017, OEC launched OEC Fiber, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OEC dedicated to bringing high-speed “true-broadband” and other telecommunication services to OEC members. The initial focus is primarily on the underserved rural areas in Cleveland, McClain and Grady counties. Patrick serves as the Chairman and CEO of OEC Fiber and oversees the $250 million-dollar (and growing) fiber expansion. OEC Fiber has been recognized as one of the best broadband deployments across the country and Patrick routinely travels nationally to speak on the story and secrets of success of the endeavor. 

In 2020, in large part to the in overwhelming success of OEC Fiber, Patrick was named to the newly created Oklahoma Rural Broadband Expansion Council (OREBC) by the Oklahoma Legislature. There he works towards the mission of the OREBC to improve, expand and reduce the cost of high-speed internet connectivity in rural Oklahoma.