Charlie Basham (N6DZW)

Manager of Public Safety

Southern California Edison

Charlie has worked for Southern California Edison for 30 years. During that time he was a senior manager in the Corporate Communications department and directed a wide range of communication functions such as advertising, employee communications, media relations, and highly visible public projects ranging from producing PBS TV children’s shows to Rose Parade floats to the naming of Angel Stadium to Edison Field in Anaheim.  He is also SCE’s company historian.

As Edison’s public safety manager, Charlie is focused on the challenge of promoting electric safety awareness, especially to the high risk work groups such as building contractors and agricultural workers.  One other at-risk group are amateur radio operators. As a licensed (currently an Extra Class) “ham” radio operator for more than 45 years, Charlie enjoys talking about electric safety to the many ham radio clubs throughout Southern California.

Charlie is the national chairman of the Public Safety Committee for the Edison Electric Institute based in Washington D.C. He is the past president of Utility Communicators International and was a two-term regional president of the Public Relations Society of America.

Charlie’s earned more than 100 national and regional awards for his accomplishments in safety communications, advertising, marketing and public relations. Most recently he was part of a creative team that produced an Emmy Award winning environmental program for PBS television.

Before working for Edison Charlie was the managing editor of both Hot Rod and Guns and Ammo magazines, and the editor of a state-wide real estate trade magazine.  Charlie is an accomplished freelance writer and photographer, and an adjunct professor with the University of La Verne.

Mr. Basham holds a Masters Degree in communications, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and serves on the board of the governing board of the Historical Society of Long Beach.