December 2024: Hirings, promotions, and other personnel matters in the nation’s biggest oil patch—or in companies who do business here.
Beth McDonald
SM Energy Company announced Sept. 9 that Beth McDonald had been appointed as its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. President and Chief Executive Officer Herb Vogel commented: “We are delighted to welcome Beth to our executive team. She is an experienced and respected leader in our industry. Her breadth of experience at Pioneer, including leadership roles in engineering, planning, and marketing that spanned both the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford, make her an ideal addition to our team. I look forward to working with Beth to continue our success in Texas and to apply our strengths as a technical leader to our new Utah assets.”
McDonald most recently served as Executive Vice President—Strategic Planning, Field Development, and Marketing for Pioneer Natural Resources Company. For approximately the last 20 years, McDonald worked in roles of increasing responsibility at Pioneer, holding leadership positions focusing on both the Permian Basin and South Texas. Prior to joining Pioneer, she held various engineering roles at Hess Corporation and Total E&P USA. McDonald earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University.
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Gary Conway
Saulsbury Industries announced Oct. 8 an addition to its executive team, with Gary Conway joining the company as Chief Commercial Officer. Conway, with more than 30 years of industry experience and a proven track record in midstream asset management and strategy, brings expertise and leadership to strengthen operations and guide future growth. Within his career Conway has filled key leadership roles, including his recent position as Founder, President, and CEO of Vaquero Midstream LLC, where he led the development and operations of large-scale gas gathering and processing assets in the Permian Basin. His visionary leadership and ability to integrate innovative solutions, such as renewable energy sources and cutting-edge technology, were instrumental in transforming their midstream operations.
“We are very excited and fortunate that Gary has decided to join us here at Saulsbury,” said Chief Executive Officer Matt Saulsbury. “His vast industry experience, strong like-minded values, and strategic, forward-thinking approach aligns perfectly with our vision of the future. I am confident that Gary will be a seamless extension of our leadership group and will play a critical role in driving our company’s continued success and growth.”
Conway, for his own part, said he was “incredibly excited to join Saulsbury” and to contribute to the continued success of the organization. “I look forward to working with the talented team here to build on the company’s legacy of operational excellence and drive further growth,” Conway said.
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Steve Struna
Western Energy Alliance honored Steve Struna, president and CEO of Bayswater Exploration and Production, on Nov. 2 with the Wildcatter of the Year award in recognition of his 40 years of achievements in business and community engagement. As the 39th recipient of the Wildcatter award, he was formally celebrated by leaders in the oil and natural gas industry at the Wildcatter of the Year Gala. For more than 40 years, Struna has been an industry leader. Before founding Bayswater 20 years ago, Struna filled roles overseeing BP/Amoco’s U.S. Gulf Coast operations, Central Alberta Midstream’s joint venture with Chevron in Canada, and Amoco’s Central North Sea development efforts. Since starting Bayswater in 2004, Struna and his partners have managed assets in California, Colorado, Texas, Wyoming, Montana, and other locations across the United States. “I am honored and humbled to be recognized by my peers as this year’s Wildcatter,” said Struna. “Over the years, I have worked with many of the previous recipients of this prestigious award, learning a lot from their leadership and friendship. It’s truly special to me to receive this year’s Wildcatter of the Year.”
“Twenty years ago, Steve took a risk by deciding to build on his experience in engineering, operations, and finance and forming Bayswater,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Alliance. “Since then, he’s proven to be an innovator and true leader. Steve embodies everything the Wildcatter award stands for in terms of operational excellence and caring for the community. Steve and his team are recognized as industry leaders in sustainable energy production that protects the environment and surrounding communities.”
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Joseph D. Smith
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) announced Oct. 29 that Joseph D. Smith, the Laufer Energy Chair and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology and Chief Technology Officer at Elevated Analytics, will become President of AIChE in 2025. Smith succeeds 2024 President Alan E. Nelson, Vice President of Technology—New Energy at SLB (Houston, Texas). Anne O’Neal, Manager of Process Safety Culture and Competency at Chevron, will become the 2025 President-elect, and will succeed Smith as AIChE President in 2026. Smith earned a PhD in chemical engineering at Brigham Young University, where he was an American Western University Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He has served on chemical engineering faculties at Tennessee Technological University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was the founding Wayne and Gayle Laufer Endowed Energy Chair at Missouri University of Science and Technology, where he led the Energy Research and Development Center and founded the Small Nuclear Modular Reactor Research and Development Consortium. Dr. Smith has published more than 80 papers and holds twelve patents. He has published a textbook titled Computational Fluid Dynamics for the Chemical and Petrochemical Process Industries. And he has more than 30 years’ experience working in the chemical and petrochemical industries.
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