As I write this column, the last of my year as SPE President, I have naturally been reflecting on what I want to leave you with in this final communication. I’m not quite at the end of my journey; in fact, I still have 3 months left until I hand the gavel over to the most capable C. Susan Howes, the 2027 President, at the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in Houston in October (and there is a lot to do in these 3 months). But given that this is my final direct correspondence, please allow me some reflection, a few updates on where the Society is, and some extremely important thank-yous.
When asked to introduce myself this past year, I have frequently done so with the words “I have the honor and privilege to serve as the 2026 SPE President.” I have never meant a statement more in my life. Students frequently ask, “Did you always want to be SPE President,” and my answer has been a solid “No, it was never on my radar.” This generally leads to a great conversation about volunteerism and the opportunities that it can provide.
But my point is that it truly has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this role, and I want to thank each of you for the opportunity to so. I hope that I have done right by the office.
I have shaped my presidency around SPE’s tagline, “Solutions. People. Energy.” My discussions with students, members, industry, government leaders, and any group that asked me to speak focused on the increasing need for energy and how SPE is made up of the people that can provide the solutions for that energy in safe, secure, and sustainable ways.
We are the Society of Petroleum Engineers, but we are so much more than petroleum alone, and SPE membership consists of far more than just engineers. SPE is made up of professionals whose experience will help solve the world’s energy needs in our core areas of oil and gas, low-carbon technologies such as CCUS and emissions reduction, and emerging areas such as geothermal, hydrogen, and critical minerals. I have never been more convinced that SPE is the catalyst and platform to bring together the technical knowledge needed to solve the energy trilemma.
When I started my presidency, I asked in a LinkedIn post what people might want to hear about in these columns, and I want to thank all of you who responded, both then and since, with comments and requests. I have tried to address as many of these topics as possible, covering topics such as SPE’s value proposition, transparency in SPE operations and the Board of Directors, supporting young professionals and students, rethinking membership needs, artificial intelligence, sections’ best practices, and how we can all have conversations with the general public about the importance of our industry. I’m sorry if I couldn’t get to everything asked, but hopefully, all found value in at least some of these topics.
By far the most enjoyable and amazing part of my presidency has been meeting SPE members from around the world. I am absolutely in awe of our members and the passion, dedication, and commitment that they have for SPE, each other, and making the world a better place. SPE’s mission focuses on advancing technical and professional competence, and our members take this mission seriously through every format possible and at every level, from section to region to international. But SPE is so much more than the technical entity we are known for and strive to be. I have had the opportunity to help members deliver food to an orphanage, plant trees, and teach primary students about our industry and why it’s important during Energy4me events. Thank you for showing the world that SPE and the members of our industry are real people that care about the communities they live in.
While serving as SPE President, I may have been the face of the organization, but there is absolutely no way to fully thank the army of SPE people behind the scenes who made everything run smoothly and seamlessly. The “duck on water” analogy holds true in this role: maintaining a sense of calm on the surface while paddling frantically behind the scenes.
I can’t thank Taylor Kass, senior board relations manager, enough for juggling my schedule, making sure I show up where I’m supposed to be, and answering panicked calls such as, “Where is my visa?” at all hours of the day and night. Thanks also to my onsite “handlers” Ola Davies, Justin Kijam, Dalexa Fernandez, and Jackie Hoffmann for always having me prepared and keeping me on track through bouts of jetlag. Whether it’s driving the back roads of Norway, navigating the traffic in Jakarta, or realizing a TV green room really is painted green, I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together and admire the dedication that you all have to SPE.
Pam Boschee, director of magazines, and Paige McCown, senior manager PR and energy education: your humor and patience with my occasionally verbose language and run-on sentences are very much appreciated in helping me get these columns and podcasts out in a somewhat professional manner.
And finally, a huge thanks to Simon Seaton, CEO; Dana Otillio, VP Communication and Member Experience; Steve Byrne, CFO; Michelle Tan, VP Eastern Hemisphere, events; Grigory Zarayskiy, director, business development, Europe/Caspian; Michelle Boyd, former chief global events officer, and the rest of the leadership team for their commitment to making SPE the best that it can be, often under challenging circumstances, and their support of my presidency and occasional out‑of-the-blue requests.
I have had the honor of serving this year with a tremendously supportive Board of Directors. Thank you to each of them, not only for that support but also for the time and dedication they have given to SPE throughout the year and over the course of their terms. Another huge thank-you goes to all the presidents who came before me, especially to Darcy Spady, Tom Blasingame, Terry Palisch, and Olivier Houzé, for their guidance and friendship. And finally, to my family and friends: thank you for giving me the time and support to pursue this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The year has been filled with a lot of behind-the-scenes work and many changes. Financial stability has been a goal that the Board has been working on for several years, and as you might have seen in my June 2026 column, some of the implemented changes are now paying off. We have also continued to address some of the big-picture topics of the day, including AI and how SPE and its members can use it to their advantage.
The global pandemic threw some major challenges SPE’s way, but the opportunities and programming changes of the post-pandemic “new normal” have become much clearer, and SPE is well positioned to take advantage of them. Opportunities like co-locating (not combining) OTC and URTeC in 2027 are on the horizon to optimize offerings in the future. And for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, please check out the NextGen program, designed for students and young professionals.
The realization that SPE can’t be all things to all people is also quite clear, and partnering with organizations with aligned goals but bring different expertise can be extremely cost-effective. We have entered into new partnerships with groups like Switch Energy Alliance and redM to expand the opportunities and information available to our members, and we will continue to pursue such collaborations in the future.
As I write this column, we are deeply engaged in developing SPE’s next strategic plan, which will be rolled out later this calendar year. It will address all of the topics above, as well as other major considerations such as SPE’s value proposition, workforce development, and continued financial sustainability. As the plan comes together, I am proud of the work the SPE Board and staff have put into it, and I hope you will be as well when it’s published!
As I mentioned above, I’m not going anywhere just yet. I have 3 months left as president, which will be followed by a year on the Board as outgoing president. The outgoing president does a great deal of work behind the scenes (just ask Olivier), including chairing both the Finance and the Nomination committees, helping to finalize ongoing initiatives (in my case, with a strong focus on the strategic plan), and following up on various requests from members. I’m excited about all of this and look forward to supporting C. Susan Howes as she takes on the 2027 presidency.
I’ll close with a request: stay engaged with SPE. As a member-driven society, SPE is all about its people. You are the ones that make SPE what it is today and what it will be in the future. I started my first column with the phrase “just do it,” so I’ll end this one with “let’s keep doing it!” Thank you once again for the honor and the privilege. JPT
You can contact the SPE President at President@spe.org.
