Energizing the Future: Leadership. Innovation. Performance.
Energy Workforce & Technology Council’s 2026 Annual Meeting brought nearly 200 senior executives to Tucson for two days of discussion on the market, operations, workforce, and the technologies shaping the energy services sector.
New Leadership: Ron Gusek Assumes Chairmanship
EWTC opened the 2026 Annual meeting with Ron Gusek, CEO, President & Director of Liberty Energy, stepping into his role as Chair of the Energy Workforce & Technology Council.
In his remarks, Gusek emphasized a clear shift underway across the sector:
- Greater capital discipline
- Consistent operational performance
- Execution in increasingly complex and volatile conditions
His message set the tone for the week: performance is no longer cyclical. It is expected.
Market Outlook: Capital, Risk, and the Next Cycle
Ryan Tull, Managing Director, Head of Energy, Power & Infrastructure Capital Markets Origination and Public M&A at Piper Sandler, provided a market outlook discussing current realities of the energy sector:
- Capital is returning to energy, reversing years of outflows and shifting toward energy security
- Geopolitical risk is rising, with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz influencing market dynamics and pricing expectations
- OFS capacity remains constrained, with stacked equipment requiring capital and time to return
- AI-driven power demand is reshaping the market, pushing oilfield companies into new roles as power providers
The takeaway: markets are moving, but operations have not fully caught up.
Technology & Innovation: Driving Performance in the Field
Moderator: Craig Lange, Managing Director, WestRiver Group
Panelists:
- Tristan Gruska, Head of Energy & Infrastructure, Palantir Technologies
- George Michalopulos, Vice President of Integration, H&P
- Darryl Willis, Corporate Vice President, Energy & Resources Industry, Microsoft
Craig Lange led the panelists in a discussion focused on applying technology to real-world operations. Panelists discussed how:
- The industry is delivering on safety, environmental performance, and efficiency at the same time
- AI is moving into core engineering and operational workflows, not just back-office functions
- Companies are building closed-loop systems, where field data drives immediate action
- Robotics and automation are improving workforce productivity and safety
Bottom line: technology is now a direct driver of performance.
Power & Growth: Infrastructure Is the Bottleneck
Moderated by Blake McLean, Managing Director at Daniel Energy Partners, the panel featured:
- Sarah Fenton, Executive Vice President of Upstream, EQT Corporation
- Naveen Pandrangi, Vice President and Chief Transformation and Information Officer, Williams Companies
- Afshean Talasaz, Former SVP of Strategic Projects & Innovation and Chief Technology & Data Officer, Colonial Pipeline Company
The discussion explored the scale and coordination required to meet growing demand, with key insights including:
- Demand is accelerating, driven by LNG, AI, and data centers
- The industry is prioritizing durable, long-term demand over short-term price signals
- Permitting and infrastructure timelines are slowing progress, not supply capability
- Natural gas continues to emerge as the most scalable solution for power demand
The message: we can produce it. The challenge is delivering it
Awards Breakfast
The 2026 Annual Meeting Awards Breakfast brought together members to celebrate leadership, service, and meaningful contributions across the energy services and technology sector.
Congratulations to our award winners:
Emerging Executive Award: Nate King, Director of Sales – Western Hemisphere Land, NOV
Community Impact Award: Liberty Energy
People & Culture Award: Forum Energy Technologies
Chapter Champion Award: Jorge Vidal, Vales Director, SLB
To close the morning, we recognized our outgoing Board and Advisory Board members for their leadership and service to the Council.
Advisory Board Members:
Graham Gordon, Accenture
Nishant Prabhu, Cummins
Neal Lux, Forum Energy Technologies
Josh Lowrey, Upright Digital
Elizabeth Stephens, HMH
Leroy Law, LL Industrial Transmission
Mark Reed, Mustang Cat
Bonnie Houston, NOV
Matt Hooker, Ranger Energy Services
Lloyd Hajdik, Oil States International
Warren Zemlak, BJ Energy Solutions
Rutger Niers, Ideal Completion Services Inc.
Board Members:
Brian Groody, Baker Hughes
Kyle Ramachandran, Solaris Energy Infrastructure
Daniel Hindes, ClearWell Dynamics
Gabriel Rio, Milestone Environmental Services
Steven Anderson, Evolution Well Services
Their leadership and commitment have played an important role in advancing the mission of Energy Workforce and strengthening the industry.
State of the Industry: Leadership. Innovation. Performance.
Kicking off day two of EWTC’s 2026 Annual Meeting, Presidents Molly Determan and Tim Tarpley delivered a state-of-the-industry address focused on the realities shaping today’s energy services and technology sector.
Framed around this year’s theme — Leadership. Innovation. Performance. — their message was clear:
- Today’s environment is defined by execution, not cycles
- Companies are navigating policy shifts and capital discipline
- The workforce and innovation remain critical drivers of performance
At the center of it all: The energy services sector is not reacting to the market; it is performing through it.
Leadership Under Pressure: Lessons from General Vincent K. Brooks
What does leadership look like under pressure?
At this year’s Annual Meeting, General Vincent K. Brooks, U.S. Army (Ret.), shared insights drawn from decades of leading complex global operations.
His message was clear:
- Clarity matters when decisions move fast
- Accountability matters when stakes are high
- Discipline matters when execution counts
These principles directly reflect the realities of the energy services sector, where strong leadership and decisive action are critical to performance.
A powerful reminder that leadership isn’t situational, it’s built on consistency, trust, and the ability to deliver when it matters most.
Offshore Operators: Capital Returning to Scale
Moderator: Jim Wicklund, Managing Director, PPBH
Panelists:
- Blake Denton, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Contracts, Noble Corporation
- Siva Gollakota, Vice President, Supply Chain, Talos Energy
- John Seeger, CEO, Commodore Offshore Operating
Panelists highlighted renewed momentum in offshore:
- Capital is returning to offshore, particularly deepwater, as long-term supply needs come into focus
- Deepwater projects remain the most competitive, offering scale and strong returns
- Global activity is increasing, with strength in Brazil and West Africa
- Technology and AI are improving exploration and operational efficiency
Outlook: offshore is positioned for long-term growth and stability.
Onshore Operators: Execution Under Pressure
Moderator: Sam Sledge, CEO, ProPetro Services
Panelists:
- Jamie Benard, President, SOGC
- Sarah Fenton, Executive Vice President, Upstream, EQT Corporation
- Chad McAllaster, Executive Vice President, Operations, Diamondback Energy
Sam Sledge led a discussion on what it takes to perform in today’s onshore market, where execution and discipline are non-negotiable. Key themes from the panel:
- Safety drives performance, with leadership, stop work authority, and accountability critical in the field
- Operators are leveraging leading indicators and benchmarking to improve outcomes
- Growth remains disciplined, with a focus on cash flow-funded development
- Operational constraints including water, power, and logistics shape execution decisions
The takeaway: execution and discipline define success in today’s onshore market.
Innovation Outlook: The Pace Is Accelerating
Adam Burden, Global Innovation Lead, Accenture, delivered a forward-looking perspective:
- AI adoption is accelerating at an unprecedented pace
- AI agents are emerging as tools to augment human decision-making and productivity
- Robotics and automation are moving into real-world applications
- The rate of change is compounding, creating a widening gap between adopters and laggards
The message: this shift is happening now, not later.
Recognizing Industry Leadership
The Annual Meeting recognized individuals and organizations driving the industry forward:
- Distinguished Leadership Award: Sam Sledge, ProPetro Services
- Industry Member Engagement Award: Caterpillar
- Allied Member Engagement Award: Upright Digital
Platinum Awards: The Industry’s Highest Honor
The Council awarded its highest recognition to two leaders whose impact spans decades:
The Platinum Award is not presented every year and is rarely awarded to more than one individual. However, the leadership and legacy represented by this year’s honorees made it clear that two extraordinary leaders deserved recognition.
Chuck Davidson
With a career spanning more than four decades, Chuck Davidson has exemplified the leadership, resilience, and strategic vision that defines the energy industry. Beginning his career with Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), Davidson built a reputation as a skilled engineer and operator, taking on increasingly complex roles across domestic and international operations.
As Chairman and CEO of Noble Energy, Davidson led the company through a period of significant growth and global expansion, establishing key positions in the Gulf of Mexico, the DJ Basin, and international markets. His leadership was instrumental in Noble’s natural gas discoveries offshore Israel, which strengthened energy security and reshaped the region’s energy landscape.
Today, Davidson continues to support the next generation of energy companies through his work with Quantum Capital Group, where he remains a trusted advisor and mentor.
Rick Muncrief
Rick Muncrief’s career reflects the entrepreneurial spirit and operational excellence that have defined the modern era of American energy. Beginning his career in the oilfield at just 17, Muncrief developed a deep connection to the industry that would shape his professional path.
Over the course of his career, Muncrief has held leadership roles at some of the industry’s most respected companies, including ConocoPhillips, Burlington Resources, Meridian Oil, El Paso Exploration, and Continental Resources. As CEO of WPX Energy and later President and CEO of Devon Energy, Muncrief helped lead through a period of transformation driven by technological advancements such as horizontal drilling and the expansion of U.S. energy production on the global stage.
He is widely respected for his steady leadership, commitment to mentorship, and dedication to strengthening the future of the industry.
Together, Chuck Davidson and Rick Municrif’s careers represent long-term leadership, industry transformation, and lasting contributions to American energy.
Looking Ahead
Across every session, one theme remained constant: This is not a cycle defined by expansion. It is a market defined by execution.
From capital discipline to infrastructure constraints to accelerating technology, the path forward is clear: The energy services sector is performing, adapting, and delivering at scale.
Karina Erickson, Senior Director of Communications, writes about the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
