What is the main aim of your club?
Our club aims to connect Rice MBA students with professionals in the energy industry in order to foster relationships that lead to long-term connections. We understand that most MBA students are “career switchers” and they may not have a background in energy.
Through the Rice Energy Club, students receive industry training from various sources such as industry guest speakers, Rice alumni, and even their own classmates in order to develop their understanding of the industry in its entirety.
Who was the most exciting speaker you had this year?
On November 1st we hosted the 4th Annual Rice Energy Finance Summit (REFS). The Rice Energy Finance Summit (REFS) is an annual conference organized by a committee of MBA candidates from the Jones Graduate School of Business. The conference was created to promote forward-looking discussions on the most pertinent energy issues and facilitate valuable relationships through the exchange of knowledge and ideas.
Additionally, REFS offers a significant opportunity for corporations and industry leaders to directly contribute to the development of thought leadership in the community. More information can be found on our website at http://business.rice.edu/refs/
Our speakers included:
• Kenneth Hersh – Co-Founder and CEO, NPG Energy Capital Management
• Ralph Eads – Chairman, Energy Investment Banking, Jefferies and Co.
• D. Martin “Marty” Phillips – Managing Partner, EnCap Investments, LP.
• Lynn Elsenhaus – CEO and President of Sunoco, 2008-2012
• Meg Gentle – Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cheniere
• Wilson W. Crook – Manager, Global Gas Regulatory & Legislative Issues, ExxonMobil Gas & Power Marketing Company
• Neal Anderson – Head of Consulting, Wood Mackenzie
• Martin S. Craighead – President and CEO, Baker Hughes Incorporated
Why did you decide to do an MBA?
I was a Naval Officer for 5 ½ years before attending Rice full-time. Like most students who decide to go back to school, I was looking to change careers but did not have the proper background to do so. I needed more extensive quantitative training as well as a foundation to learn about the energy industry as a whole.
My finance and accounting based classes have given me the education that I need to successfully transition into the corporate arena, and the energy club, along with the many industry professionals that are connected to Rice University, have helped me gain an understanding about energy that I could not have done on my own.
What proportion of your members are interested in the oil and gas business, nuclear business and renewables?
Just off of the top of my head, I would say that 90% of our members are interested in oil and gas. Being that Rice is situated in the middle of Houston, we are uniquely positioned next to major players in the oil and gas business.
There is a small contingent of students interested in renewables, and I believe that number has been growing over the last couple of years. This year, for the first time, the Energy Club added a VP position that directly handles the renewables business. By creating this position we have noted that more and more students are finding that renewables may be an area where they begin to focus.
How significantly are concerns about global warming distorting the process by which we choose the most efficient energy source?
Our club does not take an official stance regarding global warming, but with that said, it is not a topic that we spend much time on. We believe that choosing efficient ways to produce energy whether it be through technological advancements or just more efficient means is very important, but tend to look at it from more of a financial and economical perspective. We have yet to debate global warming from within the student club.
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