On Tuesday the University of Wyoming hosted several industry leaders and Wyoming natives during its, “Global Energy: Leadership from Wyoming” forum which was held in the Wyoming Union. The featured speakers gathered to share not only insights into the energy industry but also how their education at UW has helped them in the field.
One of the speakers was Tom Bott, a Riverton native and was raised on a ranch near there. Bott graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1977 with his B.A. in civil engineering. He was hired by Shell immediately out of school and worked for them in many different capacities over his 37-year career, including overseeing the entirety of Shell’s global manufacturing business, which included all of its refineries and chemical complexes.
The second speaker was Ann Pickard, who also attended school at the University of Wyoming during her pursuit of her undergraduate degree. A Cheyenne native, Pickard received her Bachelor’s degree from University of California at San Diego and her Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She began her career with Mobile Oil but moved on to work for Shell where she is still employed as an executive vice president, responsible for Shell’s Arctic exploration efforts.
The forum gave the speakers an opportunity to share some of their experiences in the field and speak to how they obtained leadership roles in the industry.
“What really matters is how you show up,” Bott said, “work ethic, humility, ability to accomplish goals is what you will become known for. It doesn’t take a week or a month, and people recognize that these qualities are who you are.”
There was also an opportunity during the forum for those in the crowd to ask questions of the speakers, which allowed Pickard to speak on how the BP oil spill in the Gulf affected the energy industry.
“If I was to walk out and ask 99 people about the spill, 99 people wouldn’t remember it was BP” she said.
In an interview after the forum, Tom Bott shared some advice for those who are looking to enter the workforce post college. “Be willing to get out of your comfort zone and be open to the possibilities because the best opportunities will usually make you uncomfortable,” he said.
University of Wyoming President Dick McGinity also remarked that the whole idea of the forum could teach a powerful message to students here at UW.
“I personally want University of Wyoming graduates to believe that each of them can accomplish anything they want to achieve,” McGinity said.
