Center for Midstream Management and Science Leadership Team Members

Center for Midstream Management and Science Leadership

Staff

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Dr. Philip Cole is the Executive Director of the Center for Midstream Management and Science (CMMS) at �鶹ӳ��Ӱ�� in Beaumont, Texas. Prior to accepting this position on February 1, 2025, Dr. Cole had been the Chair of Physics since July 2017, when he joined �鶹ӳ��Ӱ�� from Idaho State University.

Dr. Cole brings extensive experience in fundamental and applied research to the role of Executive Director of CMMS. Dr. Cole received his PhD in Experimental Nuclear Physics from Purdue University in 1991 and his bachelor’s degree in physics from Cornell University in 1983. He has received several honors for his research and mentorship, including the Purdue Tautfest Award for the PhD student showing outstanding promise in particle physics (1991), the prestigious NSF CAREER Award in Nuclear Physics in 1999, Advisor of the Year (2002) for the Society of Physics Students, Fulbright Scholar Award to Germany in 2014/2015, and the Fundamental Physics Innovation Award in 2019 from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Dr. Cole’s background in nuclear physics provides a solid base from which to conduct midstream oil and gas research as Executive Director of CMMS. Since joining �鶹ӳ��Ӱ�� in 2017, his research interests have turned to the many unsolved problems in fluid-flow acoustics and methane-leak detection from buried pipelines, as evidenced by several of his funded research projects focused on the midstream sector over the past several years. In building this area of research, Lamar’s CMMS team has chosen real-life experiments over paper studies as Mother Nature is the final arbiter of all things physical. It is only after taking the empirical real-world measurements that researchers can embark on sophisticated mathematical analyses and new ideas for better detectors.

alek
ahutson@lamar.edu
(409) 880-7097

As Associate Director of CMMS, Dr. Alek Hutson operates at the intersection of academia and industry, leading workforce development initiatives and applied research focused on the practical challenges of the midstream energy sector. He is a proud �鶹ӳ��Ӱ�� alumnus with degrees in Physics and Mathematics, and earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Houston through the ALICE collaboration at CERN. His expertise in experimental physics and data analysis provides a strong analytical foundation for his current research, which includes pipeline flow optimization using advanced mathematical modeling, leak detection, and hazard mitigation.

In addition to his role at CMMS, Dr. Hutson is the CEO and co-founder of Labor Force Solutions (LFS), where he spearheads innovative safety and training programs for the heavy transport sector. At LFS, he has led efforts to secure funding and build academic partnerships that strengthen workforce training initiatives.

Faculty

helenlounew Dr. Helen H. Lou
Faculty Advisor

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Beaumont, TX
(e) helen.lou@lamar.edu
(o) (409) 880-8207

Dr. Lou is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and a Fellow of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). In addition to her rich experience in research, development and education, Dr. Lou was a Board Member of the Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (2009 – 2015). She is a graduate of Wayne State University where she earned a Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering) and an M.A. (Computer Science) in 2001.

Industry Advisory Board

Chris Jones

President
Compressor Controls Corporation - Honeywell

Houston, TX

Chris Jones currently serves as the President of Compressor Controls Corporation (CCC)—A Honeywell company. Prior to this Chris was the Global General Manager for Honeywell’s LNG & Midstream automation business. With three decades at Honeywell, his tenure began in chemical plant operations and engineering, where he gained experience through various roles, including process engineer, production superintendent, and operations manager.

For the past 19 years, Chris has specialized in process automation, leading teams across business development, estimating, engineering and project development.

Chris played a significant role in Honeywell’s acquisitions of Compressor Controls Corporation (CCC) and the Air Products LNG liquefaction business, now known as Honeywell LNG. He holds an MBA from �鶹ӳ��Ӱ�� and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering.

jcardona Juan Cardona

Director, Business Development and Commercial Operations
Summit Midstream Partners, LP

Houston, TX

Juan Cardona is a seasoned commercial executive with over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, specializing in midstream infrastructure, business development, and commercial strategy. He currently serves as Director of Business Development and Commercial Operations at Summit Midstream Partners, where he leads a team responsible for securing new gathering, processing, and transmission contracts, while also driving asset optimization and strategic growth initiatives.

Juan has successfully managed acquisition and divestiture efforts, overseen commercial due diligence for infrastructure projects, and implemented scalable commercial strategies. His career spans technical and leadership roles across the midstream value chain, including project development, asset optimization, and system planning. Prior to joining Summit, he held key positions at Enerflex Energy Systems, AP Sensing, and SNC-Lavalin.

A proud graduate of �鶹ӳ��Ӱ��, Juan holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. He was both an academic and athletic scholarship recipient, and was recognized on the Dean’s and President’s Lists. He brings a passion for strategic problem-solving, cross-functional collaboration, and advancing innovation in the midstream sector.

Juan is honored to support �鶹ӳ��Ӱ��’s Center for Midstream Management and Science as a member of the Industry Advisory Board.

achandra Ajey Chandra
Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer
Baker & O'Brien, Inc.

Houston, TX

Ajey Chandra is Chief Executive Officer of Baker & O'Brien Inc., an internationally known consulting firm. He has over 37 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, both in the North American and Internationally. Mr. Chandra joined Baker & O'Brien in 2022 after having gained experience in various facets of the midstream industry, including operations, engineering, business development, management, and consulting. Mr. Chandrahas had a wide variety of assignments covering all aspects of the energy industry during his career, and has had several long-term expatriate assignments overseas, including Europe and Southeast Asia. Mr. Chandra’s operating, consulting and management experience includes working at Amoco, Purvin & Gertz, Hess, NextEra Energy Resources, and Muse Stancil & Company before joining Baker & O’Brien.

Elton Hollis, III
Vice President

Vice President
RT Technical Solutions, LLC

Owner
Hol-Tech Resources, LLC

Beaumont, TX

Elton A. Hollis, III is the owner of Hol-Tech Resources, LLC. Hol-Tech is a full service consulting service that provides guidance and training in the Safety, Quality and Compliance realms. He is also the Vice President of RT Technical Solutions LLC, where he helps lead their team to the forefront of the Industrial Electrical and Instrumentation fields.

Elton helps out businesses by utilizing his 27 years’ experience in the Oil and Gas Construction field, he provides Consulting, Training, Executive Coaching, and all facets of Safety Management and Compliance services to clients in the Industrial, Commercial and Small Business industries.

During the course of his career, Elton has held a wide range of titles from Field Laborer to Executive Ownership. He prides himself on being able to problem solve for his clients by utilizing a diligent work attitude with creative critical thinking. He is well-regarded in the Safety and Training field for his Small Business training grant work in collaboration with Lamar Institute of Technology. Elton combines this with a special interest in helping Small Businesses to succeed by conducting marketing meetings, events and numerous mentorship speaking engagements.

In addition to his executive work, Elton is a co-founder of the Golden Triangle Industrial Group and Vice Chairperson for the Contractors Business Development Group. Both of these monthly events help promote business growth by providing project information to local companies.

Jeff Tebbe
Director of Integrity Planning for Enbridge Gas Transmission and Midstream

Houston, TX

Jeff Tebbe is the Director of Integrity Planning for Enbridge Gas Transmission & Midstream based in Houston, TX. With over 30 years of experience across North America in the Oil & Gas pipeline and underground storage industry, Jeff has held key positions in Engineering, Integrity Management and Capital Project execution.

Jeff holds a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri Rolla, as well as an MBA from the University of Massachusetts. He is committed to continuous learning and professional development. He brings that same curiosity and passion to his personal interests. Outside of work, Jeff enjoys hands-on restoration projects and recently completed a full restoration of a 1958 English roadster, which earned best-in-class awards.

Dave Curtis

Vice President - GPA Midstream Association

Dave Curtis has more than three decades of experience spanning environmental services, hydrocarbon measurement, analytical systems, operations management, and executive leadership, Dave has built his career on technical innovation and practical industry application.

Currently, Dave serves as Vice President of Technical Services at GPA Midstream. At GPA, he works closely with member companies, technical committees, regulators, and industry stakeholders to develop and maintain standards, best practices, and educational programs that support safe, reliable, and efficient energy operations. His leadership focuses on strengthening technical collaboration while helping the industry navigate evolving operational, regulatory, and technological challenges. His work continues to support the development of the next generation of technical leaders while helping drive innovation and operational performance throughout the energy infrastructure sector.

Prior to joining GPA, he served as Chief Revenue Officer for SPL, a leading measurement, analytical, and I&E service provider. As CRO, Dave oversaw the operations of all of SPL’s product lines, as well as sales & marketing, ensuring the company’s services and strategy were aligned with customer demand. Prior to SPL, Dave served as the Measurement and Product Validation Manager at Anadarko Petroleum where he helped develop and implement cutting edge hydrocarbon measurement processes. Prior to that, he built, owned, and operated an environmental services company which specialized in the analysis at the site of investigation for air, water, and soils. Mr. Curtis has been involved in multiple industry groups, such GPA Midstream and the American Petroleum Institute, and has extensive experience working with local, state, and federal agencies. He has a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Norwich University.

Robert Gross

Systems & Reliability Account Manager - Scallon Controls

Beaumont, TX

Robert “Tank” Gross is a Business Development and Lifecycle Services leader at Scallon with more than 25 years of experience in plant maintenance, supervision, and automation solutions. His work centers on process automation, business development, and project development across engineering disciplines and business units, helping customers plan, deliver, and sustain control and instrumentation systems.

A native of Orange, Texas, Tank began his career in plant instrumentation and electrical maintenance and spent 13 years with Republic Paper, Temple-Inland, and Valero, including a recycled fiber paper mill greenfield startup. At Valero he spent eight years in supervision, leading a team of 8 to 12 technicians responsible for instrumentation and analyzers across the utilities, sulfur recovery unit (SRU), and boiler areas. His group kept the systems behind high-pressure boilers, water chemistry control, and core plant utilities operating safely, and ensured environmental compliance and performance for the SRUs and continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS).

Tank then spent four years with Honeywell in DCS sales, helping customers adopt software and lifecycle management for assurance and reliability. Since joining Scallon in August 2018, he has progressed from Reliability Solutions Account Manager to Systems and Lifecycle Account Manager, a role he has held for the past six years. As lead account manager on a major Gulf Coast LNG export project, he helped secure and manage a five-year service agreement supporting terminal and pipeline operations, keeping control systems current, reliable, and available. He also manages approximately 20 accounts across the chemical, petrochemical, LNG, paper, and rubber industries, developing new business and bringing engineering, operations, and technology teams together to scope and execute projects.

Tank studied at Lamar Institute of Technology and �鶹ӳ��Ӱ��. As a member of the Lamar Center for Midstream Management and Science (CMMS) Advisory Board, he contributes an industry perspective on how automation, reliability, and project execution connect to the skills the next generation of midstream leaders will need.