American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2024 - 31

ConventionSec tion: Texas Alliance of Energy Producers
Seasoned Economist Accepts
Alliance Executive Role
By Del Torkelson
AMARILLO, TX.-With the July announcement
that Texas Alliance of Energy
Producers interim President Karr Ingham
would drop the " interim " portion of his
title, the group handed its day-to-day
management to its longest-tenured staff
member. As it prepares for its 2024 annual
convention, scheduled for Oct. 3-4 in
Fort Worth, the Alliance may resemble a
successful football team that seeks to
sustain a winning culture by naming its
longtime offensive coordinator as its new
head coach.
" That's exactly what it feels like, " Ingham
laughs. " I have been around here
21 years, and I have as much institutional
knowledge as anybody about the Alliance
and its history. The longer I worked as
the interim president, the less enthusiastic
I was about handing the head coaching
job to somebody else. I am sure we would
have hired somebody great as I went back
to my coordinator role, but before that
happened, I talked with some people I respect
and informed our chairman, Jason
Herrick, of my interest in the position. "
Herrick, who is president of Pantera
Energy Co. in Amarillo, met Ingham,
who also lives in Amarillo, and they discussed
a possibility that previously had
been off the table. " When Karr graciously
stepped into the interim role, he had been
insistent that this was temporary, " Herrick
recounts. " But as we worked together,
his passion for this work became clear.
After doing it for several months, I could
see where his heart really was. "
An Easy Decision
Ingham says his enthusiasm for advocating
on behalf of Texas oil and gas
producers comes partly from mischaracterizations
about them. " I am irritated
about the notion that the industry is doing
something to the state and nation rather
than for them, " he emphasizes. " Ours is
an honorable industry involved in a lawful
activity, and to suggest otherwise is not
only nonsense, but damaging and dangerous.
Reframing that narrative-that
this industry is doing things for people
" We could not have asked for someone
with deeper knowledge of the organization.
He already has established relationships and
does a really good job of running this
organization. It is a great fit. "
-Jason Herrick
Texas Alliance Chairman
rather than to them-will be what defines
our mission under my presidency. "
Although Ingham's experience, relationships
and vision aligned well with the
Alliance's wish list for its top staff member,
other considerations remained. As an economist
trained to think in terms of tradeoffs
more than solutions, Ingham knew
his intention to continue living in Amarillo
meant the Alliance Board of Directors
would have to weigh how much it wanted
its president to office in Austin, Tx.
" My wife and I are pretty entrenched
here, " Ingham relates. " The pandemic
experience made everyone reconsider our
assumptions about where people work,
and maybe that was a factor in persuading
folks I could do this job well while continuing
to reside in Amarillo.
" However, that does not mean I am
not enthusiastic to spend considerable
time in Austin and Washington, " he adds.
" Austin is and will be the focus during
the Texas Legislature. Thankfully, we
straightened it all out and I am very
honored that the Board of Directors
elected to go down this path. I am going
to be where I need to be to do what I
need to do. "
According to Herrick, the Search Committee
charged with finding the Alliance's
next president concurred. " After Karr realized
he wanted to do it, the Search
Committee had a really easy decision, "
he recounts. " We could not have asked
for someone with deeper knowledge of
the organization. He already has established
relationships and does a really
good job of running this organization. It
is a great fit. "
Taking A Shot
As a longtime Alliance staffer whose
positions have included petroleum economist,
executive vice president, and a
previous stint as interim president that
preceded his most recent one, Ingham
already had joined other Alliance representatives
on trips to Washington to advocate
on behalf of independent producers.
" This is a relationship business, and you
don't want the first time that you ever
talk with folks to be when you need
something from them, " he reflects. " You
need ongoing conversations. "
Even amid the familiarity, Ingham acknowledges,
the encounters have been
different now that he is the president, including
the ability to meet with Senator
Ted Cruz, R-Tx., instead of only his
energy staff. " I would have had a nice
meeting with them because I know them
pretty well, " he says. " But that does not
mean I can expect to talk with the senator.
I am certain that meeting happened because
I now hold the title of president. "
Ingham also credits Alliance federal
relations consultant Chris Kearney for
helping keep the group consistently engaged
in Washington. The Alliance hired
Kearney in 2021, Ingham says, and has
benefitted from his presence on Capitol
Hill. " He is very effective and can accomplish
things because his boots are on
SEPTEMBER 2024 31
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