In 2017, Wright was part of a private equity-backed team that helped establish Great Salt Plains Midstream (GSPM), a joint venture created to expand the water gathering, crude oil gathering and gas gathering/processing infrastructure in the prolific STACK Play in Oklahoma. As the chief commercial officer, Wright worked with his partners last year to hire additional talent to support the organization’s ambitious growth goals and knew exactly where to scout for talent. Tapping into the Price EMBA alumni network, Great Salt Plains Midstream hired 2018 alumnus Bryan Mitchell as chief operating officer and current EMBA student Trey Roper as director of analytics and commercial development. Payrock Energy II recently hired Roper as its chief financial officer.
Wright became the first student enrolled in the program and the first of many alumni to use the EMBA education and network to launch their own company. For example, two of his classmates, Jeff Lierly and Kevin Riley, co-founded Starboard Permian and Riley Exploration Group, respectively. And numerous entrepreneurs have graduated from the program since, which is why Wright looked to EMBA Sooners to fill key roles when he was ready to start his own venture.
“I was expecting to get value from my education, but one of the best surprises was the strong relationships I built with my classmates that have given me a more well-rounded energy perspective and added to my energy acumen,” he said.
