Tracing our corporate roots back to the first propane gas business I started in 1999, The Charleston Gas Company was developed from that entity in 2017 as a full service propane gas dealer/supplier. Serving the Charleston area as Charleston Gas and the Beaufort area as Beaufort Gas, The Charleston Gas Company is a fully licensed LP-Gas dealer specializing in Commercial, Industrial, and Residential systems incorporating gas delivery, underground and aboveground tanks, and gas piping. As a licensed SC Mechanical Engineer and a licensed SC Mechanical Contractor, we specialize in designing, installing, and servicing the most efficient and user friendly gas equipment and piping systems.

Co-Founder and President of Norris Software, LLC, Rubeyes, LLC and Rubeyes Intangible Holdings, LLC. The three information technology companies (Holding Company, Operating Company, and Intellectual Property Company) were created to develop and launch a complex $7.44 million mobile software platform encompassing 1000+ pages of detailed specifications and blueprints while leading collaboration with multiple specialized development teams at various sites around the world with multiple business partners. The apps development is supported by an extensive 100 plus page patent application; U.S. National Phase Patent Application Serial No.: 14/768,901, Title: Continuous Proximity and Relational Analysis of User Devices in a Network.

Created to hold the HVAC asset base (Ocean Drive Heating and Air) following the sale of the LP Gas assets to Amerigas. Merged with another Carrier dealer in 2011 so that Norris Software and the location based social app RubEyes could be developed. Ocean Drive Heating and Air was a full service residential and commercial Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer.

As a Co-Founder, Operating Partner, and President, part of a team responsible for starting a highly regulated hazardous materials transportation, storage, distribution, and service energy operation leading diverse teams in multiple locations in business acquisitions and consolidations, business strategy and development, employee development, IT, operations, facilities and equipment management and maintenance, risk management, project management, asset and equipment procurement, continuous improvement, contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, engineering, contracted services, transportation, freight, and logistics activities. Developing and nurturing relationships with dozens of acquisition targets leading to the acquisition and consolidation of five companies, we successfully consolidated multiple asset based companies in various geographic regions of North Carolina and South Carolina. Leading seven business partners, employees from five different corporate backgrounds, five acquired owners, 9000 customers with assets in 10,000 locations in multiple states, while working with multiple federal, state, and local AHJ’s required a high level of mentoring, persuading others, and critical thinking. Utilizing an effective Risk Management Program strategy to strengthen the three core functions of Business Operations, Financial Performance, and Regulatory Compliance, the company’s valuation increased 70% in 3 years post consolidation from 2007 to 2010, even in the midst of the country’s economic collapse of 2008. This increased valuation would lead to the company being sold to AmeriGas Partners, a publicly traded entity, in 2010, seven years after formation. The HVAC assets were retained and sold in 2011.

Demonstrated strong people leadership skills to drive and influence change by leading the industry and a lobbying effort in Washington D.C. responsible for President Clinton signing into law The Chemical Safety Information, Site Security and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act, SEC. 2 amending LP gas under the EPA’s Risk Management Program regulations. After leading these lobbying efforts in the fall of 1998, there was still an impending regulatory compliance deadline looming in 1999 with no certainty of what Congress or the President would do regarding our efforts to have propane removed from the EPA’s list of chemicals scheduled to be regulated under this new Risk Management Program regulation. G1 Energy was created to assist companies achieve compliance with the EPA’s pending Risk Management Program regulations in case Congress and the President failed to act. As our lobbying efforts were signed into law, Love Propane Gas was formed in conjunction with G1 Energy to take advantage of asset based tax laws and to engage in the LP gas transportation, storage, distribution, and service business. Leading a small team through a scratch business startup required developing relationships with hundreds of consumers, companies, and multiple AHJ’s leading to acquiring new accounts demonstrating the ability to quickly learn multiple service businesses to create a cohesive regional multi-state company. This was accomplished with technology resources and a handful of company employees and contractors as required serving almost 1000 customers in multiple states. The company sold for a net profit of over $500k in 2003 to Heritage Propane, a publicly traded entity, less than 4 years after formation. I was then a part of co-founding Southeastern Energy Partners.

Plant manager of a 75 million gallon hydrocarbon processing, storage, and terminal facility with pipeline, transport, and rail capabilities. Leading a team utilizing advanced automated systems and IT resources, turned around a facility operating at a loss for 15 consecutive years, including solving and remediating a 15-year old 300+ acre contaminated groundwater site in < 2 years for under $1000. A problem the SC DHEC, SCANA, and multiple remediation specialists had previously failed to solve. Responsible for full P&L oversight, operations, facility and equipment maintenance, environmental systems, facility process systems, RMP and PSM programs, and coordination and compliance with federal, state, and local AHJ’s, as well as proposing, engineering, procuring, and overseeing construction of $4 million in capital equipment improvements, technology resources, and system automation. Responsibility also included strong daily collaboration with other SCANA subsidiaries consolidating IT and operational resources driving standardization leading to efficiencies in continuous SCADA monitoring of all plant functions, facilities and equipment maintenance, construction, HAZMAT training, and emergency response. Doubling the output capacity while improving quality, efficiency, reliability, security, and safety while mentoring and developing dozens of team members created significant, demonstrated improvements to cost and quality. Operating expenses were reduced 33% and revenues were increased 147% while substandard processing anomalies were reduced to zero and an international client base that included many of the world’s largest energy companies such as Exxon, Mobil, Conoco, Texaco, Phillips 66, etc. were successfully being served. SCANA realized we had maximized the value of the asset and accepted an acquisition offer of $48M from Suburban Partners, a 540% increase over a previous offer of $7.5M from Koch Hydrocarbons near the beginning of my tenure as Plant Manager.

As Gas Operations Associate Manager, responsible for leading a team of 40 direct reports incorporating five departments; Engineering, Metering and Regulating, Cathodic Protection, Customer Service, and Propane/Air-Natural Gas Plant. These departments included supervisors, engineers, and technicians responsible for safely serving 75.000 customers while working with multiple federal, state, and local regulatory authorities with an annual Operations, Maintenance, and Capex budget of $10 million.

Responsible for design and construction activities in SCE&G’s Gas Operations. Hired before graduating in May with a BSME and titled a Junior Engineer, began work two months prior to graduating. One month after graduation, asked to manage the cathodic protection department with a team of five direct reports. Three months later, senior staff asked me to take a significant leadership role in Gas Operations, promoting me to Associate Manager, responsible for five departments.