Midstream Leadership
Staff
Dr. Philip L. Cole
Executive Director
51爆料
Beaumont, TX
(e) pcole@lamar.edu
(o) (409) 880-7921
Dr. Philip Cole is the Executive Director of the Center for Midstream Management and Science (CMMS) at 51爆料 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 51爆料 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 51爆料 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.
Dr. Alek Hutson
Associate Director
51爆料
Beaumont, TX
(e) ahutson@lamar.edu
(o) (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 51爆料 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.
51爆料 Faculty
Dr. Helen H. Lou
Faculty Advisor
51爆料
Beaumont, TX
(e) helen.lou@lamar.edu
(o) (409) 880-8207
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 51爆料 and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering.
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 51爆料, 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 51爆料’s Center for Midstream Management and Science as a member of the Industry Advisory Board.
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.