Skip to main content
Category

News & Media

Texas A&M Foundation Names Chief Investment Officer

By News & Media

a photo of Mike Pia Texas A&M Preng Placement Chief Investment Officer(May 18, 2020) The Texas A&M Foundation publicly announced today the hire of Michael Pia, who assumed the role of chief investment officer on May 1. Pia will lead the Foundation’s investment staff and help drive critical decisions for the success of the Foundation’s long-term investment pool benefiting Texas A&M University.

Preng & Associates assisted The Texas A&M Foundation in its search.

The hiring of Pia comes at an important time as the Foundation investment team seeks to implement forward-thinking endowment management strategies throughout and beyond the period of market volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Foundation officials.

Pia comes to the Foundation from the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas, where he most recently served as managing director of Strategic Partnerships & Research for its Investment Management Division (IMD), overseeing approximately 10 percent of the TRS Trust’s assets. He also served as chairman of the IMD’s Management Committee and as a voting member of its Internal Investment Committee. Previously, he worked as chief of staff to the TRS chief investment officer, coordinating and ensuring execution of his division’s internal and external executive-level initiatives across the Trust. Since 2015, Pia led a nine-person investment team that managed $15 billion in assets and six of the Trust’s largest relationships.

“I am very excited to join the Texas A&M Foundation, an organization with a culture and values that align closely with mine,” Pia said. “I am inspired by its work to build a brighter future for Texas A&M University so that Aggieland can continue to develop future leaders for Texas and our nation. My role as chief investment officer represents an opportunity to continue a lifetime of service, and I am highly motivated to make a significant and lasting impact on the Foundation and university.”

The Foundation’s executive leadership pointed to Pia’s lengthy track record of principled investment performance, as well as his leadership and technical skills honed over the last 30 years. “The Board of Trustees fully supports Mike’s hire,” said Otway Denny Jr. ’71, chairman of the Foundation’s board. “We believe we have recruited the best possible candidate to help us achieve our goals for the Texas A&M Foundation’s long-term investment pool.”

Prior to TRS, Pia served in the United States Marine Corps on active duty for 11 years and worked as a software/systems engineer for Lockheed Martin. In addition to holding certificates in financial analysis and alternative investment analysis, Pia holds an MBA from Texas Christian University, an M.S. in software engineering from the University of West Florida and a B.S. in mechanical engineering With Distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy. He is married and has two daughters.

“Mike has a great track record and unlimited potential. He has service in his DNA,” said Tyson Voelkel ’96, president of the Texas A&M Foundation. “Mike has the character, discipline and drive to think and act in the long-term best interests of the endowment. He believes in the power of higher education, and I know he will be a great partner as we evolve our capabilities and performance.”

As chief investment officer, Pia will supervise and guide the Foundation investment team to continually build and manage a portfolio that can perpetually meet the current and future needs of Texas A&M. He will play a crucial role in maintaining a diversified and resilient investment portfolio built to withstand severe market instability, such as the recent financial crisis that has occurred amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our number one priority is the prudent management of the long-term investment pool for the Texas A&M Foundation,” said Lou Paletta ’78, a member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the Foundation’s Investment Committee. “Mike Pia is the right leader at the right time to partner with our CEO as they manage the endowment for the long-term benefit of Texas A&M University.”

The Foundation’s endowed funds, which come from private donors, are fundamental to ensuring Texas A&M’s future. These funds, all donated with philanthropic intent, are specifically directed toward programs, projects or initiatives in conjunction with the university’s academic partners. Distributions from the endowment annually fund scholarships, graduate fellowships, private research, student activities, college programs and capital construction.

Investment staff at the Foundation prioritize effective diversification and systematic oversight over the long-term to ensure that endowment funds are well managed and uniquely poised to weather the ups and downs of market volatilities, said Foundation officials. Historically, the long-term investment pool has been well-poised to recover from a number of financial downturns and continues to annually provide funds to Texas A&M even in tough economic times.

Voelkel went on to state, “Under Pia’s leadership of the investment team, we will continue to ensure that endowed donors’ gifts through the Texas A&M Foundation will be professionally invested for the benefit of Texas A&M’s students, faculty and staff for the coming decades.”

Texas A&M Foundation

The Texas A&M Foundation is a nonprofit organization that aspires to be among the most trusted philanthropies in higher education. It builds a brighter future for Texas A&M University, one relationship at a time. To learn more, visit txamfoundation.com.

Laura Preng Interviews with David Ramsden-Wood

By News & Media

Join our Partner, Laura Preng, as she interviews with David Ramsden-Wood to discuss what executive search firms are looking for when they view your resume and LinkedIn profile. Whether your in transition or looking to join a Board, these are some helpful tips and some important DOs and DONTs. Other topic include the state of the oil and gas industry and what you can do to make yourself stand out.

Dennis Chismar Joins Saulsbury as SVP, Business Development & Marketing

By News & Media

Dennis Chismar SVP Saulsbury Preng Placement(Nov. 11, 2019) Saulsbury recently appointed Dennis Chismar as Senior Vice President, Business Development & Marketing. Preng & Associates assisted Saulsbury in its search.

In this role, Dennis will be responsible for leading Saulsbury’s Business Development & Marketing functions, cultivating deep client relationships and developing future business opportunities across the heavy industrial construction space.

Dennis has over 25 years of experience in the industry and most recently served as Vice President, Business Development at a U.S. industrial construction company. In prior roles, Dennis has been directly responsible for creating new business and supporting growth and diversification through a balanced portfolio of clients and markets. Dennis began his career as a process engineer and later project manager before transitioning into the business development discipline.

“Dennis brings a unique mix of business development and technical expertise to his new role and we are confident that he will bring extraordinary value to our clients and our Business Development & Marketing teams,” said Chat York, President and CEO.

“I am pleased to be warmly invited to join Saulsbury, a successful company and a recognized industry leader,” added Chismar. “I am joining the company at an exciting time to support future growth into strategic regions and markets throughout the U.S. while maintaining the focus on the established strengths of the company.”

Helix Appoints Amy Nelson as New Director

By News & Media

Amy Nelson Helix Board Preng Placement(July 29, 2019) Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE: HLX) announced today that the Board of Directors has appointed Amy Nelson as a new director. Preng & Associates assisted Helix Energy Solutions Group in its search.

Ms. Nelson, 50, is the president of Greenridge Advisors, LLC, which she founded in 2007 as an energy services and equipment consulting firm focused on the development, execution and financing of growth strategies. Prior to Greenridge, she served as a Vice President of SCF Partners, an oilfield service and equipment-focused private equity firm, and worked for Amoco Production Company in planning, project management and engineering roles. Ms. Nelson also currently serves on the board of directors of Apache Corporation.

Ms. Nelson will serve as a Class III Director whose term will expire at Helix’s next annual shareholder meeting. Ms. Nelson also was appointed by the Helix Board to serve on the Board’s Audit Committee.

About Helix

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an international offshore energy services company that provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. For more information about Helix, please visit our website at www.HelixESG.com.

Contacts
Erik Staffeldt, 281-618-0400
Executive Vice President & CFO

PJM Interconnection Announces New Chief Risk Officer

By News & Media

(July 22, 2019) PJM Interconnection today announced the appointment of Nigeria Poole Bloczynski as its chief risk officer.

Preng & Associates assisted PJM Interconnection in its search.

As PJM’s CRO, Bloczynski will oversee all aspects of PJM’s risk function, including credit and collateral policies, market surveillance, monitoring of market-participant behavior, and both qualitative and quantitative analytics. The Risk and Audit Committee of the PJM Board of Managers will oversee Bloczynski, who joins the company July 29.

This elevated, board-level oversight reflects PJM’s objective to further instill the importance of risk management throughout the organization.

Bloczynski will coordinate all enterprise risk management operations, including identifying risks to the organization and defining appropriate mitigating controls.

“I am thrilled to be welcoming Nigeria to PJM,” said Interim President and CEO Susan J. Riley. “She brings a depth of knowledge and experience in this important area that I am confident will serve our organization and stakeholders well.”

Bloczynski has worked for more than 20 years in commodity and credit risk management in both the financial and energy markets, most recently as director of commodity and corporate risk management for Washington, D.C.-based WGL Holdings, Inc., whose companies include Washington Gas, WGL Energy, WGL Midstream and Hampshire Gas.

She serves on the board of directors of the Committee of Chief Risk Officers, the national nonprofit organization that advances best practices in the risk management field. Bloczynski holds a B.S. in mathematics from Morgan State University and an M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region’s transmission grid, which includes over 84,236 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM’s regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $2.8 billion to $3.1 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

SOURCE PJM Interconnection

Related Links
http://www.pjm.com

Robert M. Shearer Elected to Occidental Board of Directors

By News & Media

Robert M. Shearer Preng Placement Oxy Board(July 10, 2019) Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced today that Robert “Bob” M. Shearer, a former managing director of BlackRock Advisors LLC, has been elected to its Board of Directors. Preng & Associates assisted Occidental in its search.

Mr. Shearer, 64, has over 35 years of experience in securities and leading investment management firms. Before retiring from BlackRock in 2017, he was co-head of BlackRock’s Equity Dividend team and a member of the Fundamental Equity Platform within BlackRock’s Portfolio Management Group. Mr. Shearer was also the portfolio manager for both the BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund and Natural Resources Trust, which grew from $500 million to over $50 billion under his leadership. Previously, he managed the Merrill Lynch World Natural Resources Portfolio for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, which merged with BlackRock in 2006. Mr. Shearer has also held senior leadership roles at David L. Babson & Company, Concert Capital Management and Fiduciary Trust Company International. As a senior research officer for Citicorp Investment Management, he focused on the oil industry, including exploration and production, pipelines and oil field services.

“With more than three decades of experience, Bob has a track record of creating significant value for investors with a focus on high-quality, dividend-growth stocks,” said Gene L. Batchelder, Chairman of the Board. “We are committed to growing our dividend as part our long-term strategy, and Bob’s industry knowledge and management expertise will be a great addition to our Board.”

“Occidental’s reputation for innovation and operational excellence and its strategy for sustainability set it apart in the industry,” Mr. Shearer said. “I am confident in Occidental’s ability to deliver on its long-term business strategy of industry-leading returns and returning capital to shareholders, and I look forward to supporting this commitment as a member of the Board of Directors.”

Mr. Shearer holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a Master of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

About Occidental

Occidental is an international oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Middle East and Latin America. Headquartered in Houston, Occidental is one of the largest U.S. oil and gas companies, based on equity market capitalization. Occidental’s midstream and marketing segment purchases, markets, gathers, processes, transports and stores hydrocarbons and other commodities. The company’s wholly owned subsidiary OxyChem manufactures and markets basic chemicals and vinyls. Occidental posts or provides links to important information on its website at oxy.com.

Contacts:

Media:
Melissa E. Schoeb
713-366-5615
melissa_schoeb@oxy.com

or

Investors:
Jeff Alvarez
713-215-7864
jeff_alvarez@oxy.com