Hall of Fame

Jordan Soto, Hart Energy Staff: We are celebrating Hart Energy's 50th anniversary, the Hall of Fame event, and with us, one of our Hall of Famers, former SVP of BP. You're rolling right off the coattails of Denbury. Thank you so much for being here, Cindy Yeilding.

Cindy Yeilding: Thanks, Jordan. I'm so excited to be here this evening. I'm just starstruck. I mean, I'm excited. I'm seeing old friends, and I am meeting some of the amazing folks who have been honored tonight and it's been a blast so far.

JS: You had mentioned to me earlier that you had a very special colleague that had influenced your journey. Tell me a little bit about that person and kind of that legacy that they've left with you to enhance your journey.

CY: Yeah, so when we were talking, we were talking about mentors and people who have influenced us, and I kind of wanted to go and shout out a colleague [Bill] Armstrong. So we've known each other since undergrad, like 40 years. So obviously we both graduated from college when we were four. We've kind of sort of followed each other and I mean, this is a fellow who knew what he wanted to do maybe when he was five, but he really has always set his sights on building a business and he's toughed it out. He and Liz have had some really difficult moments. They've had some moments of greatness, and it's just been so much fun watching a friend and a colleague succeed at work, at family, creating new ideas and just he's a star. I just wanted to shout him out.

JS: Well, I think the through line with him and the energy industry is that resilience, that perseverance.

CY: Absolutely. And I mean, you nailed it. You have to persevere. What gets in the way, you've just got to overcome it, and that's what people in the Hall of Fame have done.

JS: Absolutely. And as we're looking at young people and Hart Energy readers, what advice would you have for them? Maybe it's a part of perseverance, maybe it's a part of that resilience, but what advice would you have for them?

CY: I have a couple of things that are really important to me. One is do good work. I mean, you're going to be rewarded for doing outstanding work, and there are no shortcuts to that. You just actually, if you're a geoscientist, you do great geoscience, you collaborate with your peers, you do great engineering work as well, or you learn from those who have it. So you do good work and you always, always recognize the people who have helped you along the way. Let them know that they've supported you and you appreciate it and shout them out in meetings. It's just karma. If you do good work and you offer good advice and you support other people, they'll come back and support you.

JS: Well, I think that you've done a fantastic job supporting the industry, shouting out your former colleague, and we appreciate you being here tonight. Congratulations again on being a Hall of Famer.

CY: Thanks, Jordan. I really appreciate it. Thanks so much to you and to Hart Energy.

JS: Fantastic. Well, thank you so much, Cindy. It was a pleasure.

CY: Thanks, Jordan. I appreciate It.

JS: This is Hart Energy Live's 50th anniversary and Hall of Fame celebration.

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