Scott Joyce - Head of Energy Technical Services and Special Assets teams - Capital One

EDUCATION:  Katy High School - 1990      Texas A&M University, BS in Petroleum Engineering University of California - Berkeley, MBA

My favorite college memories include summer internships where I applied my new engineering knowledge in commercial, real-world settings. As a roustabout for Conoco, based in Carlsbad, NM, I fell in love with the oil and gas industry. I had an opportunity after my daily responsibilities to spend time on a drilling rig, where I learned all about the drilling process (vertical wells back then!)

My junior summer was spent in Mont Belvieu, TX, at a gas fractionator owned by a subsidiary of Chevron. I helped fix some cooling tower problems, and I worked on startup preparations for a butane isomerization facility. Finally, I worked for BP in Prudhoe Bay, AK. I learned a lot about topside facilities and equipment that summer, and I enjoyed the great Alaskan outdoors! 

After graduation, I worked outside of the oil and gas industry for several years and earned my MBA. After completion of my MBA, I went back to the industry I love in 2000 as an energy banker in Houston. I've worked for Bank of America, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and BNP Paribas. I current head Capital One’s Energy Technical Services and Special Assets teams, as well as credit risk management for energy and other industries.  

The SPE-GCS scholarship allowed me to finish my mechanical engineering degree without having to work as much during the school year. My advice to students is to keep your minds open. The current recovery in the commodity markets should open up opportunities. Those opportunities may not be exactly what you expect, but your career will likely take many twists and turns, and there are many paths to success in the oil and gas business! You may not be able to do exactly what you want to do right out of school, but look for opportunities to learn and add value. For the first several years of your career, I recommend seeking opportunities that expand your future career options. It takes a while to really figure out "what you want to be when you grow up!"