Erin Stroud, President, Society of Professional Women in Petroleum
Upon taking office in January 2019, Society of Professional Women in Petroleum (SPWP) President Erin Stroud had a clear mission: to provide women with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed in the petroleum industry.
"SPWP's purpose has always been to provide women in our industry with a place for networking and professional development, while providing financial support to the next generation of females," Stroud said. "I think there will always be a need for this, be it in one year, five years, 10 years or more."
Stroud works tirelessly to empower women in petroleum, coordinating educational opportunities, expanding industry affiliations and overseeing her organization's scholarship program. While she acknowledges diversity and inclusion in oil and gas remains an issue to this day, SPWP has made huge inroads since its formation in 1981.
A focus on diversity and inclusion
SPWP was formed in early 1980 and chartered in 1981 to support professional women in the petroleum industry.
"At that time, the industry was predominantly a man's world, and SPWP initially began as a small group of professional women in oil and gas who gathered together to network," Stroud said.
In 1984, SPWP implemented a scholarship program with the aim of assisting young women who intend to work in the petroleum industry. The organization sent application forms to high schools within the Houston metropolitan area, and one lucky recipient was awarded the very first SPWP scholarship in the amount of $1,000. Thirty-five years later, SPWP has awarded over $1.075 million in scholarships to 479 recipients.
To be able to award more scholarships, SPWP's first fundraiser, a crawfish boil, was organized in 1985. Later that year, it hosted its first Derricks & Dice Casino Night, an annual fundraising tradition that continues to this day. While SPWP's scholarship program and fundraising efforts began in 1984, it was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1993.
In 1996, SPWP hosted its first golf tournament to raise funds to become a founding organization of the Oilfield Energy Center's Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum, resulting in a plaque in the museum forever bearing SPWP's name. The tournament has continued as a fundraiser ever since, with funds now going toward the organization's scholarship program. SPWP's 23rd annual golf tournament is slated for spring 2020.
SPWP has welcomed hundreds of members over the years, and curates field trips and educational opportunities such as visits to drilling rigs, refineries, manufacturing facilities and museums. The organization also hosts monthly breakfast meetings, held on the second Thursday of every month at 7:30 a.m. at Norris Conference Center in Houston, featuring technical and professional development speakers.
"I think one of the things that has allowed SPWP to prevail for 38 years and counting is the sense of community we provide for members," Stroud said. "Our primary focus is on networking, professional development, education and charity, but we have fun doing it."
Stroud's vision for SPWP
Stroud grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. While studying abroad, she attended the Copenhagen Business School, sparking within her a love for interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
"My father and uncle both work in oil and gas, so I grew up hearing about pipelines and refineries," Stroud said. "Also, I am from a city where this is one of the primary industries, especially for someone with a business degree. Therefore, a job in oil and gas was somewhat of a given for me."
Stroud began her career with National Oilwell Varco (NOV) in its year-long Next Generation leadership development program. She initially worked in Calgary, completing job rotations there and then in Edmonton, Alberta, and in Aberdeen, Scotland.
When she completed NOV's Next Generation program, she relocated to Houston to begin her full-time position. Thirteen years later, she still works with the same company, although her division spun off from NOV to form DistributionNOW in 2014. She has worked in several different roles, including inventory management, logistics and content management, before arriving at her current role, proposals manager.
Stroud joined SPWP in 2015, serving as first vice president in 2017 and 2018 before being nominated for president in 2019.
Upon taking office, she set a number of goals for herself. Her primary focus, she said, has been growing SPWP's membership and enhancing its online presence, particularly through a website redesign and social media campaigns. She also wanted to expand SPWP's industry affiliations and shift its focus toward technical industry speakers and educational opportunities.
"My mission as president of SPWP is to provide women in our industry with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to put themselves out there and be seen, recognized and respected as subject matter experts," Stroud said. "I feel that by focusing on technical speakers and bringing a panel discussion to our members, our 2019 board of directors has taken huge steps to achieve this goal."
Stroud's primary, overarching responsibility as president is to oversee the direction of the organization, committees, scholarship program and all charitable activities, ensuring SPWP's board of directors and members act in accordance with its bylaws as well as its stated professional development, nonprofit and charitable mandates. She also holds ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the organization.
Over the years, Stroud has gained some valuable insights about the professional landscape and achieving career goals.
"One of the most important things I have learned in my career is that you have to be your own advocate," she said. "No one is more invested in your career and success than you are. Women, in particular, are less likely to pursue opportunities for which they do not meet 100 percent of the qualifications. However, sometimes the path to success means stepping up and reaching outside of your comfort zone, both personally and professionally."
SPWP has several industry affiliations, including the American Petroleum Institute (API), the American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), the Oilfield Energy Center's Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum, and Oilfield Helping Hands (OHH). Each August, SPWP hosts a joint meeting with AADE, providing networking opportunities for its members and allowing SPWP and AADE members to learn from each other. All of these organizations support SPWP's fundraising initiatives, and SPWP supports theirs in turn.
While gender diversity in the oil and gas industry remains an issue, Stroud is optimistic about the future for women in her field, thanks in large part to the work of her organization.
"Oil and gas is really starting to focus on diversity and inclusion within the industry, which is very exciting," Stroud said. "Studies have shown that companies with more female leaders and a higher level of diversity achieve increased market share and higher returns to shareholders. I hope that in the future, we see many more females choosing STEM career paths as well as holding C-Suite level positions."
For more information on membership, visit www.spwp.org or email membership@spwp.org. For more information on future events, follow SPWP on LinkedIn at "Society of Professional Women in Petroleum" and on Facebook at "Society of Professional Women in Petroleum, Houston."
