EXPLORER Doing the job, being ‘effective’ Sonnenberg’s Leadership Skills Stretch Far By BARRY FRIEDMAN, EXPLORER Correspondent AAPG When leaders <strong>of</strong> AAPG decided to honor someone each year with an award for outstanding leadership, you’d like to think someone in the room was saying, “Yeah, Sonnenberg. Definitely.” The choice is a natural. Or, as Lee T. Billingsley, an AAPG past president, says <strong>of</strong> Sonnenberg: “He epitomizes effective leadership in a pr<strong>of</strong>essional organization.” Stephen A. Sonnenberg is this year’s winner <strong>of</strong> the Michel T. Halbouty Leadership Award, which next to the Sidney Powers Memorial Award is AAPG’s most distinguished prize. First presented in 2007, it is given in recognition <strong>of</strong> outstanding, exceptional leadership in the petroleum geosciences. Even a casual look at Sonnenberg’s past gives ample evidence for the inevitability <strong>of</strong> the choice. An Honorary member <strong>of</strong> AAPG, Sonnenberg has displayed his leadership as: u An AAPG president. u Before that, a term as AAPG vice president. u A 15-year member <strong>of</strong> the House <strong>of</strong> Delegates (and its chairman from 2009- 10, making three stints on the AAPG Executive Committee). u President <strong>of</strong> both the Division <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Affairs and the Rocky Mountain Section. u General chair <strong>of</strong> the 2001 AAPG SONNENBERG annual meeting in Denver. u Playing crucial roles in several AAPG national conferences and meetings. u A member <strong>of</strong> a plethora <strong>of</strong> AAPG committees – his AAPG activities page has more than 70 entries – including important roles on the Corporate Advisory, Budget and Advisory committees. u Co-chair for this year’s inaugural Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (See April EXPLORER). u Heads the Colorado School <strong>of</strong> Mines’ Bakken Research Consortium. u The recipient <strong>of</strong> five AAPG Certificates <strong>of</strong> Merit and three more awards from the HoD. u A pr<strong>of</strong>essor and Charles Boettcher Distinguished Chair at the Colorado School <strong>of</strong> Mines. One <strong>of</strong> his goals at the Bakken Consortium: To get operators to think, literally, out <strong>of</strong> the geologic box. Inspiring Thoughts Those who can, lead; those who can lead well, teach. And those who combine all <strong>of</strong> that have known what it means to have the gift <strong>of</strong> inspiration. That would be Sonnenberg. “One <strong>of</strong> the best quotes on leadership I have read is by John Quincy Adams,” he said in talking about leadership and the Halbouty award. “‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.’” And where to put that to better use than the classroom. “Currently I am running three consortiums at the Colorado School <strong>of</strong> Mines,” he said, “Bakken, Niobrara and Vaca Muerta petroleum system studies – Recent winners <strong>of</strong> the AAPG Michel T. Halbouty Leadership Award have been: 2012 – Robbie R. Gries 2009 – M. Ray Thomasson 2011 – Daniel L. Smith 2008 – James A. Gibbs 2010 – Patrick J.F. Gratton 2007 – John Amoruso and I mentor over 20 students each year.” He talks about his satisfaction with seeing the results <strong>of</strong> student-based research (“with guidance, <strong>of</strong> course”) and watching students blossom and grow through time. “It is fun to see them accomplish things in the companies they go and work it, too,” he said. “It is great to encourage students to become the future leaders.” He thinks the state <strong>of</strong> geology education in this country is “OK to good,” primarily, he said, because <strong>of</strong> the public outreach that various societies – including AAPG – have done. “I know that it can always be improved, however,” he added. “When budget cuts occur, it seems that cutting geology-related programs are at the top <strong>of</strong> the list.” The good news? “<strong>Geologists</strong> are fairly vocal,” he said, “and help keep most things on track.” Seeing the Bigger Picture His encouragement, though, is not just for those entering the pr<strong>of</strong>ession; it’s also for those already in it. And one <strong>of</strong> his energies at the moment is the aforementioned Bakken Consortium. “The consortium project on the Bakken studies all aspects <strong>of</strong> the petroleum system from the source beds to the reservoirs,” he said. See Sonnenberg, page 30 28 MAY 2013 WWW.AAPG.ORG
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