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Richard Haut |
As a 22-year manager for oil giant
Exxon, Rich Haut helped leave some big
footprints in the global environment.
They were steps that were not as
eco-friendly as Haut would have liked.
So after a gradual “awakening” to
environmental concerns, Haut retired
from the energy business in 2002 and
went to work for Houston Advanced
Research Center, a non-profit center
“dedicated to improving human and
ecosystem well-being through the
application of sustainability science
and principles of sustainable
development.” The 1974 mechanical
engineering alumnus holds the position
of senior research scientist.
Haut still is involved in the energy
industry, but now it is an adviser
helping companies reduce their
ecological footprints. He also
represents other organizations that
support environmentally responsible
practices in business and industry.
Moving from private industry to a
non-profit group meant a pay cut, but to
Haut, it was a shift worth making. “My
true passion all along has been about
the environment and reducing the
environmental footprint of the oil and
gas industry. I basically got to a point
in my life where I asked myself ‘What do
you want to be remembered for?’”
As he pondered the career change,
Haut reached back in time and took some
earlier-provided career advice from his
mother who told him: “Always leave the
world better than you found it. Don’t
take any more than you need. Don’t hurt
anyone or anything.”
An example of his current work can be
found with the FMC company’s offshore
development engineering in Norway. He
has been onsite, consulting with the
company to help design equipment,
systems and processes in an
environmentally friendly way.
“I’m challenging the engineering and
design teams to consider components
used, manufacturing processes, volume of
material and chemicals.”
Although he has moved to an
environmental focus in his work, Haut
can still do engineer-speak with the
best of them. He moves into a technical
focus when discussing the issue of
expandable casings when drilling for oil
or natural gas. That process leaves a
smaller hole in the earth. He also
encourages companies to consider the
full life of the equipment they use and
what impact it will have when no longer
used and left at the bottom of the
ocean.
His environmental reach extends
beyond the oil patch. Recently he worked
with the City of Houston to secure
federal government funding to analyze
how to incorporate solar energy into the
City’s energy infrastructure. Over the
next two years Rich will lead the team
to investigate this market
transformation.
Haut has been invited to speak at
various conferences, has authored
numerous papers, has been awarded
various patents and has several patents
pending. He frequently speaks about
sustainable development, the built
environment and the offshore/energy
industry. In addition, he has given
testimony to the Department of Energy
concerning the future of energy security
in the US. He also serves on the US
Green Building Council – National
Research Committee where he represents
all non-profits across the U.S., and on
the board of the Research Partnership to
Secure Energy for America (RPSEA), where
he chairs the Environmental Advisory
Group. He also was cited in a recent
Wall Street Journal article about oil-
and gas-industry executives moving into
a more environmentally focused career
path.
Prior to joining HARC, Haut spent 25
years in the energy industry where he
led various projects, analyzed offerings
for key technologies or niche
capabilities and was responsible for
developing synergistic, strategic
relationships in the energy industry. He
also was instrumental in establishing
joint ventures and other joint industry
programs, including the start-up of
Enventure Global Technology where he was
the Chief Operating Officer, over a two
year time period, during which the
operation moved from conception to
profitability.
Haut holds a master’s from the
University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. from
Old Dominion University.
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