/EIN News/ Wednesday (6/17): HiMA Summer Mixer-www.houstonima.org Thursday (6/18): Energy 2 Cure Kickoff Party: http://www.energy2cure.org/2009_leuk.html

We celebrated the 5th birthday of our friends at GEOExpro during the AAPG conference last week. Attendees raved about this unique geosciences publication. Check them out at www.geoexpro.com.

The mood on the show floor was upbeat and positive and although no one thinks the market is in the clear yet, things may be looking up. On June 4th, We had the opportunity to hear Chad Deaton, the CEO of Baker Hughes speak. It was wonderful to see so many Energy People Connect members in the crowd, and the speech was outstanding. Deaton spoke about the specific innovations of his company and the overall challenges of our industry, but several interesting questions were implied that may be relevant to the businesses of all our members:

Look outside of the industry and beyond the competition for best practices. Deaton's team is enhancing operational reliability by turning to aviation industry experts for guidance. Look at the key challenges of your business. What companies or industries have solved similar obstacles?

Be aware of the changing culture and demands of the industry that you work in and adapt to ensure that you are best able to retain the best talent to solve your customers' biggest problems. Today, the energy industry is high-tech, global and de-centralized. How can you add this to your business mix?

A climate of respect and protection for intellectual property has enabled the United States and much of Europe to house many technology development centers. Is your work environment conducive to innovation and growth?

Energy People Connect is a proud supporter of one of the summer's hottest events!The 7th Annual Energy2Cure Leukemia Cup Kickoff will take place on Thursday, June 18th from 5pm to 9pm at The Drake, located at 1902 Washington Avenue in Houston, Texas. The $20 cover along with proceeds from the silent auction and raffle a will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A cash bar will be available along with light bites from several local restaurants. Over 400 patrons are expected to attend this festive fundraiser! Go to
Visit www.energy2cure.org to learn more!

2 Weeks ago, we asked about the talent shortage and what the industry has learned and we got some excellent responses. One of our members wrote:

"I think our industry was a little more hesitant to get rid of people during this past oil bust than the big oil bust of the mid-80's, simply because they learned the hard way how difficult it is to recruit the brainpower needed after massive lay-offs. Many energy companies claim that "people are our most important asset," but they rarely act in accord with that statement. Yet, our industry has proven time and again that it can accomplish just about anything if we throw enough money and brains at the problem. That's what it takes for energy innovation: money and brains. If you offer enough money, you can buy the best brains. But retaining the brains during a downturn is the key to having enough experience to take advantage of the next boom. Lesson Learned Number 468"
Jeanne M. Perdue
PetroComputing

Tell us more!

brandy@energypeopleconnect.com

Brandy Obvintsev
President and Founder
Energy People Connect
/EIN News/