When Jeannie Powers started college, engineering was a natural choice for her; she’s analytical, good at math and enjoys solving problems. Petroleum engineering seemed both technologically adventurous and challenging.
After graduating from the University of Texas, Jeannie spent the first eight years of her career at Chevron across six cities and in several different positions. Then she began an MBA program at Texas Tech University, which opened her eyes to things like portfolio structures, financial leverage decisions, asset management and much more. “It was exciting to be learning a whole new world again,” she says.
In 2014 Jeannie moved to Houston, to take her current job as vice president, petroleum engineering, acquisitions and divestitures with Wells Fargo. The role allows her to mix her love for engineering and strategizing with her more recent interest in the business world. It’s an intense combination — the “good old boy” mentality of the oil and gas industry and the aggressiveness of investment banking — that requires resiliency and long hours. But for someone like Jeannie, who is able to move from boardroom presentations and client dinners to technical subjects with ease, it’s a rewarding and thrilling environment that pushes her to take on the next challenge.