Charles Crews, executive vice president and chief operations officer at Southern Star, recently received the President's Award at the 40th annual BEYA STEM Conference.
This award is BEYA’s highest honor, recognizing leaders whose careers demonstrate sustained excellence, principled leadership, and significant institutional impact.
It celebrates a lifetime of contributions that strengthen organizations, advance industries, and expand opportunities for others.
In his acceptance speech, Crews emphasized the importance of solving meaningful problems and reminded the audience that while results are important, people matter most.
He highlighted leadership that unlocks potential and empowers authentic innovation.
As he marked his third anniversary at Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Crews reflected on developing future leaders, collaborating with industry peers on critical energy needs, and working with a dedicated team making a daily impact.
Last week on LinkedIn, Crews discussed how Southern Star is adapting to rapid changes in the energy sector by modernizing, digitizing, reducing emissions, and integrating new technologies.
He noted that the next generation will shape the future of the industry.
This commitment was evident at Southern Star’s inaugural "Fueling Futures" event, where more than 40 high school students explored the energy industry, learned about the role of natural gas, and discovered diverse career paths.
Crews observed that these students, as digital natives, possess the automation, analytics, and technology skills essential for the evolving energy landscape.
This is especially timely, as nearly half of today’s energy workforce is expected to retire within the next decade.
Ongoing global events, including recent disruptions to oil and LNG flows in the Middle East, highlight the need for resilient, diverse, and innovative energy systems.
Crews expressed optimism that this new generation will not only operate but also design and lead the energy systems of tomorrow. He recognized the future engineers, welders, HR professionals, and others who will keep energy moving forward.