Forty Under 40: Geoff Vernon, Earthstone Energy

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Geoff Vernon, vice president of reservoir engineering and A&D at Earthstone Energy, is today’s featured Forty Under 40 honoree. 

Throughout his career, Vernon has had a number of mentors who broadened his knowledge in oil and gas and influenced how he approaches leadership. 

As a young engineer at Southwestern, Vernon was mentored by the CEO Steve Mueller. He still has the notes he took during their conversations. Vernon never shied away from learning from other people in the industry. 

“The most valuable advice has been to get out of my comfort zone and take calculated risks. As an engineer by background, I can have the tendency to overanalyze and resist change, but sometimes changes lead to great outcomes,” said Vernon. 

Working in a fast-paced industry means knowing how to stay flexible, Vernon says. 

“It is important to stay nimble and be willing to pivot strategies,” said Vernon. “This requires a broad knowledge of the business.” 

To young professionals in the industry, Vernon encourages asking questions and learning from colleagues like he once did. 

“Make sure that you never stop learning new things. Ask tons of questions and broaden your knowledge base by being curious about other disciplines. One way to do that is by networking, which I think is very important. You can learn so much from people at other companies and in other roles,” he said. 

Click here for Geoff Vernon’s full profile.
Take a look at all of the Forty Under 40 honorees.