Forty Under 40: Robert Anderson, Arch Energy Partners

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Robert Anderson, managing partner with Arch Energy Partners, is today's featured Forty Under 40 honoree.

Anderson began his professional career as an oil and gas attorney, eventually transitioning to become an energy investor with the help of a friend in the oil and gas industry. He later went on to help create software solution Tracts with fellow Forty Under 40 honoree Ashley Gilmore.

"One of the highlights of my professional life was when our first patent was granted," he said. "Seeing my name on a patent filing was an incredible highlight of that experience."

Growing up in Utah, where uranium mining was a robust industry, both Anderson's father and grandfather were attorneys that represented uranium miners, sparking his initial interest in the energy industry. As he has progressed in his professional career, Anderson's father has been one of his biggest mentors.

"From the time I was young my dad always told me, ‘People dumber than you have done it,'" he said. "It’s an odd saying and not particularly polite, but for me, it made difficult things feel achievable."

Anderson acknowledges the oil and gas industry's role as the "silent backbone" in the global economy. As he continues to grow Arch Energy Partners, he has come to learn that being the first to try a new, innovative idea can bring unexpected triumphs to the company.

“When you’re young, there’s a naivety to what you believe is and is not possible," Anderson said. "The challenges we face in upcoming years will require unreasonable people with a drive and confidence to overlook the narrative of what can and cannot be done.”

Click here for Robert Anderson's complete profile.

Take a look at all of the Forty Under 40 honorees.