Molly Cooper speaks to Global Tank Storage Awards judge for 2024, Heidi Herzog about her time in the industry and judging the awards
Heidi Herzog grew up in Iowa, USA, and her father was her inspiration for her career path. ‘My father was constantly talking about the commodities markets and the trading
that he did associated with his agricultural business,’ she says. ‘It was always so interesting to me.’
When attending college, Herzog was interested in international business but an opportunity to join Archer Daniels Midland’s (ADM) management training programme brought her back to agriculture and commodities.
After a few years at ADM, she realised she really wanted to pursue her MBA and was torn whether to go full time or part time while continuing to work. Then she came across independent refining company, Clark Refining and Marketing. It offered Herzog the opportunity to get her MBA at Washington University in St. Louis while she was working.
‘While in business school I was drawn to Silicon Valley tech companies, startups and angel investors, but towards the end of my MBA, the dot-come bubble burst and caused me to take another look at oil and gas and recognise that there was a tremendous amount of opportunity in the energy business,’ she explains.
Upon completing her MBA Herzog chose to go to Enron, and she credits them for introducing her to some tremendous people. ‘One thing that never ceases to amaze me is that no matter how large and far-reaching to the corners of the globe that this industry goes, it is still a relatively small and tight-knit community. I can almost always find
people in common with everyone I meet,’ says Herzog.
Judging the Awards
As a new judge this year at the Global Tank Storage Awards, taking place in Rotterdam on 12 March 2024, Herzog is excited about the opportunity. ‘I am really looking forward to seeing the emerging technologies and innovative projects that are successfully driving terminals and ports forward in the energy transition,’ she says.
‘I will be looking for nominees that really stand out by demonstrating above and beyond exceptional delivery, inclusivity and a collaborative approach taken to reach their goals and objectives, game changing innovations and finally environmentally conscious and sustainable solutions.’
Championing Women in the Industry
Reflecting on her time in industry, Herzog became very used to being the only or the one of a few women in the room.
‘The simple truth is, being a women in the energy industry, you stand out. I’ve learned throughout my career to turn this into a positive; when you stand out, people will remember you. Use this to your advantage, what you give them to remember you by is what matters,’ says Herzog.
For those wanting to develop their careers in the industry, Herzog stresses that having a strong network of people around you is key. ‘You will need a mentor, a coach, an ally, a devil’s advocate, a cheerleader and a reality checker. You will need each of them at different times in your career. This is your unofficial support team,’ says Herzog.
Herzog recently departed Vopak due to a global reorganisation and is currently looking for her next opportunity to continue doing what she is passionate about. ‘I want to continue delivering growth across traditional and energy transition opportunities, leading high performing business development and commercial teams, and driving financial performance,’ she explains.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR WOMEN
Herzog has been actively involved in women’s affinity groups throughout her career, beginning with BP. ‘The company was building a strong network with the goal of propelling women into senior leadership positions. It is very impressive to see they did what they set out to do, because I can recognise some of those women as industry leaders now,’ says Herzog.
Herzog was also on the board of the National Association of Women MBAs. Her Houston, Texas, USA-based chapter decided to leave the national organisation and start its own non-profit organisation called Women’s Masters Network. This local organisation is focused on professional development and advancement for women. It’s not an exclusive network, but it requires that everyone involved shares the common objective of developing their own career and supporting other people that want to advance in theirs. ‘I rejoined the organisation in August of this year as an Advisory Board Member and am thrilled to be back with the group again. It’s really exciting to see the organization growing and continuing to help others to advance in their careers,’ says Herzog.
