Gustavus Warfield Hobbs IV – 50th Reunion Essay

Gustavus Warfield Hobbs IV

181 Mariomi Road

New Canaan, CT 6840

skip.hobbs@gmail.com

203-972-1130

Spouse(s): Breeze McMennamin Hobbs (1987)

Child(ren): Gus (GWH V) (1989); Alex, (1991)

Education: Yale B.S. Geology (1969); Royal School Mines, Imperial College, London, M.Sc. (1974)

Career: International petroleum geologist with Texaco 1970-1977, Amerada Hess 1977-1980; Founder and President, Ammonite Corporation 1980-present; Founder and Managing Partner, Ammonite Resources, petroleum and mineral consultants, 1982-present.

Avocations: Hiking; fly fishing; sailing; managing a family farm and forest; woodworking.

College: Branford

As we approach our 50th reunion, I have spent considerable time trying to figure out what has made me “tick,” succeed, and enjoy life since graduation, and what I most look forward to continuing to do. Good health, a happy family life, an enjoyable career, regular exercise, and a comfortable lifestyle are obvious objectives in life. I have been fortunate to have these, but there is more. What makes life exciting and provides a sense of personal fulfillment? My answer is to always be intellectually and physically engaged, such that you look forward to each new day.

Since the age of eight, I wanted to be a geologist and understand how the earth was formed and the processes that shape it. This led to a career in petroleum and mineral exploration. During the 1970s I worked internationally for Texaco and then Amerada Hess. In 1980 I founded a small private oil & gas company that generates exploration ventures which I sell to industry. I started a consulting company in 1982 which specializes in geotechnical and economic due diligence in global petroleum and mineral exploration, and lately, geothermal energy. My work over the past 48 years has taken me all over the world, has been very exciting—sometimes dangerous, intellectually challenging, and the pay has been good.

What I learned at Yale has served me well. As Yale graduates we were subject to an intellectual natural selection process that has given us a competitive advantage in life. I am very thankful for the education I received at Yale; but above all, for the problem-solving skills learned: the scientific method; and equally important, how to write well and explain to others what we are doing. Petroleum and mineral exploration is high risk and expensive, and is often located in remote, environmentally sensitive, or politically risky areas. It has been very rewarding to identify an exploration opportunity where nobody had previously thought to drill, and then convince management to invest in your ideas. It has also been very satisfying to provide clients with a recommendation for projects that may cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Creativity, thoroughness, and a gift for salesmanship are keys to success in exploration. One must also stay on top of the science, technology and the competition. In today’s marketplace, it is also essential to be sensitive to the macroeconomic, environmental and policy aspects of natural resources. How do you do this? The answer is to be engaged: always learning, and expanding your knowledge beyond your field of expertise; networking; being active in a professional societies; writing professional papers; and mentoring the next generation of professionals.

As we get older, I believe it is important to share the skills we have learned by serving on the boards of not-for-profit organizations, and developing new interests and hobbies: farming, and woodworking for me. Life never gets boring and will remain an adventure by following this path.