GMRC Board of Directors

Thomas Burgett is Vice President of Operations and Engineering for Kinder Morgan’s CO2/ETV unit. A Mechanical Engineer by education, Tom has spent his 35 years in the industry in various technical and field operations leadership roles in the areas of compression, measurement, processing, and transportation.

Garry Tripp – Currently Sr. Director of Technical Services Support for Energy Transfer based out of the Houston, Texas Office. Have been with the company for 42+ years beginning in June 1983. Spent the first 22 years in field operations & maintenance including natural gas measurement, regulation, gas quality, corrosion control, pipeline integrity, pipeline construction, compressor station operation & maintenance, compressor station automation, engine and compressor upgrades, management of pipeline, compressor station and underground storage fields in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. Relocated to Houston in 2005 in Engineering Services assuming management responsibilities for internal audit of all engineering construction, operations and maintenance activities including the development of new Standard Operating Procedures. In 2007, directed the newly formed Asset Management and Team Development program, Technical Training department and internal operations compliance audit program. In 2015, directed the operations of the following company departments: internal aerial pipeline surveillance patrol , enterprise asset management, damage prevention/one-call, encroachment, and public awareness. In 2020, added the Asset Management & Reliability organization (rotating equipment, I&E) to the Technical Services Support department. Throughout the 42 years, have been actively engaged in technical research & development of industry programs ranging from pipeline integrity (ILI tools), corrosion control (cp system designs and instrumentation), pressure regulation and over-pressure protection equipment, leak detection (sensor technology from satellites, UAV, fixed-wing, ground) and rotating equipment.

Scott Schubring is a Staff Engineer at Williams Companies where he supports gas transmission and midstream equipment. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University and has over 25 years of experience in gas compression. Scott also sits on the Gas Machinery Research Council Board of Directors, where he collaborates with industry experts to identify, scope, and execute research projects to drive a clean energy future. In his free time, Scott enjoys building and driving off-road rock crawling buggies, hiking, traveling, and spending time with his family outdoors.

Greg Blandford serves as the Director of Land, Environment & ESG Strategy at Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline. Prior to joining Southern Star, Mr. Blandford spent nearly a decade as a consultant to the energy industry, specializing in the siting and permitting of LNG, natural gas transmission, and renewable energy development projects across the United States.

In his current role, Mr. Blandford serves as Director of Business Development & Strategic Growth at Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, where he leads enterprise level growth strategy, value creation, and long range development initiatives. He is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and advancing strategic opportunities that align market demand, system capabilities, capital discipline, and the company’s long term objectives. Previously at Southern Star, he served eight years as the Director Land, Environmental, and Sustainability organizations, delivering industry leading methane reductions and advancing first of its kind hydrogen blending pilots. Prior to joining Southern Star, Mr. Blandford spent nearly a decade as a consultant to the energy industry, specializing in the development, siting, and permitting of large scale LNG, natural gas transmission, and renewable energy projects across the United States. Mr. Blandford is recognized for translating strategy into execution, aligning cross functional teams, and building scalable growth platforms that position the company for sustained success.

Suzanne Ogle is President and CEO of the SGA Natural Gas Association, representing utilities
and energy system partners across North America. With more than three decades of executive
leadership experience, she brings a practical, systems-level perspective to energy affordability,
infrastructure investment, and grid reliability.

Suzanne works at the intersection of operations, policy, and workforce readiness, engaging
directly with utilities, regulators, and federal partners on how energy cost pressures emerge, and
how they compound across fuel supply, infrastructure modernization, extreme weather, labor
constraints, and regulatory complexity. Her work emphasizes understanding cost drivers across
the full energy system, rather than isolating individual fuels or technologies.

Her insights have been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and major national broadcast
networks, and she is a frequent contributor to industry and policy forums focused on reliability,
resilience, and consumer impacts. Suzanne is known for fostering evidence-based dialogue and
solution-oriented discussion, particularly in cross-disciplinary settings where tradeoffs must be
examined honestly.

She is the author of Grit for the Grid, which outlines a pragmatic framework for balancing
affordability, reliability, and emissions reduction through a technology-inclusive energy system.
Suzanne continues to work with policymakers, regulators, and practitioners to advance durable,
consumer-aware approaches to energy system evolution

In his role, Rishi also serves as the primary Liaison to the Gas Machinery Research Council
(GMRC). He manages the strategic relationship with the GMRC, overseeing the execution of
its key initiatives. This includes planning the annual GMC Conference, administering the
council’s budget, coordinating industry training programs, and directing GMRC-funded
research projects that drive innovation in gas machinery and compression technology.