Your Leadership Team
Meet Your Succession Partners
Avisto Capital Partners is a multi-disciplined team of experts in the oil and gas financial industry which gives us the perspective to understand your challenges and opportunities as you explore an exit strategy. To maintain our competitive edge, we are constantly seeking out the new and best technology, developing new skills and adapting to the ever-changing software environment within the oil and gas industry. We hire only the best, train them well and make sure our people are a priority in our collective success.
Bruce Smith
Bruce Smith is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. Bruce is responsible for strategy, planning and acquisitions. His background includes international energy banking and management focused on restructuring the liabilities of financially troubled energy companies.
Prior to forming Avisto, Bruce was the Chairman and CEO of Tesoro Corporation after serving as the CFO where he successfully restructured debt and equity to avoid bankruptcy and assumed the responsibility of Tesoro’s oil and gas business sector. During his time as CEO, he refocused the company’s business strategy, disposed of non-core assets and acquired six refineries which created significant value for shareholders and elevated Tesoro to a Fortune 100 company. Following 15 years as CEO, Bruce retired and co-founded Avisto Capital Partners and a predecessor company, One Cypress Energy.
Bruce has served as a director on a number of community and public corporate boards, including LyondellBasell Industries N.V. and Noble Energy Inc. He chaired the Audit Committee at both corporations and at various times, chaired the Nominating and Governance and Compensation committees.
Bruce received a Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College and an MBA from the University of Kansas.
Bruce Smith
Bruce Smith is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. Bruce is responsible for strategy, planning and acquisitions. His background includes international energy banking and management focused on restructuring the liabilities of financially troubled energy companies.
Prior to forming Avisto, Bruce was the Chairman and CEO of Tesoro Corporation after serving as the CFO where he successfully restructured debt and equity to avoid bankruptcy and assumed the responsibility of Tesoro’s oil and gas business sector. During his time as CEO, he refocused the company’s business strategy, disposed of non-core assets and acquired six refineries which created significant value for shareholders and elevated Tesoro to a Fortune 100 company. Following 15 years as CEO, Bruce retired and co-founded Avisto Capital Partners and a predecessor company, One Cypress Energy.
Bruce has served as a director on a number of community and public corporate boards, including LyondellBasell Industries N.V. and Noble Energy Inc. He chaired the Audit Committee at both corporations and at various times, chaired the Nominating and Governance and Compensation committees.
Bruce received a Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College and an MBA from the University of Kansas.
Position
Partner
Areas of Expertise
- Strategy, Planning and Acquisitions
Contact
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. Chad is responsible for business development, strategic relationships, valuation and operational execution. He brings more than 20 years of experience to the firm.
Prior to forming Avisto, Chad began his career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers in the Energy and Natural Resources Group providing oil and gas companies strategic advice on mergers, acquisitions and capital market transactions. In 2012, he shifted from working with Fortune 500 level organizations to working on a more personal basis with small to mid-cap and private companies. He spent several years with boutique finance firms concentrated on consulting and sell-side mergers and acquisitions to a broad range of oil, gas, mineral and service customers.
Chad serves as a Board Member for Bluewing One, LLC. and he also serves as the Senior Vice President of Terminal Operations with One Cypress Energy.
Chad holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business with a concentration in Accounting and Finance.
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. Chad is responsible for business development, strategic relationships, valuation and operational execution. He brings more than 20 years of experience to the firm.
Prior to forming Avisto, Chad began his career in investment banking at Lehman Brothers in the Energy and Natural Resources Group providing oil and gas companies strategic advice on mergers, acquisitions and capital market transactions. In 2012, he shifted from working with Fortune 500 level organizations to working on a more personal basis with small to mid-cap and private companies. He spent several years with boutique finance firms concentrated on consulting and sell-side mergers and acquisitions to a broad range of oil, gas, mineral and service customers.
Chad serves as a Board Member for Bluewing One, LLC. and he also serves as the Senior Vice President of Terminal Operations with One Cypress Energy.
Chad holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business with a concentration in Accounting and Finance.
Position
Partner
Areas of Expertise
- Business Development
- Strategy and Execution
Contact
Scott Phipps
Scott Phipps is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. Scott is responsible for strategic corporate development, company growth directives and channel partnerships. He brings more than 22 years of experience of finance and accounting, operations, and technology.
Prior to starting Avisto, Scott was the Director of Investor Relations at TCP Group after serving as the Managing Director of Finance and Investor Relations at Tesoro Corporation (now Marathon Petroleum Corporation). He went on to grow a boutique oil and gas operating company in San Antonio, looking for dislocations and unproven opportunities within marketing, consulting and operations. Scott has led several acquisition teams across upstream and downstream operations including refineries, marketing, terminals and back office support solutions.
He currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Business Development for One Cypress Energy, LLC. Scott received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas School of Business.
Scott Phipps
Scott Phipps is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. Scott is responsible for strategic corporate development, company growth directives and channel partnerships. He brings more than 22 years of experience of finance and accounting, operations, and technology.
Prior to starting Avisto, Scott was the Director of Investor Relations at TCP Group after serving as the Managing Director of Finance and Investor Relations at Tesoro Corporation (now Marathon Petroleum Corporation). He went on to grow a boutique oil and gas operating company in San Antonio, looking for dislocations and unproven opportunities within marketing, consulting and operations. Scott has led several acquisition teams across upstream and downstream operations including refineries, marketing, terminals and back office support solutions.
He currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Business Development for One Cypress Energy, LLC. Scott received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas School of Business.
Position
Partner
Areas of Expertise
- Oil And Gas Operations
- Back Office Support Solutions
Contact
John Summers
John Summers is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. John is responsible for operations and corporate strategy. He brings more than 10 years of experience in corporate strategy and operations in multiple oil and gas disciplines.
Prior to establishing Avisto, John worked in the Corporate Strategy Division at Tesoro Corporation (now Marathon Petroleum Corporation) where he focused on macro and micro industry economics, acquisitions and key drivers of corporate value. He went on to manage a first purchasing business, One Cypress Marketing, where he successfully negotiated contracts, exploited pricing differentials, implemented and managed efficiency gains and pursued strategic transactions.
John received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate World.
John Summers
John Summers is a Partner with Avisto Capital Partners, LLC. John is responsible for operations and corporate strategy. He brings more than 10 years of experience in corporate strategy and operations in multiple oil and gas disciplines.
Prior to establishing Avisto, John worked in the Corporate Strategy Division at Tesoro Corporation (now Marathon Petroleum Corporation) where he focused on macro and micro industry economics, acquisitions and key drivers of corporate value. He went on to manage a first purchasing business, One Cypress Marketing, where he successfully negotiated contracts, exploited pricing differentials, implemented and managed efficiency gains and pursued strategic transactions.
John received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate World.
Position
Partner
Areas of Expertise
- Corporate Strategy and Operations