#89. From Flight Engineer to CEO: Powering the Data Center Boom with Rob Rice

How do you transform an oilfield services giant into a power generation powerhouse? Gravity CEO Rob Rice joins David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen to reveal the "behind-the-scenes" of his company’s massive evolution. From his days as an Air Force flight test engineer to leading multi-million dollar divestitures, Rice explains why the future of the field is not in water or chemicals, but in standardized 400 kW natural gas generators.Tune in to find out!00:36 Podcast Mission And Sponsors01:59 Host Banter And Industry Events03:39 Meet Rob Rice03:54 Louisiana Roots And Air Force05:46 First Rig Trip Spark07:25 Early Career Texas Eastern08:51 Enron And Overseas Work11:28 Hanover To Archrock Leadership14:41 Air Force Flying Stories16:26 Gravity Origin And Reshaping20:23 Power Rental Market Focus26:11 Reliability Data Centers And Service29:18 Strategic Partner Role30:52 Looking Ahead For Gravity31:01 Growth and Diversification32:13 Company Size and COVID Reset33:49 Remote Work and Tech Shifts35:43 Deal Prep and Data Rooms38:32 Motivating Teams Through Change41:59 Professionalism First Impressions45:24 Career Choices in Energy49:10 Mentors and Paying It Forward50:15 Life Outside the CEO Role52:21 Crawfish and Louisiana Roots54:51 Final Advice and Wrap Up