A resident of Houston, Texas, Mr. Petersen helped create and is a co-founder and managing partner of EnCap Investments, one of the largest private equity firms in the world for the upstream and midstream sectors of the U.S. oil and gas industry. The firm, with more than $30 billion of assets under management, is considered the gold standard in the energy private equity space. Prior to forming EnCap in 1988, Mr. Petersen worked in the finance business, specializing in the energy sector.

Before entering the business world, he served from 1970 to 1972 in the U.S. Army as an Armor Officer at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, and later in Washington, D.C., as a First Lieutenant in the Finance Corps attached to the Army Security Agency.

Mr. Petersen currently serves on the boards of several EnCap portfolio companies and is a member of the board of Plains All American, Inc. He is a member of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the Houston Producers’ Forum and the Petroleum Club of Houston. Mr. Petersen is chairman of the Energy Advisory Council of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank and sits on the Houston branch’s board of directors.

Both Gary and his life partner Elizabeth are deeply involved with many of the large charitable institutions in Houston. He is a member and past chairman of Chapelwood United Methodist Church, past chairman of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System Foundation Board, past chairman of the Council on Alcohol & Drugs in Houston and the Museum of Natural Science. In addition to supporting these organizations, Gary and Elizabeth have contributed to the Legacy Foundation, Navy SEAL Foundation, Hope and Healing Center, and other worthy causes. Mr. Petersen is a minority owner and limited partner of the NFL team, Houston Texans, and the MLB team, Houston Astros. He was vice chairman of Super Bowl XVI, which was played in Houston.