Board

Brad Howell

Board President

VP of Business Development, 3S Services

Brad Howell grew up in Lubbock, Texas but currently lives in Spring Branch in the Texas Hill Country north of San Antonio. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1998 and holds a BS and MS in Agronomy. He is employed by 3S Services where he is the VP of Business Development. Brad and his wife Melissa have two daughters, Madilyn and Brooklyn. In addition to serving as the Chairman for Sky High’s governing Executive Committee and the Chairman for the San Antonio Event Committee, he also volunteers on a committee for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and serves on the board for the local school FFA booster club. Brad enjoys golf, hunting and fishing but most of his time is consumed raising stock show animals with his kids.

Bob Buck

Vice President

Production Manager, Anadarko

Robert John Buck grew up in the Altoona, Pennsylvania area, and graduated from Penn State University in 1985 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. He is employed with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation where he is the Gulf of Mexico Production Engineering Manager. Bob and his wife, Mary Anne, live in The Woodlands, Texas with their three children, Austin, Connor, and Madison. In addition to his volunteer duties with Sky High, Bob enjoys college football, traveling, cooking, and golf.

Joe grew up in the midwest, graduating with a degree in Physics from Miami University and an then earning his MBA at North Carolina State University.  He started is career in the Oil and Gas industry with Chevron contracting offshore rigs.  He is now employed by Repsol and is currently a Business Development Project Manager responsible for North America acquisitions and divestments.

Joe started his involvement with Sky High with contributions through his hobbies of woodworking and photography.  While his involvement has increased over time, especially with his current role as Treasurer, you may still find him at events behind the camera or see his woodworking donations at the auctions. Joe’s wife, Megan, is also actively involved in Sky High and serves on various committees including Ladies who Brunch.

In addition to the hobbies mentioned above and volunteer duties with Sky High, Joe enjoys traveling with his wife, skiing, and boating.

Susie Bertrand

Secretary

Business/Advertising Consultant Bertrand Enterprises, LLC

Susie Bertrand was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana where she graduated from then University of Southwestern Louisiana, now University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry. She began her career as a research chemist. A few years later Susie took a turn to restaurant business while residing in Aspen, Colorado. She and her husband, David, opened their first restaurant in Abbeville, Louisiana in 1988. She has three children, Katie, Jeremy and Emily. Susie has extensive advertising experience and continues to consult in business and advertising. Her hobbies include bicycling, skiing, and gardening.

Travis Urbanovsky

Adventures Co-Chairman

President, K&R Operating LLC

Travis L. Urbanovsky is a Cuero, TX native and two time graduate of Texas Tech, where he earned a Bachelor’s in Economics and a Masters of Business Administration. He is currently the President of K&R Operating LLC and currently resides in New Braunfels, TX with his family. He is the loving husband to his wife Mandell, proud father to his children Ace and Ken and he is expecting another addition to their family April 2018. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, sports, and classic cars.

Jenifer Tule Ham

Executive Committee

Director LNG Upstream-Mozambique, Anadarko

Jenifer Tule Ham currently resides in Houston, TX. Jenifer has a degree in Ocean Engineering from Texas A&M University. She has spent the last 20 years working in the Oil & Gas Industry and is currently employed by Anadarko Petroleum where she has devoted the majority of her career to delivering major capital projects for deep water Gulf of Mexico and International markets.

Jenifer first served Sky High as a volunteer in 2008 at the Houston Sporting Clay Tournament and then volunteered in all subsequent events until being elected to the board in 2012. She also serves on the Executive Committee for the organization and is committed to raising money for Sky High.

Jenifer enjoys traveling, hunting, and fishing with her husband, Derek Ham, who is also a volunteer and supporter of the organization and serves on the Sky High Adventures Committee.

Richard Messa

Executive Committee

CEO, Extreme Energy Services

Richard Messa is from Lafayette, Louisiana and currently lives in Houston, Texas. Richard is the owner and president of Extreme Energy Services. He has one son, Jeremy, and in his free time, Richard enjoys being outdoors fishing, hunting and shooting sporting clays.

Jason Heckt

Board Member

Executive Vice President
Strike LLC

Jason Heckt is an Executive Vice President and Partner at Strike, an energy services provider located in The Woodlands, Texas. He presides over the Business Development and Marketing departments, aligning sales strategies with business unit and company goals, increasing Strike’s service reach across the nation. Jason is a long time resident of the Houston Area and is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. Jason resides in The Woodlands with his wife and three children. Jason attends St. Anthony Catholic Church and is a supporter of numerous charities and local athletic organizations. Jason cherishes time with his family and friends, and participating in sports of all kinds.

Nicole Neumann

Board Member

Owner, Magenta Consulting

Nicole has been volunteering with Sky High since the fall of 2017. Working with the Executive Director and the Board President, she is facilitating the development of Sky High’s strategic plans and business processes. Nicole also volunteers her time at Texas Children’s Hospital, The Woodlands.

Nicole is the owner of Magenta Consulting, a strategy and business planning consultancy firm with expertise in management system development and implementation, business process development, and optimization of personal and organizational performance.

Nicole spent 10 years working for Repsol, formerly Talisman Energy, leading the Health, Safety and Environment Department. During this time, she supported the company’s startup operations in the United States. Prior to Repsol, Nicole worked for Schlumberger and was responsible for the company’s occupational health and industrial hygiene programs.

Nicole has a unique work background, having spent eight years in the health industry prior to transitioning to oil and gas. In this capacity, she worked as a Registered Nurse in one of the country’s most critical Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).

Norman Ackermann

Board Member

President Prime 8 Offshore, LLC

Norman Ackermann is a Memphis, Tennessee native that currently resides in The Woodlands, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of South Alabama, in Mobile, AL, and is currently the President, Prime 8 Offshore. In addition to serving on the board for Sky High for St. Jude, Norman Ackermann is also a member of the Texas Parks and Wildlife-Operation Game Thief, Steering Committee. He is the proud father of his two sons Grant and Hayden, and in his spare time he enjoys scuba diving, traveling with his family, and private piloting.

Taylor Sass

Board Member

Communications & Marketing Director,
Weisser Engineering & Surveying

Taylor Sass, Communications & Marketing Director at Weisser Engineering & Surveying (WES), joined the Team in 2011 working as a Contract Public Affairs Agent for an 800 Mile NGL Pipeline Project for DCP Midstream, LLC in Houston, Texas. As Taylor experienced her first project in the Energy Industry, she was also completing her Bachelors of Science Degree in Agriculture Communications & Journalism from Texas A&M University. Taylor continued to act as one of two Public Affairs Representatives for DCP Midstream’s 800 Mile Sand Hills Pipeline Project, traveling throughout the State of Texas, all while completing her edu- cation. She dealt with State Legislators and Lobbyists, individual land owners, municipalities, and conducted many Town Hall Meetings and Public Hearings for constituents.

Taylor graduated from Texas A&M University in 2013 and continues to grow in her position at WES, focusing on both Public and Private Industries which includes, but is not limited to, Energy, Public Infrastructure, Private Development, the Southeast Texas Political Arena and Industrial Professional sectors. Ms. Sass’ responsibilities include drafting Professional Proposals, Statements of Qualifications, and Requests for Qualifications, orchestrating and implementing all Corporate Branding, Corporate Communications and Marketing efforts to professional markets and clients, identifying and pursuing potential projects, as well as establishing WES’ “Internal Wellness Programs”, Internal and External Events, Community Giving & Community Involvement for the Texas-based firm.

In the Spring of 2012, Taylor started her own Minority Owned & Operated Right of Way and Property Maintenance Company, Cowboy Brush Cutters, LLC. She serves as the President, alongside her Brother and Vice President, Ramsey Sass. The Company focuses on maintaining Oil & Gas Rights of Ways, as well as Private Development & Acreage Properties within the Houston area. The Company is currently celebrating six years of business.

Over the past four years, Ms. Sass has held a personal, professional and passionate volunteer effort for Sky High for Kids (Sky High), a Pediatric Cancer Research Charity, and was recently appointed to the board of directors. Taylor first became involved with Sky High in 2014 as an event volunteer, then went on to lead the largest fundraising silent auction in Sky High history for each Houston event. As commissioned by the Sky High Board of Directors, Ms. Sass developed and implemented the organization’s Inaugural Development Committee, comprised of ten Community Leaders, dedicated to progressing Sky High’s fundraising borders and base networks. Sky High raises over $5 million for Texas Children’s Hospital & St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital annually.