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American Petroleum Institute - Delta Chapter

2008 Meritorious Service Awards Luncheon

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Congratulations to Jan Catalano and Lisa Ingraham, recipients of the 2008 API Meritorious Service Award!

On March 17, 2009, eighteen (18) local petroleum industry societies honored the two 2008 recipients at a luncheon held at the Holiday Inn Superdome.  The event was attended by over 90 colleagues, friends, family and associates of the honorees.  Both Jan and Lisa have selflessly served our local petroleum industry and community with much passion for years, and it was a great pleasure to honor these dedicated, hardworking professionals.  

The guest speaker this year was Tulane Dean of Engineering Nick Altiero, who gave a very enlightening talk about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and the ongoing effort both locally and nationally to encourage and foster growth in these areas in our K‐12 students and teachers.

Janice M. Catalano is a reservoir engineer with over 30 years of petroleum industry experience with Gulf, LL&E, Shell Offshore, Online Resources, and now ORX    Resources.    Her technical accomplishments include coordination of property divestitures for Shell Offshore, Inc. and LL&E, resulting in sales of over    $50MM and cost savings of $135MM, reorganization and supervision of LL&E's production reporting department, and management of the ORX Resource's reserve and production database.  

She also has been very active in professional society work.   Jan is currently the secretary for the Society of Petroleum Engineers - Delta Section and the Past Chair of  the American Petroleum Institute - Delta Chapter.      She helped form the One Voice committee, and led the team through a transition to become PIPE - Petroleum Industry Promoting Education.    In her leadership role in PIPE, Jan continues to work closely with education leaders throughout the area and other societies to support energy education and inform the community about the oil and gas industry.  She has also been a board member of API - Delta Chapter since 2001, and in 2008 chaired the API‐Delta Chapter.    In addition, she currently serves on the GNO STEM initiative, participates with Horizon Initiative Oil and Gas Sector and has also served as the Membership Director for the Association of Information Technology Professionals.  

Lisa Deshotel Ingraham has worked in the Oil & Gas Industry for 15 years and is a Certified Public Accountant with the Estate of William G. Helis as a Gas Marketing Analyst.  Lisa began her career with TDC Energy Corporation in 1994.

Lisa earned a softball scholarship to University of Louisiana at Monroe and attained a Bachelors of Finance in 1993, and then obtained a Masters of Accounting at University of New Orleans in 1998.    She is an active Desk and Derrick of New Orleans member of 10 years and currently Treasurer, also a 14 year member of Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies (COPAS) and served as President in 2001.

These associations have allowed her the exposure to help energize and network the educational ideas of the joint industry associations such as PIPE - Petroleum Industry Promoting Education.  Most recently, Lisa developed D&D of New Orleans' education outreach program which introduces the industry to elementary aged children via the 'Bit of Fun' Activity Book called "Are You Smarter than a 3rd, 4th, or 5th Grader with a Bit of Fun?"

In closing, if you know someone who selflessly serves this industry and community and deserves similar recognition, please submit their names and accomplishments to one of our local societies for consideration in next year's service award program.