August 11, 2020
We want to welcome a couple new members of our community who we are very excited to have as neighbors. Rick Cannon will be leading the local field office with XTO Energy. Rick and his family recently relocated here from his latest assignment in Calgary, Canada. He and his wife, Becka, have three boys, and the entire family plans to be very active in the community. Cannon originally comes from Florida and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama. He has held engineering, operations and management positions with ExxonMobil in New Orleans, Houston, Alaska, Australia and Norway.
As senior production manager for the Delaware Basin, Cannon will certainly be facing many of the same challenges that all businesses are facing in 2020. We appreciate XTO’s long-term commitment to the Delaware Basin and investment in Carlsbad. Just yesterday, we were informed of XTO’s decision to help sponsor a major cleanup activity near Queen called “Queen Up the Guads.” More on that event in a future update.
We had a great visit with Mr. Cannon recently and are very confident that he will do an excellent job.
Additionally, Eric Leonard has been announced as the superintendent of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Leonard comes to the area with more than 20 year of National Park Service, most recently as the superintendent of Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota. His list of service also includes previously serving at Big Bend National Park in Texas, where he managed the interpretive media and website. His first day is Aug. 30.
Leonard earned his Associate’s degree at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Washington and his Bachelor’s degree in history at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Liberal Studies degree with an emphasis on public history. Leonard will be returning to this area with his wife and their two teenagers.
Our community has had a wonderful relationship with Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the past and we look forward to continuing to do so. We’re very fortunate to be so close to two national parks. We look forward to visiting with Mr. Leonard as soon as he is settled in.
One final update for the day, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is in the process of applying for a permit modification for the construction of the WIPP Mine Shaft and associated connecting drifts. We have submitted a letter in to the state indicating our support for this project and the associated permit modification. A critical safety development in any underground project is adequate ventilation, and we know WIPP’s workforce supports the addition of this shaft. The New Mexico Environment Department has done a good job handling this permitting process, and we will be happy to assist however we are needed.
Sincerely,
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway