Top Employers in Houston, Texas

If you’re an MBA graduate in Houston, Texas, there are a few things you can expect. First, you can expect a lower cost of living than other U.S. cities—it currently ranks #26 in the nation. Second, you’ll find a vast and diverse population of over 2.239 million people. Finally, you’ll find a burgeoning economy with a broad industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation.

So, what does that mean for MBA graduates of the prestigious McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin or the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University? It means you have a variety of employment opportunities in a variety of different industries.

We’ve compiled the top seven largest employers for the largest city in the Southern United States.

Top Employers in Houston

Chevron

Chevron employs nearly 8,600 people in the Houston area and is one of the “world’s leading integrated energy companies producing safe, reliable energy now and for the future.” Its headquarters is in San Ramon, California but its active in more than 180 countries and is ranked third on the Fortune 500. Among its leadership team Chevron has a few notable MBAs.

• John S. Watson, CEO and Chairman of the Board, received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
• Pierre R. Breber, Executive Vice President of Downstream and Chemicals, received his MBA from Cornell University.
• Mary A. Francis, Corporate Secretary and Chief Governance Officer, received her MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkley.

Shell Oil Company

With 7,000 employees in the Houston area, Shell Oil Company is a major Houston employer and a multinational oil company. It has approximately 22,000 employees worldwide and is the market leader with almost 25,000 Shell-branded gas stations in the U.S. MBAs among its team include:

• Bobby Hood, Sales Manager North America, received his MBA from Cameron School of Business at the University of St. Thomas.
• Matthew Guidry, Drilling & Completions Engineer, received his MBA from Tulane University.
• Celena Friday, Marketing Leader in Strategy and Communications, MBA from the Cameron School of Business at the University of St. Thomas.

Chase Bank

Employing 4,892 people in Houston, Chase Bank is a national bank and a subsidiary of the multinational banking corporation JP Morgan Chase. Chase offers more than 5,200 branches and 16,100 ATM’s nationwide with approximately 265,359 employees in 100 countries. MBAs among its leadership team include:

• Crandall C. Bowles, Director since 2006, received her MBA from Columbia University.
• Jamie Dimon, CEO and Chairman, received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
• Stephen B. Burke, Director since 2004, received his MBA from Harvard Business School.

CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy is a Fortune 500 electric and Natural gas utility company employing 3,826 people in Houston. The company was formally known as Reliant Energy and is headquartered in downtown Houston. There are quite a few MBAs in the upper echelons of the company including:

• Kenneth M. Mercado, Senior Vice President of Electric Operations, received his MBA from Mays Business School at Texas A&M University.
• Shachella James, Director of Business Technology Support Services, receive her MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, at Austin.
• Jeff Wiese, Vice President of Energy Services, received his MBA from Louisiana Tech University.

KBR

KBR is an American engineering, procurement, and construction company. They employ 2,958 people in Houston with operations in 40 countries and services in 80 countries. Most of the top leadership at KBR hold an MBA degree.

• Stuart Bradie, President and CEO, holds his MBA from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot Watt University.
• Brian Ferraioli, Executive Vice President and CFO, received his MBA with honors from Columbia University.
• Farhan Mujib, Executive Vice President Commercial, holds his MBA from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

NRG/Reliant Energy

NRG is a large American energy company leading innovation and working to simplify and enhance power for home and business. They employ 2,300 individuals in Houston and lead the nation in bringing smart energy solutions to customers. NRG also owns the nation’s largest and most diverse, competitive power generation portfolio. Among their leadership, you can find quite a few MBAs:

• Kirkland Andrews, Executive Vice President and CFO, holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
• John Chillemi, Executive Vice President of National Business Development, received his MBA from Georgia State University.
• Robert Gaudette, Senior Vice President of Business Solutions, earned his MBA from Rice University.

ExxonMobil Corporation

ExxonMobil is the largest publically traded international oil and gas company. They use technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. The company currently employs 2,200 people in Houston and has a long history of leadership in petroleum and petrochemical industries. The management team includes MBAs such as:

• Darren Woods, President, received his MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
• Michael Dolan, Senior Vice President, received his MBA from Drexel University.

Other top employers in Houston include: Hess (2,000 employees), Kinder Morgan (1,860 employees), and Deloitte (1,700 employees).

regions: Houston

About the Author