Summit Midstream Welcomes Chris Tennant as New Chief Commercial Officer
Summit Midstream Welcomes Chris Tennant as Chief Commercial Officer
On February 2, 2026, Summit Midstream Corporation (NYSE: SMC) announced the appointment of Chris Tennant as its new Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). This strategic move is aimed at enhancing the company’s commercial capabilities and growth strategies across its operational footprint. Chris joins Summit with a wealth of knowledge and experience, specifically within the midstream energy sector.
Leadership Background
Chris Tennant is not a newcomer to the industry, having amassed over 30 years of experience managing teams and developing commercial strategies throughout the U.S. energy vertical. His expertise covers critical areas such as natural gas liquids (NGL), crude oil, and natural gas markets. Before joining Summit, Chris held a key role at Matador Resources as the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Midstream Operations. There, he was instrumental in crafting effective midstream strategies alongside developing third-party contracts that added significant value to the organization’s operations.
Prior to his successful tenure at Matador Resources, Chris dedicated 14 years to EnLink Midstream. His various leadership roles at EnLink had him focus on enhancing commercial performance across multiple sectors, including gathering and processing, crude oil systems, and regulated and non-regulated pipelines. These experiences equip him well for his new position at Summit, aligning with the company’s objective of disciplined growth and reinforcing their commercial platform.
Summit Midstream's Vision
In his role as CCO, Chris Tennant will oversee Summit's overarching commercial strategy, manage customer relationships, and spearhead long-term growth initiatives. This strategic alignment signifies Summit's commitment to not only delivering customer satisfaction but also creating sustained long-term value for its shareholders.
Heath Deneke, President and CEO of Summit Midstream, commented on the new appointment, stating, “Chris brings substantial commercial expertise and demonstrated leadership within midstream organizations to Summit. His vast experience in developing and executing commercial strategies will aid our growth attempts and maintain our focus on maximizing long-term shareholder value.”
About Summit Midstream Corporation
Summit Midstream Corporation is a value-centric enterprise known for developing, owning, and managing midstream energy infrastructure assets strategically positioned in vital unconventional resource basins across the continental United States. The company specializes in providing services involving natural gas, crude oil, and produced water gathering, processing, and transportation, mainly through long-term fee-based agreements with its customer base.
Summit operates in five primary unconventional resource basins:
1. The Williston Basin (including the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations in North Dakota)
2. The Denver-Julesburg Basin (comprising the Niobrara and Codell shale formations in Colorado and Wyoming)
3. The Fort Worth Basin (which features the Barnett Shale formation in Texas)
4. The Arkoma Basin (including the Woodford and Caney shale formations in Oklahoma)
5. The Piceance Basin (with the Mesaverde formation and other notable formations in Colorado)
Additionally, Summit Midstream holds an equity stake in Double E Pipeline, LLC, responsible for providing interstate natural gas transportation from several receipt points in the Delaware Basin to multiple delivery points in proximity to the Waha Hub, Texas. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and continues to aim for excellence in the midstream space, adhering to its strategic vision of harnessing the core advantages of the unconventional resource basins where it operates.
Through the appointment of Chris Tennant, Summit Midstream illustrates its commitment to driving growth by leveraging experienced leadership focused on enhancing commercial value, ensuring a promising future for the company and its stakeholders.