2025 Energy Summit Awards

October 9th, 2025 from 11-5PM

Energy Summit Awards - Application now Open!

These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement within and dedication to our industry and COGA. The deadline for all nominations is July 31st. Winners will be announced at the Annual Meeting and Conference on October 9th in Downtown Denver.

Apply Here

Energy Summit Awards

Fred Julander Lifetime Achievement Award

2024 Honoree: Ward Polzin

2023 Honoree: Bart Brookman
2022 Honoree: Jim Cole
2021 Honoree: Brent Backes
2019 Honoree: Bob Boswell
2018 Honoree: Peter Dea
2017 Honoree: Ken Wonstolen
2016 Honoree: Howard Boigon
2015 Honoree: Pete Stark
2014 Inaugural Honoree: Fred C. Julander

The Fred Julander Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has performed outstanding service and achieved noteworthy accomplishments over the course of their career in Colorado’s oil and gas industry. This individual’s exceptional devotion of time, effort, thought, and action serves as an inspiration throughout the industry. Fred Julander was one of the original founders of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association and was the founder of the Rocky Mountain Natural Gas Conference which eventually became The Energy Summit conference. Fred was the first-ever recipient of COGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which was changed in 2018 to the Fred Julander Lifetime Achievement Award in his honor. His legacy of great work in our industry will never be forgotten.

Energy Summit Awards

Emerging Leader Award

2024 Honoree: Joel Kenyon

2023 Honoree: Thomas Porter
2022 Honoree: Kait Schwartz
2021 Honoree: Angela Zivkovich
2019 Honoree: Audrey (Carlson) Barrios
2018 Honoree: Heidi Gill
2017 Honoree: Craig McMillin
2016 Honoree: Matt Owens
2015 Honoree: Sarah Derdowski
2014 Inaugural Honoree: Sarah Bartlett

This award recognizes the outstanding achievement of an emerging leader within industry. This individual will have already made significant contributions to the industry and have demonstrated the potential for leadership, dedication, and innovation. All nominees must be under 35 years of age.

Energy Summit Awards

Innovator Award

The Innovator Award, recognizes bold thinkers who are revolutionizing the oil and gas industry through game-changing ideas. This award celebrates an individual who has demonstrated exemplary leadership and forward-thinking in developing innovative solutions to the challenges facing our industry and society. Whether an executive driving transformative change or an individual contributor pioneering novel approaches, the Innovator Award recognizes those whose groundbreaking concepts are charting a path towards a more sustainable, efficient, and socially-responsible future for energy production. The award is open to inspirational innovators across all roles and levels and highlights the creative problem-solvers whose pioneering work is propelling our industry into the next frontier. Nominate the trailblazing visionaries whose revolutionary thinking will shape how we meet tomorrow's energy demands.