Committed to helping others, Lance Hyde has dedicated his life’s work to helping and providing opportunities for others. Since January of 2012 he has served as Supplier Diversity Manager of EQT Corporation where he educates internal stakeholders on Supplier Diversity and works externally to identify and foster the development of diverse owned business enterprises.
“It has been a great experience. I haven’t worked with anyone in Western Pennsylvania in a long time, like Lance,” said Jason Matthews one of the many Minority Business Enterprises Hyde has assisted. “He is serious, creative and committed to making sure diverse suppliers have a chance to participate in available opportunities.”
Introduced to Hyde and EQT by Alexander Nichols of the Eastern Minority Diversity Council, Matthews, founder and CEO of W. Blazer Holdings has been working with Hyde since the fall of 2012. Within that time he estimates that he has conducted millions of dollars’ worth of work while involved with EQT in the Marcellus Shale project throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. His company provides land and engineering services for EQT and the contract has enabled him to employ more than 15 people on a national level.
“I am blessed to be in an occupation and situations where I am able to help small business owners and to contribute to their job growth,” expressed Hyde. Throughout his career he says he has served as a consultant to both global corporations and diverse firms to aid in their diversity business development efforts. While located in Oakland, California he conducted DBE outreach for the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, an organization called Salesforce.com and an Asian woman owned and operated firm.
Since joining EQT, one of the country’s largest natural gas producing companies he says he has participated on numerous national industry groups and committees including the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council’s
Petrochemical and Energy Industry Group, and the EMSDC’s Certification and Opportunity Fair and Gala Committees. Locally, he sits on the Corporate Equity Inclusion Roundtable’s Supplier Diversity Committee and the Marcellus Shale Coalition’s Supply Chain Committee.
Since joining EQT, advocacy councils and community leaders have recognized his many accomplishments. He received a Commendation Letter from the Honorable Senator Vincent Hughes and from EMSDC he received the Harold T. Bushey Award in 2014 and, the Corporate Advocate of the Year Award in 2014 and 2013. He was awarded the Women’s Business Enterprise Council Shining Star Award and was recognized as the New Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence in 2014.
Before joining EQT Hyde drafted a White Paper for the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s Petrochemical Energy Industry Group. The resource guide, endorsed by leading global energy companies outlines six energy industry barriers that hinder some diverse suppliers from earning business in the natural gas industry.
The challenges in his experience are; capital investment, safety requirements, insurance requirements, competitive pricing, incumbents and lack of industry related experience.
As a way to change and combat the barriers, Hyde believes that education is the platform where success is built. As a result during his tenure at EQT he says through national outreach he delivers presentations and moderates panel discussions at national conferences and in communities of color that are designed to educate and connect diverse owned business enterprises to business opportunities with corporations and buying entities in the natural gas industry.
An Oakland, Cali native, Hyde earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University-East Bay. He is currently pursuing his MBA with a concentration on Energy Management from Waynesburg University.
Prior to entering the supplier diversity field Hyde always had a passion for people. Early in his career he organized the Oakland Music Festival as a way to raise funds for the public school system for scholarships and programs. “It was a good way to bring the right players together like corporate leaders, politicians and the media. A way to raise awareness,” he said.
Under the stage name of Lance Taylor, Hyde upon graduation from college also tried his hand at acting. He says he had roles in former television shows like Brooklyn South, the Jamie Foxx Show and the Wayan Brothers. He also had a role in the soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Founded in the 1880s by George Westinghouse, today EQT is an integrated energy company with an emphasis on Appalachian natural gas production, gathering, and transmission. With its 125 years of experience in the natural gas industry, its current growth trend is built on the use of advanced horizontal drilling technology. The companies’ footprint not only encompasses Western Pennsylvania, but EQTs’ obligations are throughout the Keystone State as well as Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
To be successful in gaining contracts from EQT both Hyde and Matthews suggest that venders know their skill set and to have the ability for it to be transferable, to have a good understanding as to the needs of EQT and to have a strong performance history.
“Lance not only has helped me obtain business from EQT, he has also introduced me to opportunities in other companies,” Matthews pointed out. “We need more people like him working for MBEs.”
