Alumni Spotlight - Gaurdie Banister (MetE 80)

The problem solver who puts values first

After holding several global leadership positions, founding his own private firm, and serving on several public and private company boards, Gaurdie Banister Jr. (MetE 80) thinks he gained one of the most important leadership skills from his alma mater.

“South Dakota Mines is where I learned how to learn,” he said. “That ability has helped me a lot throughout my career, especially when it comes to solving problems.” 

And one look at Gaurdie’s bio makes it clear that he is just that – a problem solver. For 8 years, he led Aera Energy LLC, now recognized as a leader for its innovative approach toward lean manufacturing. Before that, he held several leadership positions for Shell, including Technical VP roles for its Upstream Asia Pacific and Upstream America operations as well as VP of Business Development and Technology and President of EP Gas and Power. 

His experience on boards also indicates his willingness to tackle hard issues. During his time on the Tyson Foods board, he was Lead Director, chair of the Compensation and Leadership Committee and the Strategy and Acquisitions Committee. He currently sits on the board of the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity. 

Solving problems is one of the reasons Gaurdie’s advisor urged him to look into South Dakota Mines.

“I was always tinkering with things as a kid. I liked to solve complex problems.” 

His parents may have instilled that in him. Gaurdie grew up in Casper, Wyo. after his parents, in his words, “took a bold step.” 

“They were activists. They didn’t want their kids to grow up in the segregated South, so they left and moved to Wyoming.” 

He hadn’t given South Dakota Mines too much thought until one of his high school classmates got accepted there. 

“I figured if he got in, so could I,” said Gaurdie. 

He was accepted and would go on to play basketball for the Hardrockers for 4 years. It was that student-athlete structure, getting involved on campus, and the challenging STEM courses that forced Gaurdie to “learn how to learn.” Chemical Engineering was his incoming major, but he realized it wasn’t for him after the first lab. 

“I remember that lab like it was yesterday,” he said with a laugh. 

His teammates had some fun seeing who could recruit Gaurdie to their major. Metallurgical Engineering won, and while he didn’t end up working in that field, he said he owes a lot of gratitude to professors such as Drs. Howard, Stone, Fuerstenau and Boyson. 

Gaurdie has fond memories of his time at Mines. He met his wife on campus and made many friends as a member of  Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. When he graduated, he was overcome by emotions when realizing he would be making more money than both of his parents combined in his first job as an offshore facilities engineer for Shell. 

Gaurdie was the first African American to graduate from Mines. His advice to underrepresented minorities on campus is that if he can make it you can make it!
 
“It’s important for students to be well rounded and know how to interact with lots of people so get involved on campus. You want to have these experiences and make mistakes early on so you can learn from them.”

When reflecting on some of the leadership challenges he has had  throughout his career, he said the common lesson he’s learned is to “just have compassion.” 

“In every circumstance, when it comes to people, first have compassion. You’ll end up with the right outcome every time.”

Compassion and giving back are two areas Gaurdie is committed to in his retirement. He currently serves on the boards of Dow, Enbridge, American University, and South Dakota Mines Center for Alumni Relations & Advancement and the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity. He is also the Chairman of the Board at Russell Reynolds Associates. Recently, he was named one of the Top 25 Black Board Members in the U.S. by BoardProspects.com. He has been a frequent donor to South Dakota Mines, especially in the area of Athletics. 

“Giving back is in the Banister DNA,” Gaurdie said. “Community was very important to my parents.” 

One thing’s for sure: South Dakota Mines is proud and grateful that Gaurdie Banister is a part of our community.