OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT

2025

KENT ELLIS

The North Dakota Petroleum Council would like to honor an extraordinary champion of energy education, Kent Ellis, for his remarkable 23 years of dedication, innovation, and leadership. 

Kent’s journey in the energy industry began in 1980 as a contract petroleum landman in the Williston Basin. Over the decades, he has worn many hats: teacher with Bismarck Public Schools, regional School-to-Work Coordinator, North Dakota Energy Career Awareness Coordinator, and ultimately the driving force behind the Tools, Trades, Torque, Tech—better known as the T4 Summits. 

Since 2002, Kent has led and expanded outreach efforts for the North Dakota Petroleum Council, organizing the Teacher Education Seminar and coordinating programs that introduced thousands of students, educators, and parents to career opportunities in the oil and gas industry. His programs reached an average of 7,000 students annually, engaging students in grades 5 through 12—and even higher education—with hands-on activities that covered geology, drilling, refining, transportation, and reclamation. 

Through the ND Energy Career Awareness Partnership and T4, Kent created experiences that helped students connect the dots between school and career. His inventive approach—complete with activities like the Gas Plant Gizmo, Drilling Game, and Pipeline Construction Project—has inspired curiosity and built real-world skills across North Dakota classrooms. 

Kent’s leadership extended beyond the classroom. He served on numerous advisory boards, from the Governor’s Youth Development Council to Bismarck State College’s Petroleum Engineering Technology Advisory Council, shaping workforce development and ensuring the energy industry’s future is bright. 

Kent is not only an educator and leader; he’s also a lifelong learner and an avid—if self-described ‘extremely slow’—bicycle road racer. His perseverance on the bike trails mirrors the consistency and dedication he’s shown throughout his career. 

Kent, was the first recipient of the Distinguished Industry Leader Award in 2006—a recognition that remains as well-deserved today as it was then. He has helped shape an entire generation of energy leaders, leaving an indelible mark on our industry and our communities. 

On behalf of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, the energy sector, and countless students and educators whose lives you’ve touched, we congratulate Kent on 23 incredible years of advancing energy education. His legacy will inspire others for decades to come.