The president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) is retiring at the end of the year and an in-house replacement will take the reins beginning in 2025, the coalition announced Wednesday.
“Leading the MSC has been an incredible honor, both professionally and personally,” MSC President David Callahan said Nov. 20. “Success starts with people, and our industry, as well as MSC’s talented staff, are second to none. It’s been a privilege to work alongside so many exceptional people who all care deeply about our energy, economic, and environmental future.”
The MSC Board learned about Callahan’s plans several months ago, when it was decided that Jim Welty, MSC’s vice president of government affairs, would assume the role of president starting Jan. 1, 2025.
“Dave has been a tremendous leader and mentor to me and the rest of the MSC staff, and I look forward to carrying on his legacy and building upon the foundation that he and his predecessors have laid,” Welty said. “I am privileged and excited to continue to work with our talented and dedicated staff.”
Callahan, who has been involved with MSC since its founding and became president in 2021, said he has “full confidence in Jim’s leadership, especially his advocacy and policy talents, to drive our organization’s success forward.”
MSC said Callahan has been instrumental in advancing the coalition’s mission of promoting the responsible development, transportation, and use of natural gas. Under his leadership, the coalition said it strengthened advocacy efforts, enhanced membership and forged strong membership-level partnerships with regional labor unions, and worked closely with state and local stakeholders to promote the benefits of Pennsylvania natural gas.
“Dave’s tenure at the MSC, and in the industry prior, has been marked by professionalism, decency, fierce loyalty, and significant member- and industry-focused value creation,” said MSC Board Chair and Pennsylvania General Energy Company General Counsel Lisa McManus.
“As we look ahead, Jim’s leadership and deep industry understanding positions us strongly to continue our important work advocating for Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry and its critical contributions to our economy and environment,” McManus added. “Our board wishes Dave the best in his retirement, which is well-earned, and is eager for Jim to maintain our positive momentum.”
Welty, a Westminster College and Widener University Commonwealth Law School graduate, has decades of public policy and management experience. He has served as MSC’s vice president of government affairs since 2013, helping to shape and advocate for legislative and regulatory priorities on behalf of the natural gas industry and its employees in Pennsylvania.
“I’m humbled and honored for the opportunity to lead the MSC and provide a continued voice for an industry that has done so much to advance economic and environmental progress,” Welty said. “I look forward to engaging with all stakeholders in Pennsylvania to ensure the commonwealth remains a global leader in responsible natural gas development, transportation, and use.”
Prior to joining MSC, Welty worked at the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney and K&L Gates law firms, representing several exploration and production clients in the early days of the Marcellus shale boom.
He also has held leadership positions with the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and Pennsylvania’s chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
MSC Director of Government Affairs Patrick Henderson, who has over 25 years of experience in the legislative and executive branches of Pennsylvania’s government and has been with MSC since 2015, will assume Welty’s current position and handle communications.