Opinion: Why Tillerson Will Be a Great Secretary of State

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The nomination of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state by President-elect Donald Trump is not without its controversy. But based on his background and capabilities, I believe this is great for our country in the following ways. 

Having worked with Exxon in various capacities from purchasing retail assets, leasing throughput and terminal space, sourcing supply and managing exchanges as well as working in trade associations on legislation and policy, I have never met individuals more organized, more ethical and smarter than the folks of ExxonMobil. This surely is a reflection of Tillerson’s leadership.

He is a civil engineering graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he received numerous awards for academic excellence.

In his 16 years as CEO, Tillerson has managed 15,000 employees on a global basis along all facets of the value chain. ExxonMobil’s stock has risen from $60 to $89 all the while paying a 3% dividend, and the company has maintained an exceptional balance sheet. 

Tillerson has made ExxonMobil an environmental steward after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and was instrumental in acquiring XTO Energy in 2009 to move the company toward cleaner, cheaper and more abundant natural gas.

He has also spoken in a balanced fashion on climate change, acknowledging human activity is causing it but embracing that there may be more efficient and effective ways to deal with it, including a carbon tax.

While the left has attacked his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tillerson has experience in several countries and worked for a while in Kazakhstan and the Caspian region. ExxonMobil is a corporate member of The Council on Foreign Relations, and Tillerson is a trustee for the Center of Strategic & International Studies.

Tillerson, a former Eagle Scout and past national president of the Boy Scouts of America, lobbied the organization’s board to lift its ban on gay members.

Sen. Claire McCaskill of Washington attacked him and other Trump nominees, saying they were part of the “three G Cabinet”: Goldman [Sachs], generals and gazillonaires. But I look at him and other appointees as possessing qualities that I look for when hiring, or the four C's: capability, character, communication and culture.

If the Democrats wish to retain some relevancy, they must stop demonizing business leaders, making energy executives supervillains and putting someone down because they are financially successful. Tillerson has created $210 billion in value over 16 years while employing 100,000 individuals and spending $320 billion in capital. We could do no better than wishing him much success.

Joe Petrowski is an advisor to BW Gas & Convenience dba Yesway, Des Moines, Iowa, a c-store unit of Brookwood Financial Partners LLC, Beverly, Mass. He is also founder of Mercantor Partners LLC, a private-equity group focused on downstream energy distribution and retail convenience, and former CEO of Cumberland Farms and Gulf Oil.