By Kevin Broom, Vice President, Marketing & Communications

The midstream industry faces no shortage of challenges in 2025, but GPA Midstream members don’t face those challenges alone. The association’s committees give industry professionals a place to roll up their sleeves, compare experiences, and work toward practical solutions that benefit the sector. All of the association’s committees will meet at the GPA Midstream Convention, which runs Sept. 21-24, 2025, at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio.

With more than 1,800 industry professionals expected to attend, the convention is a concentrated opportunity to learn, influence outcomes, and recruit collaborators. Most committee meetings are open for any employee of a GPA Midstream or GPSA member company to attend.

Getting Involved

Joining a committee is as simple as walking into a meeting, listening, learning, asking questions, and sharing ideas. Outside of convention, visit the GPA Midstream Committees page and view details on each group, including its purpose, leadership, and staff liaison.

While a few committees are elected or appointed, most are volunteer-driven — including advocacy, technical, and groups focused on communications, safety, and the convention program. GPSA also supports related advocacy, membership, and mentor/mentee committees.

Nearly every member company is represented in the committees with robust participation from both GPA Midstream and GPSA companies.

Some members come just to stay informed, while others get deeply involved — attending mid-year meetings in February and May, participating in regular virtual meetings, as well as joining convention sessions. Members can even submit questions anonymously in advance for committees to address together, which makes sure topics are relevant and lead to shared best practices.

Turning Ideas Into Action

Showing up matters, but real progress comes from active participation in committee work groups. Veteran committee members say some committees have more ideas for work than people to do the work. That’s where volunteers make the difference.

Active members often recruit peers and vendors to contribute, ensuring a wide range of perspectives. Member committee leaders like Analysis Committee Chair Eric Estrada, Targa Resources, say there’s a need for involvement from more than just seasoned veterans or subject matter experts.

“It might feel intimidating to join a committee filled with subject matter experts,” Estrada said. “You can help just by taking notes or asking questions. We need the different perspectives so what we do is useful to everyone in the industry. Committees are supposed to be a resource for everybody.”

Building the Next Generation

For early-career professionals, committees are a great place to find mentors and build subject matter expertise. Committee involvement multiplies mentorship opportunities beyond what a single employer can provide. At the same time, many experienced midstream professionals are seeking opportunities to work with younger colleagues to ensure they can pass along institutional knowledge and benefits of their career experiences.

Go Deeper: Check the Convention schedule and plan to attend the meetings that fit your professional needs.