We are pleased to announce that Justin Bender has been promoted to Director, AI Solutions & Growth.
Bender brings more than 20 years of experience across infrastructure, data management, cybersecurity, software engineering, and application management, built at some of the biggest names in energy and industry. He got his start as an Engineering Data Analyst at global giant ExxonMobil, then spent years at Southwestern Energy, one of the largest natural gas producers in the country, before taking on global application leadership at BHP, a world-leading resources company operating across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. He went on to lead enterprise applications and IT strategy at Sanchez Oil & Gas, D.E. Harvey Builders, and Ferguson Enterprises, building governance frameworks, standing up teams, and modernizing systems at every stop.
Bender is also a proud family man and outdoorsman. He and his wife are raising three kids (one son and two daughters), and when he’s not at work, he can usually be found hunting, tending trees, or in his woodworking shop, with his dog Cooper close by. Before his career in technology, Bender served in the United States Marine Corps as an Avionics Shop Supervisor and Sergeant.
In his new role, Bender will bring that same depth of experience to leading Stonebridge’s AI capability development, building the firm’s AI solutions and repeatable assets, and helping the firm and its clients put AI to practical, scaled use. He is based in Stonebridge’s Houston, TX office.
Congratulations, Justin!