(Term Ends: 2028)
Rusty Hutson Jr. is the fourth generation of Hutsons to work in the oil and gas industry, with family roots dating back to the early 1900s. He spent many summers working alongside his father in the oil and gas fields of West Virginia. As the first in his family to pursue higher education, he graduated from Fairmont State University with a degree in accounting. Following graduation, he embarked on a 13-year career in banking, ultimately becoming CFO of Compass Financial Services after holding leadership roles at Bank One and Compass Bank.
Building on his experiences in both the oil and gas industry and the financial services sector, Hutson founded Diversified Energy in 2001, establishing a cash flow model supported by mature, predictable long-life assets. After years of refining this strategy, he and his team quietly took the company public in 2017 on the AIM growth market of the London Stock Exchange. Since then, Diversified has significantly expanded, acquiring nearly $2.7 billion in upstream and midstream assets, with daily production across nine states totaling approximately 150,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
Under Hutson’s leadership, Diversified Energy swiftly rose to a premium listing on the London Exchange and joined the FTSE 250 index in 2020. In 2023, the company launched its dual listing on the New York Stock Exchange, further broadening its global presence and becoming a member of the Russell 2000 index. Hutson remains committed to driving operational excellence, maintaining financial discipline, and creating shareholder value.
In recognition of his transformative leadership and contributions to the industry, Hutson was named the 2019 West Virginia Oil and Gas Man of the Year. His strategic vision, commitment to excellence and focused philanthropy in the Mountain State also earned him a place in the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in 2023, celebrating his profound impact on the state’s economic landscape. Hutson resides in Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife, Kimberly. They have four children: Hannah and Conner (who reside in West Virginia), Parker, and Tanner.