What a treat!
Geogulf 2027 Houston is just around the corner, and I am fortunate enough to be serving as the Houston Geological Society’s President during the year that we have the opportunity to host Geogulf.
For those who may not be familiar with it, Geogulf is the official conference of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies (GCAGS), which is made up of thirteen local geological societies throughout the Gulf Coast region. GCAGS also serves as the Gulf Coast Section (GCS) of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG).
Complicated, right? Let’s explore a little further!
Each year, Geogulf rotates to a different city and local society. When it is that society’s turn to host the conference, the president of that local society also becomes the president of GCAGS for the year. That means that, during my 2026–2027 term as HGS President, I also have the privilege of serving as President of GCAGS. Is your head spinning yet?
GCAGS holds a particularly special place in my volunteer career. For the past seven years, I have served as the GCAGS Treasurer on the Board of Directors. When I first became involved, GCAGS was facing some significant challenges. Both the organization and the conference were losing money year after year, and it was clear that something needed to change.
Working closely with the Board and many dedicated volunteers—you know who you are!—we developed a new approach that helped turn things around. That was nearly four years ago, and the results have been extremely rewarding. Since then, Geogulf has continued to grow from year to year as the conference travels from city to city.
This year, the GCAGS General Chair was Mark Wojna. He and his team did an outstanding job as Geogulf made its way to Baton Rouge. They delivered an excellent event, featuring a strong technical program and tremendous support from sponsors and volunteers.
Before Baton Rouge, Jule Bloxson led the charge as Geogulf traveled to Nacogdoches in 2025, while John Casiano and his team successfully hosted the conference in San Antonio in 2024. And that brings us back to Houston in 2023, where Charles Sternbach served as General Chair and introduced several new strategies that helped get the ball rolling in a positive direction for the first time since 2010.
One of the things that has made Geogulf successful is the willingness of each host society to share what worked, learn from one another, and carry the best ideas forward. Each year, we have taken the best practices from the previous conference and built upon them. That spirit of collaboration has helped put Geogulf back on solid footing and, more importantly, created a foundation for continued growth.
Now, with several successful conferences behind us, the road leads back to Houston for Geogulf 2027.
We have an incredible opportunity to build on the momentum created by the past several years and take Geogulf to the next level. I am excited about what lies ahead and incredibly grateful to the many volunteers, sponsors, speakers, and industry professionals who have helped make this conference what it is today.
I look forward to welcoming you to Houston for Geogulf 2027!
Bryan Guzman
President
