Zack Arnold
President & CEO , Infinity Natural Resources , LLC
Zack Arnold , president and CEO of Infinity Natural Resources , LLC , was a teenager in his hometown of Waterford , Ohio , when he got his first taste of entrepreneurship : mowing lawns for a handful of families and businesses . It wasn ’ t until his senior year of high school , though , that he chose the oil and natural gas industry as a career path . Arnold ’ s first professional job as an intern at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in Notrees , TX , solidified his love for the industry .
“ I realized I had oilfield in my blood ,” he says . “ Driving through the dust of west Texas and working on the old oil wells there , I realized this was my calling .”
After graduating from Marietta College , Arnold landed a coveted job working for Chevron in Bakersfield , CA . He and his wife , Krista , were happy there until the birth of their first child , Christian , in 2006 .
“ Christian was about 30 seconds old when my wife said she was moving to West Virginia and asked if I wanted to go too ,” he says .
Arnold was unsure of his job prospects in the Mountain State . Companies were not yet drilling Marcellus wells , but he agreed to look because it was important to be closer to both their families . As luck would have it , he landed a job working for Chesapeake Energy in Buckhannon and helped the company kick off its Marcellus and Utica developments .
Arnold ’ s entrepreneurial dreams came true in 2017 when he and his business partners co-founded Infinity Natural Resources .
“ We committed to a risky dream and were able to form a cohesive business model , secure funding and execute our plan in a very challenging climate ,” he says . “ As the president and CEO of a small company , I can fill any given role on any given day . I love showing up at work knowing every single person feels the same way and is aligned with what we are trying to do .”
Working in such a volatile industry has taught Arnold to cherish his family . “ Our business ’ profitability is driven by things outside of my control , and it can be difficult to not relate business challenges to personal failures ,” he says . “ I have learned to focus on my success as a husband and father . Family will be there for you when prices are good and when prices are bad .”
This dedication to family drives Arnold in his professional , personal and community commitments . After their 1-monthold baby , Elle , died of a rare heart defect in 2008 , he and his wife founded the Elle Foundation , a nonprofit that provides research and treatment for children with congenital heart defects .
“ The Elle Foundation has provided life-saving programs and equipment to six different hospitals across the country , including the pediatric cardiology department at Ruby Memorial Hospital ,” says Arnold . “ These programs and equipment have impacted hundreds of children and their families .”
Arnold at the interactive My Town exhibit .
LORI KERSEY TRACY A . TOLER PHOTOGRAPHY
His other service commitments are also centered around supporting and empowering youth . He helps create awareness for the oil and natural gas industry by giving tours and speaking to community groups , legislators , first responders and college students , and he supports the anti-bullying program Building Hope in several northern West Virginia high schools . Arnold also coaches youth soccer and basketball teams and volunteers with the Notre Dame High School cross country and track teams .
“ My goal is to help other people have hope ,” he says . “ Too many kids in West Virginia don ’ t see a bright future because they can ’ t see past their immediate challenges . I want to help them realize no one is defined by their circumstances .”
A mountain runner with 15 ultramarathons under his belt ranging from 50 kilometers to 50 miles , Arnold enjoys running on some of the most challenging terrain in the country , and he is glad to be in West Virginia both for its extensive trail systems and family atmosphere .
“ To experience a small West Virginia town is a glimpse back in time to when neighbors cared a little bit more and families reached out to one another ,” he says . “ Couple that with the steps it is taking to improve technology and work options , and I think it provides the best of both worlds : stable family values and future opportunities .” •
“ Everything will be okay in the end . If it ’ s not okay , then it ’ s not the end .”
– John Lennon
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