At Kinder Morgan, we encourage the pursuit of internal opportunities that support our employee's career growth. As our 2025 BOLT interns complete their summer projects, we are excited to spotlight Ryan Rosales, a former BOLT intern who has advanced within the organization over the past seven years since joining Kinder Morgan as a full-time employee.
After graduating from the University of Houston in 2018, Rosales turned down other offers to pursue his interest in the energy industry as a Kinder Morgan BOLT intern. He credits his internship experience to developing several vital skills that he applies daily in his current role.
"As an intern, I felt like I was already treated as a full-time Kinder Morgan employee," said Rosales. "The trust that my supervisors placed in me to take on important projects motivated me to increase my attention to detail and deliver high-quality work."
Since completing his internship, Rosales has earned four promotions, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, which often brought career uncertainty for many. He spent four years in the Natural Gas scheduling department, where he helped facilitate the movement of natural gas liquids before transitioning to a commercial role in the fall of 2023. Currently, Rosales is a commercial senior analyst II in the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) group. In this role, he focuses on marketing and trading NGL liquids across the U.S., making sure that Kinder Morgan and our producers receive a high value for their products. He also works to support butane blending with gasoline in our Products and Terminals business units.
"I'm very excited about one of our current projects, where we've been selling pure NGL components from one of our facilities to customers, " said Rosales. "The project has already shown early success, and we expect it to perform well in the coming years."
Rosales believes it's an exciting time to work in the energy industry, especially given recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and energy independence across the U.S. He noted that AI has already made an impact across the value chain, from the energy required to power AI operations to its numerous end-use benefits.
He also emphasized how much he values the company's culture of trust.
"Kinder Morgan recognizes and respects employees who are dedicated to their work, " said Rosales. "Rather than feeling pressured or micromanaged, I feel empowered by the trust and encouragement of my team. The positive environment is what excites me to come to work each day."
Rosales also stressed the importance of focusing on the small details of a job. When he began to plan for the full scope of a project, ensuring that the minor aspects were not overlooked, he started making more meaningful progress. Taking full ownership of his projects was vital in improving the quality of his deliverables and reaching his career goals.
"If I could give one piece of advice to someone considering a commercial role in energy, it would be to work hard and communicate clearly. It is important to speak up and show your value," said Rosales. "When you deliver tangible results from your efforts, you will undoubtedly be rewarded."
