Our Team

Our Team

Decades of combined expertise across energy, finance, and infrastructure guiding TXLPD with proven execution, strategic foresight, and industry-first innovation.

John Chambers

Principal

Mr. Chambers is an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in the finance and energy industries. He identifies and capitalizes on lucrative opportunities that drive growth and innovation. Throughout his career, he has built a diverse network of influential contacts in capital markets, the energy sector, legal communities, and government agencies. This vast network allows him to navigate complex regulatory environments and effectively harness emerging trends, positioning him as a leader in both fields.

Dr. John N. O’Brien

Advisor

Dr. O’Brien is the former Commissioner of Energy for the State of Florida. He has forty-five years of experience in energy regulation and is a registered Full Scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy. His expertise includes strategies for mitigating and abating climate change, social justice issues, and ethics. He has taught courses on intergenerational ethics, international economics, government program evaluation, and business and government practices. He specializes in regulating electric and natural gas markets, utility infrastructure investment, renewable energy economics, energy production and storage, and financial analysis within the energy sector. His background encompasses securities, investment banking, project finance, litigation support procedures, commercial energy contracts, and applications of small modular nuclear reactors.

Dennis Konopatzke

Principal

Dennis Konopatzke is an attorney and businessman based in Dallas, Texas, and Bigfork, Montana. He is known for his expertise in international trade, business law, and real estate. Since 1990, he has owned the Foreign Trade Zone Operating Company, which supports U.S. importers and exporters with customs brokerage and Foreign Trade Zone operations. Previously, Konopatzke was an executive at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where he managed business and real estate development, including the reorganization of the DFW Foreign Trade Zone's industrial park. He also played a key role in redeveloping Amon Carter Airport in Fort Worth into a leading industrial office park. He developed the first automated inventory and supply chain management software for Foreign Trade Zones and has worked extensively with maquiladoras in Mexico and Free Zones globally. Licensed to practice law in Texas since 1980 and in Montana since 1996, Konopatzke is further recognized as an outdoor enthusiast who actively supports Montana’s natural resources. He currently serves as Treasurer of Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation, focusing on conservation and access to outdoor recreation.

Justin Shuart

Advisor

Justin Shuart has over 15 years of experience in raising capital and structuring partnerships for commercial real estate development.  He has arranged debt and equity financing for a variety of commercial real estate owners and developers through banks, life insurance companies, pension funds, conduit lenders, debt funds, private equity funds, and other private capital sources.  Justin has extensive experience financing all property types, including multifamily, build-to-rent, student housing, senior housing, industrial, hotels, office, and retail.  Before joining IPA Capital Markets, Justin worked at Cushman & Wakefield, Walker & Dunlop, and Johnson Capital, where he provided financing solutions to developers and owners across the United States.  Throughout his career, Justin has also worked for a local Dallas developer/investor and spent 5 years in Business Development at Citibank.  Justin holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Dennis Konopatzke

Principal

Dennis Konopatzke is an attorney and businessman based in Dallas, Texas, and Bigfork, Montana. He is known for his expertise in international trade, business law, and real estate. Since 1990, he has owned the Foreign Trade Zone Operating Company, which supports U.S. importers and exporters with customs brokerage and Foreign Trade Zone operations. Previously, Konopatzke was an executive at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where he managed business and real estate development, including the reorganization of the DFW Foreign Trade Zone's industrial park. He also played a key role in redeveloping Amon Carter Airport in Fort Worth into a leading industrial office park. He developed the first automated inventory and supply chain management software for Foreign Trade Zones and has worked extensively with maquiladoras in Mexico and Free Zones globally. Licensed to practice law in Texas since 1980 and in Montana since 1996, Konopatzke is further recognized as an outdoor enthusiast who actively supports Montana’s natural resources. He currently serves as Treasurer of Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation, focusing on conservation and access to outdoor recreation.

Drew Sickinger

Advisor

Drew Sickinger, a Houston-based energy trader and executive, possesses over two decades of experience in physical and financial commodity markets, encompassing natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil. He applies trading-desk discipline to gas supply, marketing, and counterparty structuring. Drew’s trading career spanned two leading global commodity firms. At Louis Dreyfus Highbridge, he established his reputation in NGL trading. Subsequently, he served as Vice President and Head of Trading for BP’s NGL trading team within its Integrated Supply & Trading North America Gas & Power business in Houston. Following BP, Drew transitioned into entrepreneurship, founding and leading a global physical brokerage and trading firm as President and CEO. His responsibilities included brokering LPG for global entities.

Drew Sickinger

Advisor

Drew Sickinger, a Houston-based energy trader and executive, possesses over two decades of experience in physical and financial commodity markets, encompassing natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil. As co-founder and partner at Firm Gas, he applies trading-desk discipline to gas supply, marketing, and counterparty structuring. Drew’s trading career spanned two leading global commodity firms. At Louis Dreyfus Highbridge, he established his reputation in NGL trading. Subsequently, he served as Vice President and Head of Trading for BP’s NGL trading team within its Integrated Supply & Trading North America Gas & Power business in Houston. Following BP, Drew transitioned into entrepreneurship, founding and leading a global physical brokerage and trading firm as President and CEO. His responsibilities included brokering LPG for global entities.

Dan Barnosky

Advisor

Mr. Barnosky has over 25 years of experience in global energy, power, and decarbonization markets as a private equity investor, public & private company board member, and investment banker. He is the Founder & Managing Partner of Quintessa Consultancy, an investment and advisory platform focused on energy service and software companies. Previously, he was a Partner at Magnesium Capital, a European energy-focused private equity firm. Before that, he was managing director at major investment banks, including Bank of America and Credit Suisse, where he advised on over $100 billion in energy M&A and financings. Mr. Barnosky graduated from Colgate University and is currently based in London.

Empowering Solutions

(214) 206-9800

8411 Preston Road #720, Dallas, TX 75225 USA

© Copyright TXLPD 2026

(214) 206-9800

8411 Preston Road #720, Dallas, TX 75225 USA

© Copyright TXLPD 2026

(214) 206-9800

8411 Preston Road #720, Dallas, TX 75225 USA

© Copyright TXLPD 2026