About Us

Founder, CEO

Sam Thigpen, the Founder and CEO of Sapphire Gas Solutions, is a recognized entrepreneurial leader and avid outdoorsman. He is a 2021 winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year® award for the Gulf Coast region and attributes his entrepreneurial success to the field and operations experience gained early in his career. Having been in the natural gas industry for 25 years, Mr. Thigpen has spent two-thirds of that time as an entrepreneur. Since founding, what is now, Sapphire Gas Solutions in 2005, the company has been recognized as an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company twice.

Mr. Thigpen’s background is one of vast natural gas industry experience. It spans working in natural gas processing, SCADA system installation and maintenance, offshore production service, upstream oil and gas operations, international petrochemical and LNG plant service, natural gas pipeline operations, pipeline and facility construction, gas pipeline auditing, CNG/LNG/RNG fueling station construction, CNG/LNG/RNG virtual pipeline operations, and finally, executive management and strategic leadership.

Outside of business, Sam is an avid offshore fisherman, accomplished sporting clays competitor, and enjoys outdoor activities such as pheasant, dove, and quail hunting. Mr. Thigpen is a life member of MENSA and the International Society for Philosophical Enquiry. He is also a Texas Freemason and a member of the Woodlands Church, in The Woodlands, TX.

Chief Operating Officer

Jeremy Gilliam serves as Chief Operating Officer for Sapphire Gas Solutions.  In this role, Jeremy oversees operations for Sapphire’s Infrastructure Management, Energy Management, and Mobile Compression business lines, along with project management, logistics, maintenance, and fleet. Prior to joining the Sapphire team, Jeremy worked for Rockwater Energy Solutions, the oilfield chemicals division of Select Energy Services, for more than nine years in various senior operations roles, including Vice President of Manufacturing & Distribution, Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Operations Support, and Vice President of Business Analysis. Jeremy began his career in oilfield services as part of the senior leadership team of Mountain Drilling Company, a private equity backed startup drilling contractor, serving as Corporate Controller. Prior to his time in the oilfield, Jeremy held various finance and accounting positions with Brinker International after beginning his career in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Dallas, TX. Jeremy received an M.S. in Finance and B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas A&M University and is licensed as a CPA in the State of Texas.

Vice President, Transportation

James Ainsworth serves as Vice President, Transportation for Sapphire Gas Solutions. As the head of this newly formed and expanding Division, Mr. Ainsworth leads all functions regarding truck transport fuel and equipment deliveries, logistics, dispatch, and fleet management of both heavy and light duty assets.

Mr. Ainsworth began his career in the energy industry at Ferrellgas, a major propane marketer, where he had P&L and executive responsibility for the company’s internal 200 truck transport fleet, safe delivery of up to one billion gallons of LP Gas annually, and advocated for both company and industry interests in state and national propane industry association roles.

Mr. Ainsworth believes that a primary responsibility of senior leaders is to put the right people, operations, infrastructure, processes and metrics into place to ensure the success of the organization and has demonstrated this ability throughout his career.

In his personal life, Mr. Ainsworth is a devoted husband and father of three daughters and enjoys time with his family. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas A&M University.

Vice President of People Operations

Katherine Lowe, SHRM-CP, MA is a well-versed human resources professional with over 17 years of experience and nearly a decade in the energy and chemical industry. Mrs. Lowe specializes in the areas of talent acquisition, talent development, and employee relations. Katherine’s connection with others and relentless perseverance to meet goals allow her to be a key resource. Mrs. Lowe provides quality results in high-pressure situations, effectively handles multiple priorities while demonstrating exceptional business judgment and discretion.

Director of Safety and Compliance

Matt Short brings over two decades of invaluable experience in safety management and emergency response to his role as Director of Safety and Compliance at Sapphire Gas Solutions. Joining the company in May 2023, Matt’s distinguished career commenced with 24 years of service at the City of Stockton Fire Department in California, culminating in his retirement as a Paramedic/Fire Captain.

Throughout his tenure with the fire department, Matt specialized in Hazardous Materials Emergency Response, Hazardous Materials instruction, and Heavy Rescue, honing his expertise in mitigating risks and ensuring the safety of both personnel and the public in high-stakes environments.

Since joining Sapphire, Matt has seamlessly transitioned into his role, demonstrating a deep commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety. As a member of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), Matt contributes his expertise to the Continuous Improvement committee, leveraging his wealth of experience to drive ongoing enhancements in safety protocols and procedures within the organization.

Matt’s responsibilities extend to the development and continuous improvement of safety planning processes, ensuring that Sapphire remains at the forefront of safety standards in the industry. Additionally, he diligently monitors compliance with these standards, ensuring that safety remains a top priority as the company continues to grow and expand.