Meet Robert Agbede, CNX’s Newest Board Member

Mr. Agbede is the Chairman and CEO of Chester Group Inc., a holding company for technology, engineering, and energy related investments and also the former CEO and owner of Chester Engineers, which was, prior to its merger with Hatch Associates in 2017, the largest African–American–owned engineering, water/wastewater treatment, energy, and environmental engineering firm in the United States. Mr. Agbede is also the Chairman and CEO of Chester LNG, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chester Group, which designs and owns several Intellectual Properties on micro-LNG systems for use as virtual pipelines to deliver natural gas to remote locations or as standalones for off the grid power generation or fueling.

He is the Chairman of Sigma Paint Nigeria, a coating manufacturing and marketing company in partnership with Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries. Mr. Agbede was also the former Vice Chairman of Hatch USA, a global engineering and business consulting company. In addition, Mr. Agbede was a founder and co-owner of Orbital Solutions, a Pittsburgh based leadership development, coaching, diversity consulting and training organization. He and his companies are holders of several U.S. patents.

Mr. Agbede is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh and he is the Chairman of the Board of Visitors of its Swanson School of Engineering. In 2000, he was inducted into the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering Hall of Fame. The Robert O. Agbede Scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh benefits African American students pursuing engineering degrees. Also, at the University of Pittsburgh, the Robert O. Agbede Annual Diversity Award encourages recruitment and retention of African American faculty and students. In addition, The Chester Group's endowments and scholarships at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, presently valued at over $3 million, support African American student enrollment and retention primarily in Engineering and Sciences.

Robert O. Agbede joined the CNX Board in January 2022. Mr. Agbede currently serves as a member of the Compensation, Nominating and Corporate Governance, and Environmental, Safety, and Corporate Responsibility committees.