John Chipponeri is a retired Chevron executive, coach and endurance athlete whose career has been characterized by leadership, resilience, growth and service.
Raised in Ceres, a small town in central California, he was raised in a large Sicilian family where hard work and community values shaped his outlook. He excelled both academically and athletically, graduating as valedictorian of his high school year and earning MVP recognition on the football field while leading his baseball team as a catcher.
In 1984, Chipponeri graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in mechanical and petroleum engineering. He was inducted into Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, and received the Outstanding Petroleum Engineering Student Award. He later added an MBA to his qualifications, strengthening his ability to combine technical expertise with entrepreneurial leadership.
His career at Chevron spanned more than three decades and took him around the world. His careers have included plant engineer, process safety engineer, field service manager, project engineer, business manager and senior project manager. He oversaw projects valued at up to $3 billion and led multinational teams in the United States, Indonesia and Australia.
After semi-retiring in 2017, Chipponeri focused on personal development, coaching and endurance sports. He has completed over a dozen half-Ironman races and swum the 13-mile Rottnest Channel in Australia. Today, he works with men’s groups, recovery programs, and athletes, combining leadership, sports, and the Enneagram to help others build resilience and authentic connections.
Q&A with John Chipponeri
Can you tell us about your early years and what influenced you the most?
I grew up in Ceres, a small farming town in central California, in a large Sicilian family. As the youngest of four children, I quickly learned the value of hard work. My parents and community taught me that perseverance and service are important. I was dedicated to both school and sports. I graduated at the top of my class, was MVP of the football team, and led my baseball team at the same time. Of my entire class, only three went to university, and I was proud to be one of them.
What motivated you to study engineering at UC Berkeley?
When I was 14, I came across a book that said that if you’re good, good at science, you should become an engineer. I studied mechanical and petroleum engineering at Berkeley and graduated with honors in 1984. I was accepted into Tau Beta Pi and even received the Outstanding Petroleum Engineering Student Award. But more than just the awards, Berkeley taught me how to make sure I truly understood the problem at hand, which made finding solutions easier. Problems rarely have easy solutions, and I have learned to approach them with curiosity and persistence.
How did your career at Chevron begin?
I started as a plant engineer in Bakersfield, California. From there, I moved through different roles and locations – Louisiana, Michigan, Indonesia, Texas and finally Australia. Each step added a new level of responsibility. I became a process safety engineer, then a field service manager and later a project engineer and managing director. Eventually, I was a senior project manager and managed projects worth up to $3 billion.
What was one of the biggest lessons from managing such large projects?
Large projects are daunting on paper. The numbers are huge, there is a lot at stake. But when you break it down, it always comes back to people. Processes are of course crucial, but trust and leadership are what get a project over the finish line. Building trust between teams, especially the international ones, was both the challenge and the reward.
Your work has taken you all over the world. How did that influence you?
Working in Indonesia and later Australia broadened my perspective. You see firsthand how culture and context influence decisions. Leadership in Jakarta looks different than leadership in Houston, but the values – respect, clarity, accountability – are the same. These experiences made me a more flexible and empathetic leader.
In addition to your career, you were active as a father and trainer. How did this balance develop?
I coached my sons’ sports teams from age five through their early teens – soccer, swimming, baseball, basketball and flag football. It was challenging at times but deeply rewarding. Parents often told me that their children wanted to play on my teams because they learned the game and it was fun. That meant a lot to me. My two sons are now engineers and business leaders themselves, and it feels like I’ve come full circle.
You are also committed to endurance sports. How did this come about?
At 40, I was addicted to triathlon. I ended up completing over a dozen Half Ironmans. One of the highlights of my life was swimming in the 13 mile long Rottnest Channel off the coast of Perth, Australia. It was a real test of body and mind. Endurance sports teach you resilience – you learn that your mindset is often more important than your muscles.
What direction did you take after exiting Chevron?
In 2017, I semi-retired and shifted my focus to coaching and personal growth. I have studied the Enneagram in depth and am now completing my certification as a Narrative Enneagram Teacher. Today I work with men’s groups and recovery programs. Men often feel like they have to carry it all alone, but I’ve seen growth happen when they have spaces to share and connect.
How do you see your role now compared to when you were managing multi-billion dollar projects?
The attitudes are different, but the goal is similar: to help people succeed. Back then it was all about leading teams through complex technical challenges. Now it’s about supporting individuals to build resilience, find balance and connect with their authentic selves. Trust and integrity are the basis for both.
What motivates you today?
I live in San Rafael, California and stay active with yoga, hiking, biking and pickleball. Coaching, mentoring and supportive recovery work keep me going. What motivates me is simple: helping people grow. Whether it’s a billion dollar project or a men’s group, I try to live by the same values - hard work, integrity and service.
