NOIA: Joe Leimkuhler Elected as Chair, Eric Zimmermann Appointed as Vice Chair

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) Board of Directors has elected Joe Leimkuhler, Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Offshore Energy, as the NOIA Chair for the 2025-2026 term. Eric Zimmermann, Chief Operating Officer of LLOG, was elected as the 2025-2026 Vice Chair. Joe and Eric were confirmed in their positions during the NOIA Board of Directors meeting this morning.

Joe Leimkuhler graduated with a MS in Petroleum Engineering from Wyoming 1987. Over the next 25 years, he worked the deepwater Gulf of Mexico at Shell culminating with managing all offshore well operations in the U.S. After Shell, Joe spent 7 years at LLOG where he was the VP of Well Operations, HSE and Engineering. Over the past 6 years, Joe has been at Beacon Offshore Energy, and as COO has helped to build the company into a deepwater operator.

“NOIA is a vital conduit—bridging the expertise of our diverse member companies, the dedication of workers, and the vision of energy leaders to educate and inspire Washington, D.C. policymakers," said Leimkuhler. "The diversity of NOIA’s members covers energy producers and the full range of suppliers and service providers, which strengthens our ability to champion cross-industry stability through smart, innovative policies. Our collective experience in the Gulf of America and beyond positions us to shape a generational shift in energy policy for the better. I’m proud to lead this effort and work alongside our member companies to deliver a clear, unified message to D.C.: America’s offshore energy future is innovative and bright, and we’re ready to lead the way.”

Eric Zimmermann received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Geology at Louisiana State University. Eric currently is Chief Operating Officer of LLOG Exploration a position he has held since 2020.  He has worked been with the company since 2007, holding the positions of Exploration Geologist and Vice President of Geology. Prior to LLOG, Mr. Zimmermann worked for BP in Houston and Dominion Exploration in New Orleans. His experience has been focused on exploration and development projects in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico for his entire career. He is a Professional Geologist in the states of Texas and Louisiana and is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London.

Zimmermann added, "I am thrilled to collaborate with Joe, NOIA's dedicated membership, and the NOIA staff in my role as Vice Chair. NOIA's mission is more vital than ever as the global demand for responsible and reliable energy sources intensifies. The U.S. offshore energy industry sets the gold standard, and we are committed to partnering with our nation's elected officials and policymakers to establish policies that proclaim that U.S. offshore is unequivocally 'open for business.'"