Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL running back Mark Ingram II will be the lunch presenter at the 2026 Carlsbad Mayor’s Energy Summit on Oct. 22, 2026, at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts Center in Carlsbad, N.M. The annual event, now in its 14th year, brings together industry leaders, community members, and innovators to discuss the region’s energy impact.
This year’s summit, themed “From the Basin to the Nation: Local Energy, National Impact,” is hosted by Carlsbad Mayor Richard Lopez and other community leaders. “It all starts here,” Lopez said. “When it comes to the energy industry, what happens in the Permian Basin resonates across the entire nation.” The theme underscores the critical role the Permian Basin plays in supplying energy to the entire country.
Ingram, currently an on-air personality for Fox Sports, will address the audience as the summit’s lunch presenter. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, becoming the first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy in 2009. In the NFL, Ingram was a standout for the New Orleans Saints and also played for the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. His participation adds a high-profile voice to the summit, drawing attention to the event’s focus on energy’s national significance.
Additional speakers this year include Matt Warren, Oil and Gas Program Lead for the Bureau of Land Management, who will address issues related to federal energy policy. Former State Cabinet Secretary Tom Clifford will discuss the financial impact the energy industry has on the state. Experts will also address topics such as water challenges and the unique contributions the energy industry has made to the nation.
Chevron is the event’s title sponsor this year, with ExxonMobil serving as presenting sponsor and Permian Resources as Diamond sponsor. A host of other sponsors makes the annual educational event possible, with the Carlsbad Community Foundation serving as fiscal sponsor. Thanks to generous sponsorship, the Carlsbad Mayor’s Energy Summit is a free event, though registration through the summit’s web page is requested. Lunch will be served, and area nonprofits and businesses will have booths set up in the atrium. For more information, visit www.carlsbadenergysummit.com.
