Chris began his career in process engineering at O'Neal, Inc., where he spent over a decade supporting and leading projects across the specialty chemical and heavy industrial sectors. He carried work through multiple phases — from front-end studies and detailed design through commissioning and startup — developing the kind of end-to-end project fluency that only comes from staying with a job until it runs. A licensed Professional Engineer with more than ten years of experience, Chris has led facility expansions, tank upgrades, and new process installations, always focused on solutions that are safe, practical, and actually buildable.
Chris and his wife, Rebecca, met their freshman year at Clemson in a Sociology class — one of the few places where an engineering major and a nursing major might end up in the same room. They now live in Williamston, SC, with their two kids, Sophie and Baker, and their two dogs, Little Bear and Lily. Rebecca is a Registered Nurse at AnMed in Anderson. The Stouts make it to both the beach and the mountains every year, which is about as close to balance as a family of four can get. When he's not working or chasing kids, Chris is probably watching the Phillies — a commitment that requires either genuine optimism or a very short memory.
