Nova Compression Names Zach Gray Interim CEO
Compression veteran Mike Wright joins as SVP of Business Development; OIC's Jay McKenna named Interim President
OKLAHOMA CITY, October 16, 2026--Nova Compression, LLC ("Nova"), an Oklahoma City-based provider of natural gas contract compression services, today announced a series of executive leadership appointments, naming Chief Financial Officer Zach Gray as interim chief executive officer.
Gray succeeds Jonathan Mitchell, who has departed the company. Mitchell had led Nova since January 2020, guiding the company through a period of acquisitions and expansion across Oklahoma and Texas.
"Jonathan helped lead Nova through a period of significant growth, including major acquisitions and expansion into highly productive basins," said Hale Hoak, Nova board member. "We thank him for his service and wish him well. We're confident in Zach and in the strength of this team."
Gray, an oil and gas veteran, has served as Nova's CFO since May.
"Zach brings more than two decades of leadership experience across energy infrastructure, finance, operations and corporate development, following his service as a U.S. Army officer in the 25th Infantry Division," said Chris Leary, Head of Infra Equity at OIC, LP and a Nova board member. "His combination of operating, financial and leadership experience makes him well suited to lead Nova through its next phase as we focus on operational excellence, disciplined capital allocation and long-term value creation."
"As interim CEO, I look forward to working with our employees, customers, lenders and shareholders to realize Nova's full potential," said Gray. "We have a strong team, a diverse fleet and supportive financial partners. Our immediate priorities are clear: exceptional customer service, operational and financial excellence, and disciplined capital allocation. By executing against those priorities, we believe Nova will be well positioned to create long-term value for all our stakeholders."
Mike Wright, a longtime compression executive, has been appointed senior vice president of business development. A petroleum engineer by background, Wright has spent more than 20 years growing artificial lift and compression businesses. He will lead Nova's efforts to grow with new and existing customers and to establish the company as a leader in customer satisfaction.
Jay McKenna has been appointed interim president. McKenna is a managing director at OIC, LP, one of Nova's shareholders, and has built a career as an executive and entrepreneur in the energy industry. He will support Gray and the Nova team in driving operational excellence.