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Cognascents Celebrates 15 Years of Excellence, Integrity, and Growth
Fifteen years ago, a shared vision to make the industry safer and to do things the right way, sparked the creation of Cognascents Consulting. Founded in 2010 by John and Colette Perez, a husband and wife and both experienced engineers, Cognascents began as a small process safety consultancy and has grown into a trusted partner for clients across the oil and gas, chemical, energy, and food and beverage sectors.
Today, Cognascents is comprised of more than 60 engineers and technical specialists delivering process safety, asset integrity, reliability, and process engineering services to clients across the USA and Canada.
To commemorate this milestone, John and Colette sat down to reflect on the company’s journey, the lessons learned, and what lies ahead for Cognascents.
Building Something Better
What inspired you to start Cognascents back in 2010?
Colette: Spending 17 years in the industry on the service side, I had firsthand experience with how badly things can go when process safety and other items go awry. I wanted to support John in his new endeavor to create and grow Cognascents from the start, and help make our industry as safe as we possibly can.
John: I like building and serving. I wanted to create a company focused on serving process safety to our industries while also being very American and Texan about how we exist. I knew I wanted Colette to be part of it from the beginning.
Meaning Behind the Name
How did the company get its name? What does “Cognascents” mean to you?
Colette: Growing up, I was always told, “If you are going to take the time to do something, then do it right and do it with excellence.” That’s what Cognascents means to me, doing things right and continuously learning to improve and grow. Today, that meaning has expanded to serving our community and each other.
John: I wanted the name to convey our reason for being – centered awareness enabling the pursuit of excellence. I believe Colette was the first to propose the portmanteau of “cognizance” and “ascent”, which worked perfectly. The meaning and our mission and reason for existence have not changed.
Sustained Client Trust
What do you think has been the key to your sustained growth and client trust?
Colette: I hope both are a result of how we choose to treat people daily. We have always believed in operating with hard work, honesty, and integrity. We want our team to deliver the best possible service with a fair price and for our clients to receive service like they never have before.
John: I believe business is no different than any other facet of life. Do right. Be honest. Work hard. Tell the truth. Own your mistakes. Serve it forward. Have fun. Be compassionate. Hold yourself and others accountable fairly. Keep the faith. Love your country. Live well, sleep well. Accept and relish that you cannot do it alone.
The Heart of Growth: People and Integrity
Cognascents is known for its technical depth and its culture. How have you maintained that balance as you’ve scaled?
Colette: Finding good people is always a challenge. We look for those that meet our culture & drive and try to make this a place they want to be and work. It isn’t easy and we have had to make adjustments, but we are always looking for good people to join our team and grow with us.
John: We have tried. Doing it right and getting it right are important, but we cannot lose sight of our loved ones in the process. Slowing down to afford technical quality and a focus on the human touch in our professional lives is paramount to who we are – not just in our company, but also in our communities and homes.
Success Rooted in Partnership
Looking back, what are you most proud of?
Colette: First and foremost, I’m proud of John – the father, the husband, and man that he is. His work ethic, service to others, professionalism and drive are amazing. I am proud of the family we have and the community we have created at Cognascents. Working together to create a place for employees to support each other, our clients, and our community.
John: My wife and my marriage. Very few couples achieve what we have done the way we have done it. It takes a very strong and special woman to make it happen and work. I look at my life, my home, my four young adults, this company, my other achievements and they only were possible because of Colette.
Looking Ahead: The Next 15 Years
What excites you most about the next chapter for Cognascents, and how do you envision the company 15 years from now?
Colette: Building on the friendships and relationships we have both with our employees and our clients. This goes beyond the day-to-day work, to supporting community events, life and family events as well as challenges and any setbacks life brings. It’s easy to support the good times, but we also must be there for each other in the hard times.
John: The people at our company is what drives me. I am at a point in life where I want and need to share what I know and help develop the next round of technical leaders at the company. We want to grow because serving process safety to our industries is still a very attractive and noble AND NECESSARY profession. But growing also means growing our impact and influence regarding our local charitable causes and employees’ well-being. We love getting involved and supporting local causes and doing as much as possible for our employees’ families.
Fifteen Years Forward
From humble beginnings to a respected engineering firm rooted in service and integrity, Cognascents continues to build on its founding principles—doing things right, doing them with excellence, and doing them together.
As the company looks toward its next 15 years, one thing remains unchanged: a deep commitment to people—employees, clients, and community alike—and a shared pursuit of technical and human excellence.
