Boston native Ann Fox spent the majority of her early years in the Northeast’s rural areas, where she first got a taste for country life. Her father was an entrepreneur, and Fox initially planned to follow him into the financial industry.

She graduated from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service with a bachelor’s of science in diplomacy and security in world affairs. She then joined Prudential Securities Inc., a division of Newark, New Jersey-based Prudential Financial Inc. Following the purchase of Salomon Smith Barney’s investment-banking healthcare group by Warburg Dillon Read, Fox worked for Warburg before deciding that Wall Street was not the right place for her.

After a stint with an Internet start-up, Fox joined the U.S. Marine Corps in August 2001. She prepared at the officer-training base in Quantico, Virginia, before serving two tours in Iraq. After returning to the States, she acquired a master’s of business administration from Harvard Business School, but was called back into service and stationed in Iraq.

While there, Fox worked with a team embedded in the south to ensure Iraqi Security Force combat operations were consistent with the application of U.S. counterinsurgency tactics. In addition, her team reported directly to General David Petraeus, providing atmospherics regarding militia activity and security-force readiness in the central and southern provinces.

Following her discharge from the Marines, she joined Houston-based private-equity firm SCF Partners in 2008 as an associate. She now helps guide the firm’s portfolio companies and their management.

Fox followed her parents after they moved to Houston. Recently married, she commutes between Houston and Tennessee, where her husband, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, is stationed. She spoke with Oil and Gas Investor about her experiences as a Marine and in the financial sector.

Investor How have your experiences as a U.S. Marine influenced your career?

Fox One of the biggest things is the Marine Corps really teaches you what your strengths and weaknesses are. Everyone who has been a Marine has failed at something, and I find that experiencing failure is not that common in my peer group. It’s important to understand your skill sets or lack of skill sets.

Investor What was your work with Prudential Securities and Warburg Dillon Read like?

Fox During my senior year in college at Georgetown I studied international securities. Investment banking had a very organized recruiting process on campus, and the No. 1 job at my school was to go into finance. I ended up going with Prudential. At that time, Salomon Smith Barney was still in existence, and its healthcare group was tops on the Street for 11 years running. It was acquired by Warburg Dillon Read. They were looking for analysts and I was accepted, but I didn’t enjoy my time on Wall Street. It taught me what I didn’t want in a career.

Investor What is the most interesting work you’ve done at SCF Partners?

Fox I’m really watching the portfolio and working with the management teams to ensure implementation of effective cost-cutting measures and alignments. We don’t buy stressed companies, we look for companies with very strong management. When you buy solid companies it’s easier to navigate an economic downturn.

Investor How is the current market affecting your investments?

Fox It makes you mindful of how much value you can capture, when you really get into analyzing your cost structure and the value creation that can come from keeping it under control.

Investor What do you like most about your job?

Fox I like the fact that it’s not routine. Every day something different occurs, because you’re dealing with multiple companies and management personalities. All the problems you face have their own challenges, and the learning for me is enormous. I love that.

Investor Who was a good professional mentor and what advice did he or she give you?

Fox My biggest professional mentor has been General Petraeus. I worked directly for him for two of my tours in Iraq. During my first tour, I communicated with him nearly every day. He’s had a huge effect on the way I see the importance of leadership.

Investor Where do you see yourself in five years?

Fox Hopefully, still here. There are so few positions in the firm that everyone plays an integral role, so I think I would just be increasing the breadth and responsibility of what I do.

Investor How do you spend your free time?

Fox I spend a lot of time in Tennessee where my husband is stationed. He’s a member of the 5th Special Forces Group. So I’m sort of a weekend commuter. When I’m not there, I’m at my parents’ farm, working on fences or riding horses.

Investor Any advice for fellow young industry members or students?

Fox The industry is very cyclical, and just from my limited experience, when the downturns come, they come very fast. If you’re getting into the business, make sure the cost structure in your company doesn’t get out of control during the upticks, because it will bite you in a downturn.

—Stephen Payne