Pipeline Knowledge & Development (PKD) was founded by Tom Miesner shortly after he took early retirement from Conoco Pipe Line Company. Tom has deep midstream knowledge and experience as an operator, executive, business consultant, and board member.  In the summer of 1975 Tom was an engineering summer aide in Tulsa at what was then Continental Pipeline.  After graduation from the University of Missouri - Rolla, Tom spend  twenty five years at Conoco, mostly in its oil pipeline subsidiary, although he had several forays into the rest of the company in various capacities. During those twenty five years held engineering, operations, business development, strategy and executive positions, including serving as president of Conoco Pipe Line Company for seven years. 

At the time of the merger between Conoco and Phillip, Tom co-led the team which developed and staffed the combined transportation company, included the pipeline business unit. Following the merger, Tom retired from ConocoPhillips in December of 2003..

Since the beginning of 2004, Tom and his associates have provided midstream training, business improvement and organizational consulting, independent assessments, and litigation consulting to the midstream industry and its stakeholder.  Over the past twenty plus years, Tom has taught over 200 classes to more than 3,000 students and has written five books, including the first and second edition of PennWell Book's best selling book, Oil and Gas Pipelines in NonTechnical Language.

Tom is a frequent presenter at industry events and conferences and has one remaining business carreer goal - teaching and mentoring the new generation of pipeliners.