TTARA is pleased to announce that Eldon Andrus and Andrea Carter-Virtanen will be joining the TTARA team as consultants starting in January. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise that will strengthen TTARA’s ability to serve our members and advance our mission.

Eldon Andrus, Policy Advisor – Severance Tax (eandrus@ttara.org )

Eldon Andrus brings over four decades of tax and legislative experience to our organization.

Eldon recently retired from Exxon Mobil Corporation after 43 years of distinguished service. He began his career in internal audit and tax accounting within the comptroller’s department and spent the last 34 years in ExxonMobil’s tax department. His responsibilities included managing and filing state and federal income tax returns, motor fuel taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, and production taxes. He also served as a state tax legislative liaison, helping shape policy and regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions.

Throughout his career, Eldon was an active participant in several oil and gas associations, where he played a key role in developing and drafting proposed legislation and regulations. As chairman of the severance tax subcommittee for the Mississippi/Alabama Oil and Gas Association, he testified on behalf of the industry on legislative and regulatory matters. He was also one of three industry representatives involved in the design and development of the Federal Excise Summary Terminal Activity & Reporting System (ExSTARS).

Eldon holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brigham Young University and earned his CPA certificate in Texas in 1988. He joined Exxon in 1981 and has since built a reputation for thoughtful leadership, technical expertise, and collaborative engagement.

We are excited to welcome Eldon to TTARA and look forward to the valuable insights and support he will bring to our members.

Andrea Carter – Virtanen, Policy Advisor-Property Tax (acarter@ttara.org )

Andrea brings exceptional expertise in tax policy, strategic planning, and compliance, and her experience will strengthen TTARA’s ability to serve our members and advance our mission.

Andrea is a tax executive with extensive experience in tax policy, strategic planning, tax optimization, audit defense, and compliance. She has secured over $7 billion in tax incentives for her clients, successfully negotiated critical changes to tax laws at the federal, state, and local levels, and managed complex audits to achieve optimized outcomes. Known for developing bespoke, innovative solutions through collaborative leadership, Andrea began her tax career with Arthur Andersen, LLP before joining Ernst & Young, LLP, where she advised on mergers and acquisitions, legislative changes, audit defense, and compliance for clients in energy, real estate, and private equity.

She is a recognized subject matter expert on taxes for the LNG industry, having served as Managing Tax Counsel for Cheniere Energy, Inc. for over a decade. In 2025, Andrea founded Carter Energy Advisors, where she continues to advise clients in the LNG and energy sectors.

We are excited to welcome Andrea to TTARA and look forward to the insight and leadership she will bring to our work.