Jack Ballard

PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. has announced that Aftab Khan is joining the company as EVP, Operations, Planning & Security Officer. It was previously announced that Preng & Associates was selected to complete this search.

Khan will report to PJM President and CEO Manu Asthana and will have overall responsibility for grid operations, transmission planning, cybersecurity and physical security, and business continuity.

“We welcome the experience, expertise and leadership Aftab brings to this important new role, which was created to support grid reliability during this increasingly complex energy transition,” Asthana said.

As a member of PJM’s Executive Team, Khan will work closely with PJM’s CEO, other Executive Team members, and the Reliability & Security Committee of the PJM Board to coordinate PJM’s grid operations and transmission planning, ensure both cybersecurity and physical security for the organization, and oversee business continuity efforts.

He previously served as Senior Vice President of Engineering with Eversource Energy, the utility serving 4 million customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where he led an engineering organization of over 1,000 people focused on transmission and distribution system planning, asset management, engineering, grid modernization, operations technology, control room support and vegetation management.

He also previously worked with GE providing oversight to Grid Solutions in North America. Prior to that, Khan spent 24 years with ABB in a variety of roles, including Senior Vice President – Power Transformers, North America; President – Power Systems Division, Saudi Arabia; and Senior Vice President – Grid Systems, North America.

Khan holds an MBA in operations and finance from Carnegie Mellon University; a master’s degree in electric power engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alaska.

“I am eager to help PJM take on the many challenges presented by the energy transition,” Khan said. “PJM’s creation of this new role shows the company’s commitment to seeking comprehensive solutions that emphasize reliability and security as the system evolves.”

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region’s transmission grid, which includes 88,115 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM’s regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $3.2 billion to $4 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

Source Link:https://insidelines.pjm.com/pjm-appoints-aftab-khan-as-executive-vice-president-operations-planning-security/ 

Mark Zajac has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of U.S. Energy Corp.(NasdaqCM:USEG), effective June 1, 2023. Mr. Zajac brings 30 years of leadership experience across energy and finance, primarily as a Partner and national industry leader with KPMG. Preng & Associates assisted in this search.

After starting his career at Arthur Andersen in 1994, Mr. Zajac went on to join KPMG, where he served as a partner and national industry leader before retiring. Throughout his career, he has worked with diverse public and private companies operating in the energy sector, including exploration and production, master limited partnerships, trading and marketing, independent power sectors, and Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. He has gained extensive expertise in areas such as securities and exchange offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and global accounts. Mr. Zajac’s professional journey has exposed him to a range of business experiences, including compliance with PCAOB requirements, involvement in IPOs, staying updated on emerging accounting and industry perspectives, conducting internal control effectiveness assessments, facilitating security offerings, and adhering to various rules and regulations set by the Securities and Exchange Commission. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University and is a licensed Texas Certified Public Accountant.

Flotek Industries, Inc. (NYSE: FTK), a leader in technology-driven specialty green chemistry solutions, yesterday announced the appointment of Mr. Bond Clement to the role of Chief Financial Officer. Preng & Associates assisted in this search.

Mr. Clement began his career in 1993 within Arthur Andersen’s assurance services group focused primarily on energy related clients. He has more than 25 years of financial and accounting experience within the energy sector. Mr. Clement served for 17 years with PetroQuest Energy Inc., which was a publicly traded exploration and production company with oil and natural gas assets located in multiple basins throughout the U.S. His various financial and accounting related management roles at PetroQuest included 12 years as the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Clement received a B.S. degree in Accounting, Cum Laude, from Louisiana State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Mr. Clement serves on the Board of New Hope Community Development of Acadiana, an organization dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of poverty through educational initiatives.

John W. Gibson, Jr., Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Flotek said “We are excited to welcome Bond Clement to Flotek. We believe the combination of his deep energy industry expertise and a proven track record as a public company CFO positions him to immediately add value as we transition into a profitable, cash generative company.”

Mr. Clement commented, “I am thrilled for the opportunity to join the Flotek team at such a transformational period in the Company’s history. I look forward to augmenting the Company’s already strong focus on achieving profitability across the enterprise, which will ultimately be the driving force behind shareholder value creation.”

Flotek Industries, Inc. creates solutions to reduce the environmental impact of energy on air, water, land and people.  A technology-driven, specialty green chemistry and data company, Flotek helps customers across industrial, commercial, and consumer markets improve their Environmental, Social, and Governance performance. Flotek’s Chemistry Technologies segment develops, manufactures, packages, distributes, delivers, and markets high-quality cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing products for commercial, governmental and personal consumer use.  Additionally, Flotek empowers the energy industry to maximize the value of their hydrocarbon streams and improve return on invested capital through its real-time data platforms and green chemistry technologies.  Flotek serves downstream, midstream, and upstream customers, both domestic and international.  Flotek is a publicly traded company headquartered in Houston, Texas, and its common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “FTK.”  For additional information, please visit www.flotekind.com.

Source Link: https://www.flotekind.com/index.php/investor-relations/item/1382-flotek-appoints-bond-clement-to-role-of-chief-financial-officer

Jozsef Marton, one of our London Consultants, attended African Energy Week (AEW) where he was on a panel focused on executive leadership and corporate succession planning.

AEW is the African Energy Chamber’s annual event, uniting African energy leaders, global investors and executives from across the public and private sector for four days of intense dialogue on the future of the African energy industry. An interactive conference, exhibition and networking event, AEW was established in 2021 under the premise to make energy poverty history by 2030, hosting panel discussions, investor forums, industry summits and one-on-one meeting opportunities, and driving the discussions that will reshape the trajectory of the continent’s energy development.

The panel consisted of (from left to right) Elizabeth Rogo, Founder & CEO, TSAVO Oilfield Services, Ezekiel Adesina, Executive Secretary, Africa Energy Study Group, Jozsef Marton, Consultant, Preng & Associates. Dr. Odette Delbrah, CEO, Gabon Oil, Dr. Ben Asnate, CEO, Ghana Gas, and Eric Williams, President & Principal Consultant, Royal Triangle Energy Solutions. Jozsef shared with the audience his perspective on how Africa-focused energy companies can better tackle the challenges ahead and ensure successful succession planning in the future by recruiting locally and from outside the energy sector.

If you would like to discuss how Preng & Associates can help you recruit more effectively in Africa, please contact Jozsef Marton.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation NYSE:OXY (“Oxy”) has announced that Sylvia Kerrigan is joining the company as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. Preng & Associates assisted in this search.

Ms. Kerrigan has over a decade of boardroom experience as a director and executive for the industrial, transportation and energy sectors. In addition to her executive roles at various capital-intensive enterprises, Ms. Kerrigan’s board experience includes environmental, social and governance (ESG), regulatory, risk management, cybersecurity and information privacy matters.

Ms. Kerrigan’s prior experience includes her role as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Marathon Oil Corporation. While at Marathon, she sat on the Executive Committee and was responsible for state, federal and international public policy matters, legal and compliance functions, and external communications. She was central to the company’s corporate positioning, including a spin-off of the refining, transportation and retail assets in 2011, and a subsequent recasting of corporate culture and capital allocation.

Ms. Kerrigan’s prior experience also includes her role as Executive Director at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center for Business, Law and Policy at the University of Texas, and an appointment to the United Nations Security Council’s Commission d’Indemnisation in Geneva, Switzerland, where she led an interdisciplinary team responsible for evaluating material losses sustained by international companies operating in the Middle East.

Ms. Kerrigan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Diversified Energy Company (LSE: DEC) and Hornbeck Marine Offshore Services, a privately held company based in Covington, Louisiana. She continues to serve on the Executive Council of the KBH Center and as Vice-Chair of the Southwestern University Board of Trustees.

Oxy produces energy and essential products to sustain and improve life on our planet. Their experienced teams, located in the United States, Middle East, Africa and Latin America, are committed to safe and efficient operations and products, and to reducing our carbon footprint and helping others do the same.

Oxy operates world-class energy and chemical assets around the globe, including in the United States, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Over their 100-year history, they have built a vast infrastructure of integrated operations around the world that deliver reliable energy and essential products. For information about Oxy, please visit: https://www.oxy.com/

Source Link: https://occidentalpetroleum.gcs-web.com/static-files/3429e4be-9611-4107-a232-dc32e0d51c7e

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (“Helix”) (NYSE: HLX) announced today that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has appointed Diana Glassman  as a new director.

Preng & Associates assisted in this search.

William L. Transier, Chairman of the Board, stated, “We are pleased to welcome both Diana and Paula to the Helix Board of Directors. The wealth of experience our two new Board members have will bring valuable perspectives to our Board. Helix remains committed to board refreshment and diversity initiatives, and the appointments of our new directors are the result of an extensive search process that began months ago. The additions of Diana and Paula to the Helix Board are designed to ensure we have the right mix of diverse skills and experience to execute our strategy and reflect the views of Helix’s shareholders, employees and customers.”

Ms. Glassman, 55, since December 2019 has been Director-Engagement at EOS at Federated Hermes, a leader in the evolving field of responsible investing, leading their Oil & Gas and co-leading their Technology sector engagements and spearheading engagement on diversity, equity and inclusion with a focus on business strategy, capital allocation and ESG considerations. Ms. Glassman sits on Federated Hermes Limited’s Inclusion Committee and is Chair of its employee networks. Between July 2014 and December 2019 Ms. Glassman was Chief Executive Officer of Integration Strategy, Inc., a strategy consulting firm advising leaders of companies, private equity firms and government entities primarily in energy and infrastructure, and previously held positions of increasing responsibility at TD Bank Group, Credit Suisse and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Glassman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, magna cum laude and with Distinction in the major, from Yale University, an M.P.A. in International Development from Harvard Kennedy School, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Ms. Glassman will serve as a Class II director whose term will expire at Helix’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Ms. Glassman also was appointed by the Board to serve on the Board’s Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

About Helix

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an international offshore energy services company that provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. For more information about Helix, please visit their website at www.helixesg.com

Source Link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220926005766/en/Helix-Appoints-Diana-Glassman-and-Paula-Harris-as-New-Directors

Cedarburg Light & Water Utility has formally appointed Ben D. Collins as General Manager.

The Preng & Associates Power and Utility team was instrumental in the placing of Mr. Collins.

Mr. Collins has spent the past 15 years in the power and utilities sector, most recently working at the Marquette Board of Light and Power as a Manager of Utility Planning and Projects. Mr. Collins led the growth of a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency business creating opportunities for customers to reach their green goals while also becoming more sustainable and lowering their total cost of doing business.

Mr. Collins has a B.S. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering specializing in power and energy systems from Michigan Technological University and an M.B.A. from Northern Michigan University.

Cedarburg Light & Water Utility is a non-profit public power utility. They are dedicate to meeting their customers’ needs while helping to make the community a better place to live and work. They are one of the country’s 2,200 public power systems – a utility owned by the community it serves. They exist to provide a public service to the residents and businesses of their community.

Source link: https://www.ci.cedarburg.wi.us/light-water-commission/agenda/light-water-commission-agenda-30

PJM Interconnection today announced that it has appointed Carl F. Coscia, Ph.D., as Vice President and Chief Risk Officer. He will begin at PJM Sept. 28, 2022.

Preng & Associates assisted in this search.

Coscia will report directly to PJM President and CEO Manu Asthana, and will have oversight from the Risk and Audit Committee of the PJM Board of Managers. “Risk Management is a critical function for PJM as an organization and for the protection of our members,” said Asthana. “Carl brings a wealth of risk management, market and regulatory experience to PJM that will serve us and our stakeholders well.” As a member of PJM’s Executive Team, Coscia will work closely with PJM’s CEO, other Executive Team members and the Risk and Audit Committee of the Board to coordinate PJM’s risk management operations, including credit risk, enterprise risk management, market surveillance and insurance.

Coscia has more than 20 years of experience in commodity and financial markets, most recently as Global Head of Risk Management for German-based energy company, EnBW, where his responsibilities included market risk, enterprise risk, credit risk, compliance and approval for all master trading agreements. He previously served as Chief Business Officer and Chief Risk Officer for Hartree Partners, LP. He also worked as Vice President of Federal Energy Policy for Constellation Energy, Director of Wholesale Power Fundamentals for TXU Wholesale Power Trading and Branch Chief for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Enforcement. “I look forward to managing risk for an organization that is so vital to the lives of the 65 million people it serves,” Coscia said. “Risk management becomes more important each day in this evolving, dynamic industry that produces and delivers power and administers the markets for wholesale electricity.” Coscia holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Minnesota, as well as a Bachelor of Science in economics and a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from the University of Kansas.

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region’s transmission grid, which includes over 85,103 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM’s regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $3.2 billion to $4 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

Source Link: https://www.pjm.com/-/media/about-pjm/newsroom/2022-releases/20220919-pjm-interconnection-appoints-carl-f-coscia-as-new-chief-risk-officer.ashx

8 Rivers Capital LLC, a world-leading Net Zero Solutions provider, announced that Bob Dudley has joined the 8 Rivers Board. Bob Dudley held the position of CEO at BP from 2010 to 2020. Under Bob’s leadership, the global energy provider focused on the dual challenge of providing more energy with fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Bob had a distinguished career with BP and its predecessors spanning over 40 years, serving in a broad range of engineering, commercial, strategic, international, and executive roles. Bob is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Freeport-McMoRan, one of the world’s largest, publicly traded copper producers, the chemical company LyondellBasell, and chairs the international, industry-led Oil and Gas Climate Initiative.

Preng & Associates assisted in this search.

Bill Brown, Founder, Executive Chairperson and CTO of 8 Rivers commented “As long as I can remember, Bob was ahead of the curve in driving to Net Zero. He drove BP into areas such as solar, wind, hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels, carbon capture, and clean power—all cornerstones of the 8 Rivers platform. This is the sort of leadership that makes Bob uniquely capable to help guide 8 Rivers as it defines, executes, and delivers Net Zero solutions that the entire world can afford. Our goal is to expand the bottom lines of all end users while increasing their value as they demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.”

“We are thrilled to have someone with Bob’s background, knowledge and dedication to the energy transition join our Board.” Cam Hosie, 8 Rivers’ CEO and Board Member said. “Reaching Net Zero by 2050 is the most significant challenge facing the planet today, and the energy transition will be won or lost in the next decade. Bob brings the expertise required to achieve fast, sustainable change at global scale.”

Mr. Young Wook Lee, President of SK Inc. Materials welcomed Mr. Dudley’s involvement, saying “First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. Dudley, a world-renowned energy expert, on his appointment to the board. With extensive experience and unmatched capabilities, he is undoubtedly a valuable addition to the CO2 reduction businesses promoted by 8 Rivers and SK Inc. Materials and he will greatly help expedite our goal for becoming leading global Net Zero solution company”

Bob Dudley commented “Few companies in the world have a Net Zero solution set as affordable and as broadly useful as 8 Rivers. Through its combined platform of technology and finance, 8 Rivers is uniquely positioned to help the planet meet its Net Zero goals—all at costs the entire world can afford. 8 Rivers has a fantastic team, and I am very pleased to be its newest member.”

ABOUT 8 RIVERS CAPITAL LLC 8 Rivers Capital, LLC is a Durham, NC-based firm leading the invention and commercialization of sustainable, infrastructure-scale technologies for the global energy transition. www.8Rivers.com.

Source Link: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/8-rivers-capital-llc-appoints-bob-dudley-to-board-of-directors-301599579.html