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Jack Ballard

Unitil Elects a New Member With Preng & Associates

By News & Media

HAMPTON, NH, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Unitil Corporation (NYSE:UTL) (unitil.com) today announced that its Board of Directors has elected Jane Lewis-Raymond to the Board. The addition of a new director is part of the Board’s normal succession planning process in anticipation of the upcoming retirements of directors reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Unitil partnered with Preng & Associates to successfully identify and secure top executive talent for a Board role in the utilities industry. Ms. Lewis-Raymond will stand for election to the Board by the shareholders of the Company at the next annual meeting of shareholders, which will be held in April 2025.

Ms. Lewis-Raymond is principal of Hilltop Strategies, LLC (“Hilltop”), which provides strategic consulting services to senior executives in a wide variety of industries. At Hilltop she brings vast experience as a natural gas utility executive, including deep knowledge of corporate governance, community relations, cybersecurity oversight, as well as data privacy, safety, and corporate ESG programs. Prior to Hilltop, Ms. Lewis-Raymond was a partner in the corporate and energy groups at the firm of Parker Poe Adams and Bernstein (“Parker Poe”). Prior to Parker Poe, she served as senior vice president and chief legal, compliance and external relations officer at Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (“Piedmont”), which is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Duke Energy. Prior to Piedmont, she held the position of vice president of regulatory affairs at the American Gas Association. Ms. Lewis-Raymond also currently serves on the Board of Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. Ms. Lewis-Raymond earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics and East Asian Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, Order of the Coif.

“We are delighted that Jane Lewis-Raymond will be joining the Unitil Board,” said Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., Unitil’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Jane is a proven leader having served as an attorney and an executive in the natural gas industry for nearly three decades. She brings a broad portfolio of skills that will enhance and complement our Board’s existing skill set and strengthen our commitment to safety, growth and sustainability.”

About Unitil Corporation
Unitil Corporation provides energy for life by safely and reliably delivering electricity and natural gas in New England. We are committed to the communities we serve and to developing people, business practices, and technologies that lead to the delivery of dependable, more efficient energy. Unitil Corporation is a public utility holding company with operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Together, Unitil’s operating utilities serve approximately 108,500 electric customers and 88,400 natural gas customers. For more information about our people, technologies, and community involvement please visit unitil.com.

North Dakota Industrial Commission Appoints Nathan Anderson as Mineral Resources Director

By News & Media

BISMARCK, ND, August 14, 2024 The North Dakota Industrial Commission named Nathan Anderson as the next director of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). Anderson succeeds former Director Lynn Helms who retired on June 30 after 26 years of service. Preng & Associates assisted the State of North Dakota in this search for an experienced leader to oversee the State’s mineral resources. Anderson’s start date will be Sept. 16.

Anderson has worked in the oil and gas industry for 25 years, with roles spanning most petroleum engineering disciplines, as well as regulatory leadership roles in Texas, Ohio and Colorado. Anderson most recently served as PDC Energy’s senior asset director from 2018 to 2023, and continued as a senior advisor after the company was acquired by Chevron in 2023.

“We are pleased to welcome Nathan to the Industrial Commission and the Department of Mineral Resources,” said the Commission in a joint statement. The Commission consists of Gov. Doug Burgum as chair, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “This role is critical for our state as it fosters the continued growth of the industry responsible for over 63% of our state’s revenues. Nathan’s deep background in industry and his strong understanding of the complete life cycle of an oil and gas asset make him exceptionally well-positioned to lead DMR, and we are confident that he will serve our state well.”

A Minot native, Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University. He has also served on several regulatory committees, including the Texas and the Ohio Oil and Gas Associations. While in Texas, Anderson’s team drilled some of the first U-laterals in the state.

“I am honored to be chosen for this role and am excited to be able to serve the DMR, its employees, the energy industry and the people of the great state of North Dakota,” Anderson said. “I look forward to getting started in the near future.”

About The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources

In 2005, DMR was formed under the Industrial Commission by merging the Oil and Gas Division and the North Dakota Geological Survey into one department. The Oil and Gas Division was created in 1981 to serve as the regulatory agency tasked with permitting and overseeing oil and gas development. The Geological Survey was created in 1895 and is tasked with mapping North Dakota’s geologic resources and overseeing non-oil and gas mineral development. In 2018, DMR was also tasked with regulating Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) when North Dakota became the first state to achieve primacy over the Class VI Underground Injection Control Program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

About Preng & Associates

Preng & Associates, founded in 1980, is the only retainer-based international executive search firm specializing solely in the energy industry. The firm’s experience spans the entire energy value chain – from the well head to the wall socket. Their subsector verticals have specific expertise in Oil and Gas (Upstream, Midstream and Downstream), Oilfield Equipment and Services, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Engineering and Construction, and Industrials. Preng & Associates has conducted more than 4,000 engagements for over 880 companies and placed individuals for board, executive management, and professional positions in 92 countries.

Source link: https://www.ndic.nd.gov/news/industrial-commission-names-nathan-anderson-director-department-mineral-resources

Phillip Feiner Joins Ring Energy as General Counsel

By News & Media

Ring Energy, Inc. (NYSE: REI) (“Ring” or the “Company”) today announced a management team update, including the addition of a new senior executive. Mr. Phillip Feiner has joined Ring as Vice President, General Counsel. With more than 25 years of energy industry experience, including with both public and private companies, Mr. Feiner is responsible for leading Ring’s legal and human resources efforts. Preng & Associates, a leading global executive search firm, was retained to assist with the search.

Mr. Paul D. McKinney, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased to have Phillip join the Company given his substantial background and industry experience. This role is key to the execution of our long-term strategy, and I – along with the rest of the team – look forward to working closely with Phillip as we continue to focus on maximizing the Company’s cash flow, improving the balance sheet, and driving increased value for our stockholders.”

 

Prior to joining Ring, Mr. Feiner most recently served as General Counsel for Nacero Inc., a renewable fuels company. Prior to Nacero, Phillip served as General Counsel for HSB Solomon Associates, a global consulting and benchmarking firm serving the upstream, midstream, and downstream energy space. From 2011 to 2019, Mr. Feiner worked at Kosmos Energy as Assistant General Counsel where he was promoted to Vice President, Legal and HR and subsequently to Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. Prior to Kosmos Energy, Phillip served as Vice President and General Counsel for Cano Petroleum. Mr. Feiner received a B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a J.D. degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.

About Ring Energy, Inc.

Ring Energy, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with current operations focused on the development of its Permian Basin assets. For additional information, please visit www.ringenergy.com.

About Preng & Associates

Preng & Associates, founded in 1980, is the only retainer-based international executive search firm specializing solely in the energy industry. The firm’s experience spans the entire energy value chain – from the well head to the wall socket. Their subsector verticals have specific expertise in Oil and Gas (Upstream, Midstream and Downstream), Oilfield Equipment and Services, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Engineering and Construction, and Industrials. Preng & Associates has conducted more than 4,000 engagements for over 900 companies and placed individuals for board, executive management, and professional positions in 92 countries.

Source link: https://www.ringenergy.com/news-presentations-events/press-releases/detail/218/ring-energy-provides-management-team-update

Preng & Associates Assists Lapis Energy in Search for Carbon Management Leader

By News & Media

Lapis Energy, an integrated carbon management company, announced today that Rusty Desormeaux is joining their Executives team as Chief Operating Officer. Preng & Associates assisted in this search for an executive leader in the carbon management industry.

With over 25 years of global experience in the energy industry, Rusty has a proven track record in leading operations, production, drilling, and engineering teams, most recently serving as the Director of CCS Capital Projects at Talos Energy. Previously, he worked at Murphy Oil and Kerr McGee Oil and Gas working as various engineering and operational management roles in Offshore and Onshore Oil and Gas production. Rusty Graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering.

Rusty’s expertise and leadership will be instrumental as Lapis Energy continues to advance its industry-leading portfolio of CCS projects. Lapis is confident that Rusty will drive forward our mission to be the partner of choice delivering customized CCS solutions.

 

ABOUT LAPIS ENERGY

Lapis connects major CO2 emitters with the best CO2 storage sites. The Lapis team comprises leading industry experts with multiple decades of relevant technical, commercial and project experience with the biggest companies in the world. Backed by private equity finance infrastructure development specialists, Cresta Fund Management, Lapis is positioned to become a market leader in the rapidly evolving world of industrial decarbonization through CCS.

As the energy industry undergoes a fundamental restructuring, Lapis represents the bridge between the best traditional solutions and structures and the next generation to ensure effective and efficient project development and delivery of commercially viable investments. For more information about Lapis Energy, please visit https://www.lapisenergy.com/

Source Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lapis-energy_exciting-news-from-lapis-we-are-delighted-activity-7208496620147990528-TCvU/

Flotek Industries Adds SVP, Commercial To Executive Leadership Team

By News & Media

Flotek Industries, Inc. (“Flotek” or the “Company”) (NYSE: FTK) announced that it has appointed Leon Chad as Senior Vice President, Commercial, effective June 3, 2024. Preng & Associates assisted in this search. This appointment serves as the replacement for the Company’s Senior Vice President – Global Business Lines who departed in March 2024.

With over three decades of both domestic and international experience in the energy and chemistry industries, Mr. Chad brings invaluable expertise that will further enhance the Company’s strategy to drive market share gains through its differentiated chemistry and data solutions.

Ryan Ezell, Chief Executive Officer, said “I am thrilled to welcome Leon as the newest member of our leadership team at a time when we continue to aggressively execute accretive initiatives aimed at building a resilient business that can sustain profitability through the volatility inherent in our industry. Mr. Chad’s proven track record of developing and implementing successful business strategies around sales, marketing and commercial operations across the globe in the energy and chemistry industries will be instrumental in helping the Company to execute its strategy.”

Prior to joining Flotek, Mr. Chad served as Product Line Director at Baker Hughes, where he led the chemicals service delivery operation for the North America Offshore region. Prior to this, he was Director and Vice President at Locus Fermentation Solutions, a bio-chemical startup focused on green chemistry, where he was responsible for market growth and business development strategy and execution within the oilfield sector. Earlier, Mr. Chad was Head of Marketing and Global Head of Business Development for Clariant Oil Services, where he directed new market entry strategies, market expansion and technology-focused value-based growth initiatives. Mr. Chad’s extensive career also includes 20 years at Nalco Energy Services, where he held various sales, marketing, and commercial leadership roles. During his tenure at Nalco, he was based in diverse locations, including the UK, Houston, TX, and Dubai, where he led the MENA Region. Mr. Chad is fluent in Arabic and French and holds a Maitrise es Sciences in chemistry from the Lebanese University.

 

ABOUT FLOTEK INDUSTRIES

Flotek Industries, Inc. is an advanced technology-driven, green chemical and data analytics company providing unique and innovative completion solutions that have a proven, positive impact on sustainability and reducing the overall environmental impact of energy on air, land, water and people. Flotek has an intellectual property portfolio of over 170 patents and a global presence in more than 59 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa. Flotek has established collaborative partnerships focused on sustainable and optimized chemistry and data solutions which improve well performance and allow its customers to generate higher returns on invested capital.

Source Link: https://www.flotekind.com/flotek-enhances-executive-leadership-team-with-addition-of-leon-chad-as-senior-vice-president-commercial/

Preng & Associates Assists PetroTal Corp In The Search for a Business Development Executive

By News & Media

PetroTal Corp.(TSE:TAL) (AIM:PTAL)  has announced Emilio T. Acin Daneri has joined as Vice President, Business Development. Preng & Associates assisted in completing this search.

CNOOC International Email Format & Employee Directory | ContactOutEmilio Acin Daneri brings over 30 years of experience in several global oil companies, working in a variety of business development, commercial and financial executive roles. He has been instrumental in multiple merger, acquisition and divestiture transactions, primarily in Latin America.

Prior to PetroTal, Mr. Acin Daneri served as a Senior Commercial Advisor at CNOOC International, having key roles in developing transactions and alliances across Latin America. Prior to CNOOC, Mr. Acin Daneri was a Director at Repsol where he held several positions of increasing responsibility, including Director of Business Development for Europe, Asia and Africa and later Latin America, and Deputy CFO for the JV with Sinopec in Brazil. Prior to Repsol, he held commercial and finance positions at Madagascar Oil, Pioneer Natural Resources, El Paso Corporation and Santa Fe Energy Resources.

ABOUT PETROTAL

PetroTal is a publicly traded, tri‐quoted (TSX: TAL, AIM: PTAL and OTCQX: PTALF) oil and gas development and production Company domiciled in Calgary, Alberta, focused on the development of oil assets in Peru. PetroTal’s flagship asset is its 100% working interest in Bretana oil field in Peru’s Block 95 where oil production was initiated in June 2018. In early 2022, PetroTal became the largest crude oil producer in Peru. The Company’s management team has significant experience in developing and exploring for oil in Peru and is led by a Board of Directors that is focused on safely and cost effectively developing the Bretana oil field. It is actively building new initiatives to champion community sensitive energy production, benefiting all stakeholders.

 

Source Link:https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206607/PetroTal-Announces-Corporate-Updates

PJM Appoints Aftab Khan Executive Vice President – Operations, Planning & Security

By News & Media

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.

PJM Interconnection (@pjminterconnect) / X

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/ 

U.S. Energy Corp. Announces Appointment of New Chief Financial Officer

By News & Media

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.

 

Preng & Associates Completes A Search For The Chief Financial Officer Of Flotek Industries, Inc.

By News & Media

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 Shares Perspectives On African Energy Leadership Panel

By News & Media

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.