Kerr-McGee names COO; makes other appointments

July 20, 2005
Kerr-McGee Corp. has named David A. Hager chief operating officer. In this new position, Hager continues to lead the Oklahoma City-based firm's worldwide exploration and production business.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 20 -- Kerr-McGee Corp. has named David A. Hager chief operating officer. In this new position, Hager continues to lead the Oklahoma City-based firm's worldwide exploration and production business.

Separately, Kerr-McGee also appointed three new corporate officers as part of its succession planning and management development: Richard C. Buterbaugh has been named vice-president of corporate planning, Al Harris has been promoted to vice-president and chief information officer, and Charles A. Meloy has been named vice-president of exploration and production.

Hager has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He began his career in 1979 as a geophysicist with Mobil Corp., and joined Oryx Energy Co. predecessor Sun Oil Co. in 1981.

He joined Kerr-McGee as vice-president of Gulf of Mexico operations following the company's merger with Oryx in 1999.

Hager has held other positions with the company, including vice-president, international operations; vice-president, worldwide deepwater E&P; vice-president of Gulf of Mexico and worldwide deepwater E&P; and vice-president, E&P. He was promoted to senior vice-president in 2003.

Buterbaugh, who has more than 28 years of experience, started his career with Chevron USA Inc. He was an investment analyst for Freeport-McMoran Inc. during 1980-88. He served as manager of capital markets for US West until joining Kerr-McGee in 1989 as staff director of corporate business development.

In 1996, Buterbaugh was promoted to director of investor relations. He was named vice-president of investor relations in 1998.

Harris joined Sun Oil in 1982 as an application and system support analyst for international E&P. He served in various positions with Oryx and joined Kerr-McGee in 1999. He was promoted to director of information management and technology (IM&T) for oil and gas and then to director of IM&T. In 2003, he was named vice-president, IM&T.

Meloy began his career with Sun Oil in 1982 as a production engineer. He held various positions with Oryx prior to joining Kerr-McGee in 1999 as director of Gulf of Mexico deepwater development. He has served as vice-president of Gulf of Mexico deepwater, vice-president and managing director of Kerr-McGee North Sea (UK) Ltd., and vice-president of Gulf of Mexico exploration, production, and development.