Energy Players
Mutual of Omaha Bank has formed a Houston-based energy lending group to begin deploying capital in the oil and gas industry. George McKean has been appointed manager of energy lending, Edward Fenk has been named senior energy lender, and B. Forrest Taylor joins as a senior lender. The energy lending group will focus primarily on E&P, midstream, and oilfield service projects. McKean brings 25 years of experience to Mutual of Omaha Bank, most recently serving as managing director at CIT Group, where he established a Houston-based energy lending group. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and his executive MBA from Columbia University in New York. Fenk has 30 years of oil and gas industry and energy lending experience, most recently serving as vice president of the Corporate Banking Energy Industry Team at Allied Irish Bank in Houston. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla., and his Juris Doctor from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in Fort Worth, Texas. Taylor joined Mutual of Omaha Bank in 2010 with nearly 30 years of banking and finance experience. Over the past year, he has worked with Houston area businesses, providing a comprehensive suite of business banking services. Prior to joining Mutual of Omaha Bank, Taylor held senior management positions Sterling Bank, The CIT Group, Regions Bank, Merrill Lynch Capital and Heller Financial. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in Austin.
Baker & McKenzie has added Bryce Linsenmayer to its Corporate & Securities practice. A partner with 20 years of experience in securities law and merger and acquisitions experience, Linsenmayer will be based in the firm's Houston office. Previously, Linsenmayer was a partner with Haynes and Boone LLP. At Baker & McKenzie, Linsenmayer will represent public and private companies in the energy, environmental and technology industries. He has represented issuers and investment bankers in various public offerings, including domestic and foreign private placements of debt and equity securities; as well as general corporate planning and representation. In addition, Linsenmayer represents public and private clients in mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures. He received a bachelor's degree from Trinity University and a JD from the University of Texas School of Law.
Range Resources Corp. has named Jeffrey Ventura to succeed John Pinkerton as the company's CEO. Ventura has been with the company since 2003 and currently serves as president and COO. Ventura has 32 years of industry experience and holds a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University. He will assume the additional role of CEO on January 1, 2012. At such time, Pinkerton, Range's current CEO, will assume the position of executive chairman. Pinkerton has served as Range's CEO since 1992.
Houston-based Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. has named Mark H. Wolf as vice president of finance replacing Victor Ponce de Leon. Wolf has over 24 years of experience providing commercial banking, corporate finance and treasury related services to the various segments comprising the energy industry. He began his career in 1987 at the formal credit training program with Bank One, Texas NA, followed by banking entities such as CIBC World Markets and BNP Paribas. During 2004 and 2005, Wolf served as the vice president of finance for the "old" Magnum Hunter Resources prior to the $2.2 billion sale of the company to a Denver based energy company in June 2005. Wolf received his bachelor's degree and MBA from the University of Texas at Austin
New York-based law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has added Rodney L. Moore as a partner as part of its effort to expand the midstream and upstream energy deal-making capabilities of its private equity practice. Moore, who joins the firm from Vinson & Elkins LLP, will split his time between Weil's Houston and Dallas offices. He has nearly 25 years of experience representing private equity firms and their portfolio companies in formation and transactional matters, and brings extensive experience in representing strategic and financial participants in energy industry transactions. He graduated from the Washington & Lee University School of Law, cum laude, in 1987, and earned his bachelor's degree from Austin College.
Transactional lawyer Alexander Kudelin has joined King & Spalding's Moscow office as counsel. The Moscow office was opened in May 2011. Kudelin, dual-qualified as a lawyer in Russia and New York, focuses on mergers and acquisitions, finance and general transactional matters, advising clients in industries including oil and gas, metals, mining, and other industries. He earned law and PhD degrees from the Moscow State Institute for International Relations and received LLM degrees from The University of Chicago Law School and the Boston University School of Law. He previously served as counsel at Hogan Lovells. Fourteen lawyers now practice in the Moscow office.
Mike Grove has retired as general manager-land and legal and as general counsel of Arena Energy LP. Grove joined Arena in August 2005 and became a Certified Professional Landman in 2006. He has been Board Certified as a specialist in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization continuously since 1986. Grove served as chairman ('94-'95) of the Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the Texas Bar and as chairman ('03-'04) of the Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Section of the Houston Bar. He has been a lawyer in Houston for 33 years, and he now maintains his solo practice law office in Bellaire, TX, just outside of Houston. Grove earned a bachelor's degree from the US Military Academy at West Point, and a JD from the University of Houston Law Center.
New Orleans-based Superior Energy Services has named Kerric Peyton vice president of Corporate Health, Safety & Environmental. Based in Houston, Peyton will lead the execution of all technical, functional, auditing, compliance and training responsibilities related to the Health, Safety & Environmental function across the entire organization. Previously a drilling superintendent and manager of worldwide HSE activities at an offshore drilling contractor, Peyton has more than 12 years of industry experience. He is also a veteran of the US Navy where he served six years in the Nuclear Power Program. He holds a bachelor's degree from New School University and has completed post graduate work in business administration from Regis University.
McDermott International Inc. has appointed John T. "Jack" McCormack executive vice president, COO. He joined McDermott in 2003 and has led the company's Asia Pacific and Middle East operations. McCormack will succeed John T. Nesser who has elected to retire after 13 years with the company.
Pine Brook, a New York-based private equity firm that focuses on the energy and financial services industries, has named Richard Aube as a managing director. With 20 years of experience, Aube joins Pine Brook from DE Shaw & Co. where he was a managing director responsible for co-managing the firm's North American private equity effort. Previously, Aube was a partner with JP Morgan Partners where he focused on growth equity and buyout investments in the energy and industrial sectors.
Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. has appointed John T. Rynd and Kevin O. Meyers, PhD to its board in order to fill vacancies created by a prior resignation and the decision to increase the number of directors from seven to eight. Since June 2008, Rynd has served as president, CEO, and a director of Hercules Offshore Inc. Meyers is a consultant with 31 years of experience in the industry. He served as the senior vice president, E&P – Americas of ConocoPhillips from May 2009 until his retirement in December 2010. Samuel A. Giberga has been promoted from senior vice president to executive vice president. He will continue to serve as the company's general counsel and chief compliance officer.
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