ENERGY PLAYERS

Enable Midstream Partners LP has named John Laws executive vice president, CFO and treasurer. Laws succeeds former CFO Rod Sailor who assumed the role of president and CEO effective January 1. Laws has more than 17 years of experience as a finance executive, more than nine of which have been devoted to the energy sector, serving in a variety of leadership positions in corporate finance and business and corporate development. Prior to being named CFO, Laws served as treasurer at Enable.

Enertia elects new president, CEO

Enertia Software has named Vince Dawkins president and CEO. Dawkins, former Director of Special Projects and Business Intelligence, was unanimously elected by the Board of Directors. Dawkins graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Between 1998 and 2008, Dawkins worked with organizations such as Amoco/BP, Accenture, David Powers and EAG Solutions. In August 2008, Dawkins joined Enertia Software as a senior business analyst where he contributed to the design, development, and implementation of an enterprise application for upstream oil and gas producers.

Little Joins Steptoe & Johnson

David R. Little, a 30-year Colorado litigator, has joined the Denver office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. Little focuses his practice on complex oil and gas contracts, tort and regulatory matters involving oil and gas leases, joint operating agreements, other oil and gas contracts, royalty payments, surface use issues, and oil and gas operations. He is a graduate of Stanford Law School and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado. He joins the firm from Bjork Lindley Little PC.

Duff & Phelps adds Pawluck to Toronto Restructuring Advisory Practice

Brian Pawluck has joined Duff & Phelps, a global valuation and corporate finance advisor, as a managing director in the Canadian restructuring practice. Pawluck will be based in Toronto. Pawluck has over 30 years of experience focused on complex financial transactions and restructuring in the Canadian market in both private and public companies. He also has professional expertise in the energy and oilfield services sector. Before joining Duff & Phelps, Pawluck advised companies, financial sponsors, lenders, creditors and other interested parties in distressed situations and strategic buyers, pension funds and private equity firms on the financial aspects of an acquisition. He holds an Honors Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Windsor and is a Chartered Professional Accountant, a Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional and a Trustee in Bankruptcy.

ACG names Gallagher president, CEO

Houston, TX-based American Gilsonite Company Inc. (ACG) has appointed David G. Gallagher president and CEO. Gallagher has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas service sector, having served with Schlumberger, CARBO Ceramics and Baker Hughes in engineering, operations, product development and executive management roles. He joined AGC in 2013 as senior vice president of commercial operations. Gallagher succeeds Ted Stevens, who spent 17 years with the company and has retired. Gallagher earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of New Mexico. AGC is a miner and processor of uintaite, a naturally occurring hydrocarbon similar in appearance to hard asphalt believed to be found in commercial quantities only in the Uinta Basin. The company sells its products to the oil and gas industry, as well as to other markets. ACG is a portfolio company of Palladium Equity Partners III LP.

Marathon Petroleum VP, general counsel, secretary to retire

J. Michael Wilder, vice president, general counsel and secretary, retired from Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC) effective March 1. Suzanne Gagle, previously an assistant general counsel, has assumed the role of vice president and general counsel. Molly Benson, who also served as an assistant general counsel, assumed the role of vice president, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer. Wilder joined Ashland Petroleum Co. as a staff attorney and held positions of increasing responsibility at Ashland and its affiliates. When Marathon Ashland Petroleum was formed, Wilder was named general counsel and secretary of the joint venture. He was named vice president, general sounsel and secretary of Marathon Petroleum in 2011. Gagle joined MPC in 1992 and has held several positions, including senior group counsel for MPC Operations. She assumed her role as assistant general counsel with MPC's Law Litigation and Human Resources organization in 2011. She graduated from the University of Toledo with a BBA and earned her JD degree from the University of Toledo. Benson began her career with MPC in 1998 and has held several positions where she supported both MPC Operations and corporate organizations. She was named assistant general counsel for all corporate and finance activities in 2012. Benson graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in political science. She received her JD from the University of Toledo.

Babst Calland opens Washington DC office, adds energy attorneys

Babst Calland has opened a new office in Washington DC with the addition of James Curry and Keith Coyle. Curry and Coyle represent clients in the energy industry on a variety of matters, particularly in the areas of pipeline safety and the transportation of hazardous materials, and are joining the firm's energy and natural resources practice group as shareholders. Curry and Coyle join from a DC environmental and energy law firm, where they helped develop and expand the pipeline safety practice group. Both previously served as attorneys for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Curry counsels clients throughout the US on PHMSA compliance matters and other transportation-related issues. Coyle, a member of the Pennsylvania Governor's Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force who also specializes in PHMSA and transportation matters, is returning to Babst Calland, where he was an associate attorney earlier in his career.

Jardon to succeed Woodburn as Expro CEO

Expro has appointed Mike Jardon to succeed Charles Woodburn as CEO. Woodburn will leave the company in April to join BAE Systems plc. Jardon joined Expro in 2011 as COO after holding senior roles within Schlumberger's wireline, completions, well testing and subsea businesses, and at Vallourec & Mannesmann, where he led commercial activities across North America.

Almansoori appoints general manager

Middle East oilfield services provider AlMansoori Specialized Engineering has appointed Ahmed Aboulfotouh as a general manager for AlMansoori Production Services. With over 29 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Aboulfotouh has served in several senior management and leadership roles in organizations in Egypt, Pakistan, UAE and Libya. Before joining AlMansoori, he was the Testing & Production Services Regional Manager, Middle East and North Africa, for Weatherford. He holds a mechanical engineering degree from Alexandria University in Egypt.

BNP Paribas expands US oil and gas mergers and acquisitions group

BNP Paribas expanded its oil and gas mergers and acquisitions group in the US with the appointment of senior banker, Carlos Aguilera. Aguilera joins as managing director and Head of Oil & Gas Americas. He previously served as vice president of business development for Latin America and Africa at Chevron. He holds a bachelor's degree in Geology from Louisiana State University, and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a focus on Energy Economics and Advanced Negotiations. He will lead the oil and gas teams both in Houston and New York.

Opportune names managing directors

Gauthier van Marcke and Glenn Babich have joined energy consulting firm Opportune LLP as managing directors. Gauthier van Marcke has over 20 years of experience leading commercial development and strategic execution in the E&P, midstream, and financial services sectors. Prior to joining Opportune, he worked as a managing director for a Houston-based consulting and advisory firm specializing in natural gas and LNG value chains. Glenn Babich has experience designing and executing performance improvement programs and delivering results for major energy and petrochemical companies in the US, Europe, and Asia. Before joining Opportune, he was a leader with a global professional service firm and his focus was on delivering financial turnaround strategies for international energy companies.

Texas Alliance of Energy Producers makes admin changes

The Texas Alliance of Energy Producers made administrative changes. John James Tintera, previously a consultant with the Alliance, was named executive vice president, government relations. Gloria Leal has been named general counsel, and Bill Stevens will serve as chief lobbyist. James M. Wortham joins as director, membership services for North Texas. Tintera is a retired executive director and 22-year veteran of the Railroad Commission of Texas. He holds a BS and MS degrees in geology with over 30 years of combined technical and managerial experience. Leal, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin law school, has served as a consultant to the Alliance since 2006. Previously, she served as general counsel for the Texas Department of Insurance. Stevens has served as a government relations specialist with the Alliance since it was organized in 2000. Wortham attended the US Air Force Academy, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston earning bachelor and master degrees in business administration. He has worked with producers in the North Texas area for more than 30 years. He has been a longtime member of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers and has served on its Board.