BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Naveen Dargan, Director
Naveen Dargan has been an independent businessman since June 2003. Prior thereto, Naveen was Senior Managing Director of Raymond James Ltd. from October 2001 to June, 2003. Previous to that, Naveen was Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Goepel McDermind Inc., a predecessor to Raymond James Ltd., from June 1999 to October 2001. From April 1998 to June 1999, Mr. Dargan was Senior Vice President and Director of Goepel McDermid Inc. From December 1996 to April 1998, Naveen was Senior Vice President and Director of Goepel Shields & Partners Inc., a predecessor to Goepel McDermid Inc.
Peter J. Gross, Director
Peter Gross received a B.Sc. Degree with Honours in Geological Engineering in 1961 and a M.Sc. Degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1964. Both Degrees were obtained at the Montana School of Mines. At this time, Peter commenced full time employment with Shell Oil Company. The first two years were spent in Calgary and the next five years in California. He started as Exploitation Engineer, then Special Studies projects for enhanced recoveries, then went on to be the District Engineer. From late 1969 to 1971, Peter was employed with Husky Oil in Calgary as Sr. Engineer and then as Chief Engineer.
Mr. Gross moved to Uno Tex Petroleums in 1972 as Manager of Drilling, Engineering and Production until 1977. He went to work with Sceptre Resources, a start up company, as Manager of Production, Engineering and Drilling until 1979. In late 1979, Mr. Gross became Vice President of Macquest Resources Ltd. until mid 1984 when it was sold to a Louisiana company, L.L.E. In late 1984, he took control of Futurity Oil & Gas Ltd. as President and in 1993 left Futurity, which was now called Baca Resources, to help start a private company called Futurity Energy Corporation in the position of Chairman. In 1997, the company was sold to Viking Energy Royalty Trust. He joined Viking four months later as Vice President Production and COO until retiring on Dec. 31, 2001. Mr. Gross now runs his own personal company Converse Investments Ltd. and consults to two private family companies.
Michael E. Heier, Chairman
Michael Heier is the founder and Chairman of the Board of the Trinidad Drilling Ltd. and its predecessor since June of 1998. Mr. Heier also held the position of Chief Executive Officer from May 2000 to January 2008. He is a journeyman millwright and has been involved in the oil and gas industry in western Canada since 1976. Mike played a key role in the growth of a family group of companies from that time until early 2000. At its peak activity level in 1997, this group of companies had combined revenues in excess of $50 million and employed just fewer than 400 people throughout western Canada.
Under his stewardship Trinidad Drilling Ltd., successfully achieved its IPO strategy which was implemented in the fall of 2000. Mr. Heier also served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Trinity Energy from 1987 to 1998. Trinity Energy grew from 25 boe/d to an average of over 2,000 boe/d making it one of the largest private independent oil and gas producers in the province of Saskatchewan. During this time, Trinity Energy developed and sold over $75 million worth of oil and gas assets. Trinity Energy Ltd. became Trinity Energy Inc. in 1998 and went on to find one of the largest concentrated deposits of coal bed methane in the plains region in Alberta. This land position was successfully joint ventured with Nexen Canada in 2000. Trinity Energy Inc. operated as a public non-trading entity with approximately 135 shareholders. Trinity Energy Inc. sold all of its assets in May 2002 and the cash was returned to its shareholders. Mr. Heier is still a director of Trinity Energy Inc.
Ken Stickland, Director
Ken Stickland is the Executive Vice President, Legal for TransAlta Corporation where he is responsible for managing and directing all of TransAlta’s legal affairs. Mr. Stickland also oversees Sustainable Development, Environmental Health and Safety functions as well as providing guidance to the country managers for Australia and Mexico TransAlta is among Canada’s largest non-regulated power generation and wholesale marketing companies. Prior to joining TransAlta in 2001, Mr. Stickland was a partner with theCalgary based law firm of Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP where he practiced law for twenty years. In his legal practice Mr. Stickland focused on energy related matters. Mr. Stickland holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Law Degree from the University of British Columbia. He has been a member of various professional associations as well as a director of several publicly listed companies.
Lewis W. "Jody" Powers , Director
Mr. Powers is the former President of Halliburton Energy Services where he worked for over 34 years. He began his career with Halliburton in the Wireline Division in 1968 and was promoted to managerial positions in operations, business development and manufacturing split between