Corey C. Ruttan
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Ruttan was appointed President and Chief Executive officer in May 2010 and previously was the Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer of the Company since May 2006. Mr. Ruttan was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. and has held various positions with Petrobank since March 2000 including Chief Financial Officer, Vice President Finance, Director of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, Director of Corporate Finance and Manager of Corporate Finance. He also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PetroBakken Energy Ltd. from October 2009 through May 2010. Mr. Ruttan previously served as Vice President of Caribou Capital Corp. from June 1999 to March 2000; Manager Financial Reporting of Pacalta Resources Ltd. from May 1997 to June 1999; and articled with KPMG from September 1994 to May 1997. Mr. Ruttan obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Accounting from the University of Calgary in 1994 and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1997.
John (Jack) F. Scott
Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Scott joined Petrominerales in May 2007 as Executive Vice President and Country Manager, Colombia. Prior to joining Petrominerales, Mr. Scott served as VP Engineering for Eurogas Corporation, involved in the development of the Castor Underground Gas Storage project offshore Spain and the development of properties offshore Tunisia. Prior to joining Eurogas Mr. Scott was self employed, involved in project development in a variety of international oil and gas projects. From 1992 to 1999 he held various positions with companies operating in Cuba including three years as Premier Oil’s in-country representative managing the office and operations in Cuba. He began his engineering career with Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Ltd. and later Westcoast Petroleum Ltd. (a total of ten years) moving to progressively senior engineering positions. Mr. Scott graduated from McGill University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, is a member of APEGGA and is a Professional Engineer.
Kelly Sledz
Chief Financial Officer
Kelly Sledz is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years work experience in accounting, tax and finance. Mr. Sledz joined Petrominerales in January 2009 as Finance Manager, and has held management positions at two other publicly listed oil and gas companies, First Calgary Petroleums Ltd. and Mega West Energy Corp. Prior to working in the industry, Mr. Sledz spent a number of years in public accounting at KPMG in Calgary focusing on oil and gas clients and international clients in Belgium. Mr. Sledz also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation and obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta in 1995.
John D. Wright
Chairman of the Board and Strategic Advisor
Prior to Mr. Wright’s appointment to Chairman of the Board, Mr. Wright had been President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Petrominerales from May 2006 to May 2010. Mr. Wright has been President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Petrobank since March 2000 and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of PetroBakken since 2009. Previously, Mr. Wright was the General Manager of Alberta Energy Company’s Ecuadorian operations from May to December 1999; President and Chief Executive Officer of Pacalta Resources Ltd. from May 1996 to June 1999; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Hydrocarbons Inc. from December 1993 to April 1996; and Vice President Production of Morgan Hydrocarbons Inc. from 1989 to 1993. Mr. Wright graduated from the University of Alberta in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering and became a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder in 1986.
Ruben Cano
Vice President Services and Logistics
Mr. Ruben Cano has been with the Company since 2007 and was appointed Vice President of Services and Logistics of Petrominerales in May 2010. Mr. Cano has over 15 years of industry experience, overseeing the logistics, co-ordination and transportation of operational materials, services and production. Mr. Cano received a bachelor’s degree in 1978 and his certification in Business Administration in 1985.
Jeff Chant
Vice President Organizational Performance
Mr. Jeff Chant joined Petrominerales as Vice President of Organizational Development in September 2010. Mr. Chant is President and Administrative Director of Arbinger Canada, and through Arbinger has worked with Petrominerales since 2008. Mr. Chant studied social sciences, business, theology, education and psychology, as well as management studies at Harvard Business School and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Andrea Hatzinikolas
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Andrea Hatzinikolas joined Petrominerales in June 2011. Prior to joining Petrominerales, Ms. Hatzinikolas was General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. since January 2007 and worked closely with Petrominerales and PetroBakken Energy Ltd., including holding the position of General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Petrominerales and Corporate Secretary of PetroBakken. Prior to joining Petrobank, Ms. Hatzinikolas was an associate in the Calgary office a national law firm, with a practice focusing on securities and corporate law. Ms. Hatzinikolas received her Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1999 and Bachelor of Laws degree in 2003.
Senior Vice President Exploration
Mr. Lyngberg was appointed Senior Vice President, Exploration in May 2010, was Vice President, Exploration since August 2008 and was Chief Geologist since July 2007. Mr. Lyngberg has been with Petrobank since February 2001. During this time he has been extensively involved in each of Petrobank’s business units, including the initial drilling phases at Orito and Neiva in Colombia. Prior thereto, Mr. Lyngberg was a Senior Geologist for Newport Petroleum Corp/Hunt Oil from November 1998 to January 2001, Geologist for HCO Energy/Pinnacle Resources from February 1997 to July 1998, Geologist for Westcoast Petroleum/Numac Energy from 1991 to 1997, and a Geologist for Shell Canada from 1985 to 1991. Mr. Lyngberg has a Master’s Degree in Geology from the University of British Columbia, as well as a Bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia.
Tannya E. Morales
Vice President Finance
Ms. Morales was appointed Vice President, Finance in May 2010 and was Corporate Controller since March 2006. She held positions with EnCana Corporation and its predecessors Alberta Energy Company and Pacalta Energy Ltd. including Finance Manager (Ecuador), and International Accounting Manager and Corporate Financial Advisor (Canada) from July 1998 to December 2003. She was Finance and Administrative Director of Rhone Poulenc Rorer in Ecuador from July 1997 to July 1998 and served as Assistant Controller at Occidental Petroleum from January 1988 to July 1997. She was a public accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co. between 1986 and 1988. Ms. Morales obtained her C.P.A. designation in 1989 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University San Francisco in 1996.
Jaime Valenzuela
Vice President Project Management and Planning, and Director of Operations
Mr. Valenzuela joined Petrominerales in June 2010 as the Director, Project Management and Planning. Prior to his position with Petrominerales, Mr. Valenzuela worked with Trident Exploration Corp. for 5 years in the role of Director Project Management Office. Mr. Valenzuela previously worked for EnCana from November 1997 to March 2005 in various Project Management and Production roles in Ecuador and Calgary for its heavy oil development projects, and in Houston with the integrated project team for Chevron´s Gulf of Mexico Tahiti deep water offshore project. His work experience also includes 3 years with YPF and 2 with Maxus Energy Corporation. Mr. Valenzuela received a Civil Engineering degree from Santa Maria Technical University (Chile) in 1994 and obtained his Project Management Professional Designation (PMP) in 2003.