Jack E. Vaughn - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Jack Vaughn is currently Chairman and CEO of Peak Oil & Gas III, Inc. He previously was President and CEO of Peak Energy Resources, Inc. Prior to joining Peak, Vaughn was Vice President – Rocky Mountain Division for EnerVest Management Partners from 1996 to 2002. Vaughn managed a successful San Juan Basin CBM project held by an Enervest/GE Capital partnership. This project was sold to Texaco in November 2001, for a 48% IRR. He also managed the acquisition, development and divestiture of successful conventional Wyoming Green River Basin projects divested to Samson Resources in late 2002 in excess of a 40% IRR. Prior to that, he was an Executive Project Manager for the Hillman Company Energy Group, managing the development of a successful CBM project in the San Juan Basin from 1989 to 2006. This project returned in excess of 50% IRR. He previously worked as a consultant in drilling and completion operations and project management throughout the Rockies, East Texas, and the mid-continent for a number of independents.

Vaughn holds a degree in B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and started his career in 1968 with Amoco Oil Company. He has over 35 years industry experience.

Alexander (Alex) M. McLean, P.E. – President

Alex McLean joined the Peak Energy management team in June 2003.  Prior to becoming President of Peak Oil & Gas III, Inc., he was Executive Vice President – Engineering and Operations. 

Alex’s career has spanned nearly twenty-five years and includes stints with Tenneco Oil Company (’82 - ’89), Meridian Oil (’89-’93) and Samson Resources (’93 –’95).  In ’95, Alex moved to Durango from Tulsa, OK and helped start Sagle, Schwab and McLean Energy Resources, an engineering / operations consulting company.  While there, he spear-headed the $9.3 MM acquisition of Meridian Oil’s La Plata County, Colorado properties on behalf of SG Interests (Lester Smith and Russell Gordy).  That acquisition (made in late ’95) became the foundation of a Fruitland Coal resource play that sold six years later to Conoco for ~ $550 MM. 

He is a 1982 graduate of the Colorado School of Mines with a BS in Petroleum Engineering.  He is also a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado. 

 

Steven M. Thibodeaux  - Vice President - Geologist

 
Steve Thibodeaux joined Peak Energy Resources in July 2003 where his primary responsibilities include planning and implementation of capital development projects, identification and assessment of acquisitions, oversight of operational activities in the field, and geological reservoir modeling for accurate reserve quantification.  Steve brings over 25 years of geology experience to Peak.  Prior to joining Peak, he spent 10 years with Burlington Resources, Inc. in Farmington, New Mexico, where he was a Senior Staff Geologist and team leader of a multi-disciplinary team focusing on coalbed methane development and optimization in the San Juan Basin along with assessing both domestic and international CBM acquisition opportunities.  During the twelve years prior to that, he worked as a contract geologist, well site geologist and mudlogger for numerous operators with extensive experience in the majority of Western US and Rocky Mt. basins.  Steve obtained a Bachelors of Science in Geology from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where he graduated Gamma Sigma Epsilon (Geological Honor Society) in 1981.  Steve maintains memberships with the Four Corners Geological Society, GSA and AAPG.

Matthew A. Gray – Vice President of Land

Matt joined Peak in July 2003, after three years as a landman for Burlington Resources, Inc. – Farmington, New Mexico, where his responsibilities included securing, improving and perfecting Burlington’s legal right to drill and produce hydrocarbons throughout the San Juan Basin. He provided land support for their extensive drilling program working with various regulatory agencies and Indian tribes. Throughout his college years, Matt interned with Nichol’s Land Service – Oklahoma City; Conoco, Inc. – Midland, Texas; and Devon Energy – Oklahoma City before graduating in 2000 with a Bachelors of Administration from the University of Oklahoma, where he majored in Energy Management with a minor in Finance. Matt is a current member of the American Association of Professional Landmen and the former President of the Four Corners Association of Professional Landmen.

Victor Rudolph, P.E. Consulting Engineer

Vic has 22 years of diverse engineering experience within the industry, having worked for Marathon Oil Company (1985 -1996), Apache (1996 -2000) and Red Willow Production Company (2000- 2004). He has worked projects in Louisiana, Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Vic has been supporting Peak Energy since May, 2004 with completion, production and facility expertise. He graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering from Marietta College and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio.

Jeff M. Lowe – Vice President – Finance and Accounting

Jeff Lowe joined Peak Energy in August of 2004. He brings to Peak over 20 years of oil & gas accounting management experience to lead Peak’s accounting staff. Most recently, Jeff held the positions of Vice President of Finance and Accounting (Shenandoah Energy) and Coordinating General Manager for Questar Corporation’s Uinta Basin Division (Denver, Colorado) where he was retained after its purchase of Shenandoah Energy, Inc. At Shenandoah Energy, Jeff held the position of Vice President of Finance and Accounting. Since 1989, he has held several accounting management positions in the energy sector, working for Ocean Energy, Inc. (Denver, Colorado), K N Energy, Inc. (Denver, Colorado), and Apache Corporation (Denver, Colorado). Majoring in Accounting, Jeff holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska (Omaha). In 1996, Jeff obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Regis University, Denver, Colorado, graduating with honors. He also holds a Certified Public Accountant license.

William F. Sawyer – Geotechnical/Engineering Services Manager

Will joined the Peak Energy staff in September 2003. The previous five years, he worked for Burlington Resources Inc., Farmington, New Mexico as a Senior Staff Technician where he managed digital wireline database (13,000 logs/500,000 curves) and provided professional technical assistance to geologists and engineers. Before that, Will worked for Halliburton Energy Services out of Farmington, New Mexico as a field engineer primarily dealing with open hole and cased hole logging, log analysis and interpretation. In the summer of 1994, Will worked for Southwest Geophysical Services, Inc. before graduating from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering. Will has a strong understanding of structural, hydraulic and programming software including SURFER - (topographic map creation and analysis), CRSP - (rockfall simulation analysis), WENNER - (refraction modeling); FASTEP - (water well design), TR-55 - (calculating runoff & storage volume of rainfall); C+, Basic, Loglan (Petrophysical Modeling), C-Shell Scripting, and other UNIX languages.

Sheila Thompson – Regulatory Reporting Manager

Sheila has been with Peak Energy since its formation in November 2002. She possesses a significant background in oil and gas production. Her current responsibilities include managing and running all in-house reserve economics, reporting to regulatory agencies for natural gas and oil wells in Wyoming, nominating volumes, APD’s, keeping track of gas imbalances, keeping track of marketing contracts as well as developing, implementing, and maintaining the company’s on-line production reporting database. Her computer expertise allows her to aid in geological electronic mapping and to troubleshoot/repair computer hardware/software issues. Before joining Peak Energy, Sheila worked for Ecosphere Environmental Services, Durango, Colorado, where she was their office manager. Before that, she was with EnerVest San Juan Operating Company, Durango, Colorado, where she developed oil and gas field maps of current properties, did property acquisition analysis, compiled and assessed budget versus actual information, and oversaw database management. Sheila obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Vermont in 1989 majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Communications.

Donald D. Buckner – Accounting Manager

A recent addition to the Peak Energy accounting group, Don joined the company in November of 2004. He brings with him over 25 years of financial management and accounting experience, a majority of it in the energy sector. Most recently, Don worked for HRF Exploration & Production (Denver, Colorado and Gaylord, Michigan) as the Operational Controller. Prior to that, Don was the Assistant Controller at Forcenergy, Inc. (Metairie, LA) and Vice President & Controller at Gulfstream Resources, Inc. (Metairie, LA). Don obtained a Bachelors of Arts, Business Administration from Washington State University. In 1997, he was certified as a public accountant in the State of Louisiana.

Jacqueline Manning – Accounts Payable Manager

With the company since July 2003, Jackie brings over 14 years of financial, administrative and contract management, and cost proposal preparation experience to Peak Energy. For the last six years, she acted as senior contract administrator for Altarum Institute (formerly Vector Research, Inc.) of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her cost analysis experience ranges from working for Ebasco Services, Inc., Denver, Colorado; Lockheed Martin, Denver, Colorado; and Control Systems, Inc., Denver, Colorado. Jackie holds two Bachelors of Science degrees, one in Finance from Metropolitan State College in Denver and the other in Biology Education from the University of Illinois. She is a Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM), NCMA which she attained in 1999.

Barbara Hampton –Manager of Human Resources and Risk Management

Barbara joined the Peak Energy team in September 2003 where she currently acts as office manager, human resources and benefit manager, and primary insurance contact. Prior to joining Peak, she worked for Durango Mountain Resort in various administrative and customer service capacities for over 15 years. Most recently, she was the office manager and executive assistant to the President & CEO of Durango Mountain Resort. Raised in Oklahoma City, Barb graduated from the University of Oklahoma where she obtained a Bachelors of Business Administration in 1983, majoring in finance and graduating with honors.

Carol J. Waltz – Property Accounting Manager

Carol Waltz joined the Peak accounting group in August 2005. She brings 30 years of oil and gas accounting experience primarily in the property accounting area. Her current responsibilities include all aspects of the JIB process, payouts, AFE maintenance and tracking, property allocations, inventory and Accounts Receivable. Prior to joining Peak Energy, Carol held a similar position with Patina Oil & Gas, Questar Corporation, Shenandoah Energy, Ensign Oil & Gas and Bow Valley Petroleum in Denver, Colorado. She is a past president of the Colorado Society of COPAS where she served on the Board of Directors for six years and chaired several committees. She maintains a membership in that organization. In 1997 Carol earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Regis University, Denver, Colorado, graduating with honors.

Jerry Modjeski – Revenue Manager

Jerry Modjeski joined Peak Energy in October, 2005. Prior to joining Peak, Jerry worked for the University of Texas System Administration for 10 years as a senior financial analyst in the Office of Finance and as supervisor of the Lands Accounting Office, West Texas Operations. At University Lands, Jerry’s department was responsible for collecting, reporting, and analyzing oil & gas revenue for the 2.1 million acres owned and managed by the University. Jerry also worked at Chevron U.S.A. in the Gulf of Mexico Business Unit and began his career as a broker/analyst at Oppenheimer & Co.’s Houston office. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a minor in Accounting from California State University, Hayward and, in 2001, Jerry received a MBA from Texas State University, graduating with honors.

Gretchen Tracy – Land Analyst

Gretchen has been with Peak since December of 2002. Her current duties include providing administrative support to both the Chairman and the Vice President of Land. As Land Analyst, she is responsible for creating and maintaining lease documents and files. She actively participates in lease curative efforts, and landowner communications and relations. She will also assist in the preparation of division orders and accounting interest decks. Gretchen obtained her Bachelors of Arts from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO in Mathematics and French in 2007, graduating at the head of her class for both majors.