SM Energy competitors

Paul M. Rady was a co-founder and has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Antero Resources Corporation since May 2004 and of its predecessor company from its founding in 2002 to its ultimate sale to XTO Energy, Inc. in April 2005. Mr. Rady has also served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Antero Midstream Corporation since the closing of its simplification transaction in March 2019. Prior to the simplification, Mr. Rady served as Chief Executive Officer of the general partner of Antero Midstream GP LP beginning in January 2017 and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of such entity beginning in April 2017. Mr. Rady also previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the general partner of Antero Midstream Partners LP beginning in February 2014. Prior to co-founding Antero Resources Corporation, Mr. Rady served as President, CEO and Chairman of Pennaco Energy from 1998 until its sale to Marathon in early 2001. Prior to Pennaco, Mr. Rady was with Barrett Resources from 1990 until 1998 where he initially was recruited as Chief Geologist in 1990, then served as Exploration Manager, EVP Exploration, President, COO and Director and ultimately CEO. Mr. Rady began his career with Amoco where he served 10 years as a geologist focused on the Rockies and Mid-Continent. Mr. Rady is the managing member of Salisbury Investment Holdings, LLC. Mr. Rady holds a B.A. in Geology from Western State College of Colorado and M.Sc. in Geology from Western Washington University.

Tom Jorden was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Cimarex in September 2011 and Chairman of the Board in August 2012. Mr. Jorden previously served as Executive Vice President of Exploration since the formation of Cimarex in September 2002 and held that same position at Key Production Company, Inc., Cimarex’s predecessor. He joined Key in November 1993 as Chief Geophysicist and later as Vice President of Exploration (October 1999 to September 2002). Prior to joining Key, Mr. Jorden was with Union Pacific Resources and Superior Oil Company. He is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines where he earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geophysics.

He served as Lead Director from the 2016 Annual Meeting through the 2017 Annual Meeting. Mr. Berry served as Executive Vice President, Exploration and Production, of ConocoPhillips Company (“ConocoPhillips”), a major international integrated energy company, from 2003 until his retirement on January 1, 2008. He has over 30 years of experience with ConocoPhillips and Phillips Petroleum Company, which became a part of ConocoPhillips in August 2002. While with these companies, he served at various times in other executive positions including President, Asia Pacific; Senior Vice President of Exploration and Production, Eurasia-Middle East; Vice President of Exploration and Production, Eurasia; and Vice President of International Exploration and Production, New Ventures. While at ConocoPhillips and Phillips Petroleum Company he served in various locations including London, England; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Stavanger, Norway; Shekou and Beijing, China; and Singapore. Mr. Berry was recognized by the government of China as one of the 31 outstanding foreign experts in 1996. He has served on the board of directors of Franks International since January 2015 and on the board of directors of Oceaneering International, Inc. since June 2016. He served on the board of directors of Nexen Inc. from December 2008 to June 2013, Willbros Group, Inc. (“Willbros”) from February 2008 to May 2014, Access Midstream Partners, L.P. from June 2013 to May 2014, and Teekay Corporation from June 2012 to December 2015. He was the Honorary Consul for Kazakhstan from 2009 until 2014. Mr. Berry holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from Mississippi State University. Mr. Berry brings extensive domestic and international experience in the oil and gas exploration and production industry and management expertise to the Board. Mr. Berry also brings considerable experience from his position as a director with several other publicly traded companies involved in the energy industry. We believe Mr. Berry’s extensive industry, management and director expertise qualify him to serve on our Board.

Mr. Foran founded Matador Resources Company in July 2003 and has served as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary since he founded the Company and currently is the largest shareholder. Mr. Foran began his career as an oil and natural gas independent in 1983 when he and his wife, Nancy, founded Foran Oil Company with $270,000 in contributed capital from 17 of his closest friends and neighbors. Foran Oil Company was later contributed into Matador Petroleum Corporation upon its formation by Mr. Foran in 1988, and Mr. Foran served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of that company from inception until the time of its sale to Tom Brown, Inc. in June 2003 for an enterprise value of $388 million in an all-cash transaction. Under Mr. Foran’s guidance, Matador Petroleum realized a 21% average annual rate of return for its shareholders for 15 years.

Jeffrey Ventura, Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer, joined Range Resources Corporation in 2003 as Chief Operating Officer and became a Member of the Board of Directors in 2005. Jeffrey was named President effective May 2008, Chief Executive Officer effective January 2012 and named Chairman of the Board of Directors on January 1, 2015. Previously, Jeffrey served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Matador Petroleum Corporation which he joined in 1997. Prior to his service at Matador, Jeffrey spent eight years at Maxus Energy Corporation where he managed various engineering, exploration and development operations and was responsible for coordination of engineering technology. Previously, Jeffrey was with Tenneco Oil Exploration and Production, where he held various engineering and operating positions. Jeffrey is a Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University.