Directors
Paul Colborne
Chairman of the Board
Paul Colborne is currently the President of StarValley Oil and Gas Ltd., a private, Calgary-based oil and gas company since November 2005. He serves on the Board of Directors of Crescent Point Energy Corp., Cequence Energy Ltd., Wild Stream Exploration & as of April 12th, 2010 serves as Chairman for Surge Energy Inc.. Until its sale in July of 2009, Mr. Colborne did serve as Chairman of TriStar Oil & Gas Ltd.; Mr. Colborne was a Director for Westfire Energy Ltd., Twin Butte Energy Ltd., and Chairman of Seaview Energy Ltd. Until its sale in December of 2009, he also served as a director with Breaker Energy. From September 2003 to January 2005, Mr. Colborne was the President and CEO of StarPoint Energy Ltd. until its reorganization into StarPoint Energy Trust, a 36,000 boepd publicly traded energy trust. Prior thereto, Mr. Colborne was the President and CEO of Crescent Point Energy Ltd. until its reorganization into Crescent Point Energy Trust in September of 2003. From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Colborne was the President and CEO of Startech Energy Ltd., an intermediate oil and gas exploration and production company. Under Mr. Colborne’s leadership, Startech grew to 16,000 boe/d from its startup production rate of 120 boe/d. Listed on the TSX 300 sub-index as one of Canada’s larger public oil and gas companies, Startech was acquired by ARC Energy Trust in February of 2001. Mr. Colborne’s previous career included positions as a corporate finance and oil and gas lawyer with Wascana Energy Inc. and Husky Oil Ltd., and an associate with the legal firm Parlee McLaws. Mr. Colborne has 24 years of industry experience, and has specialized in creating shareholder value in the junior oil and gas sector in Western Canada.
Trent J. Yanko
President + CEO
Trent Yanko has over 20 years of industry experience in reservoir and production engineering, operations, drilling and completions, acquisitions and divestitures, and economic evaluations with both senior and junior Canadian oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. He has also completed technical and economic evaluations and aided in the structuring of production-sharing contracts in China and Ukraine. Mr. Yanko was most recently President and CEO of Mission Oil & Gas Inc. (TSX – MSO), which grew from 500 Boe/d to more than 7,000 Boe/d in two years, primarily due to success in the Bakken light oil resource play in southeast Saskatchewan, before being sold to Crescent Point Energy Trust for $670 million in 2007. As a result of the Bakken play and its impact, Mr. Yanko was named Saskatchewan Oilman of the Year in 2007.
As Vice-President, Production of StarPoint Energy Ltd. (TSX – SPN) he was instrumental in the company’s growth from 250 Boe/d to 9,000 Boe/d. Mr. Yanko also founded, financed, and managed Drill-X Energy Corp. and X-Terra Energy Inc. Previously, he served as Vice President of Waterous Securities Inc. (currently Scotia Waterous), specializing in the divestiture of oil and natural gas assets and companies, and held a number of positions of increasing responsibility at Startech Energy Ltd. and Lateral Vector Resources Inc. He started his career as a reservoir engineer with Saskoil. Mr. Yanko holds a B.A.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Regina and is a member of APEGGA, APEGS and SPE.
Jim Bertram
Jim Bertram is President and CEO of Keyera Facilities Income Fund, an integrated energy company focused on the natural gas midstream and marketing business in Canada. Previously, Mr. Bertram was Vice President – Marketing for Gulf Canada's worldwide operations. Prior to joining Gulf Canada, he was Vice President – Marketing of Amerada Hess Canada Ltd. for seven years. Mr. Bertram has over 25 years’ experience in the oil and natural gas industry.
Randal Brockway
Randal Brockway is a chartered accountant and independent businessman who currently serves as President of Carvis Holdings Inc., a private holding company. Previously, Mr. Brockway was Vice President, Finance and CFO of Cequel Energy Inc. and Vice President, Finance and CFO of Cypress Energy Inc. He is a former Senior Vice President, Finance and CFO of Big Bear Exploration Ltd., and the former Vice President, Finance and CFO of Stampeder Exploration Ltd.
Scott Dawson
Scott Dawson is a professional engineer with over 25 years of experience in western Canadian oil and natural gas engineering. He is currently President and CEO of Open Range Energy Corp. Previously, he was President and CEO of Tempest Energy Corp., leading Tempest to a plan of arrangement with Daylight Energy Trust and the formation of Open Range in 2005. Mr. Dawson was co-founder, President and CEO of Tier One Energy Corp., a public oil and natural gas company, which commenced operations in 1996 and was sold in 1999.
Jim Nieuwenburg
Jim Nieuwenburg is a General Partner of Kern Partners. He has over 29 years of executive management and corporate governance experience in the energy sector. Previously, he held positions at Petromet Resources (CEO), Norcen Energy (Vice President) and Amoco Canada. Highlights at Amoco include establishing the first operating energy trust in Canada (PrimeWest), contributing to the acquisition of Dome Petroleum, and executing one of the largest oil and natural gas property rationalizations ever completed. Mr. Nieuwenburg serves as a Director for Amarone Oil & Gas, Ausra Inc., Fairborne Energy, Verenex Energy, Wave Energy and Rifco Inc. He holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (Honors), and is a graduate of the Executive Program at the University of Western Ontario (Ivey) Business School.
James Pasieka
James Pasieka is a partner with the Calgary office of Heenan Blaikie LLP. He has extensive experience in structuring and negotiating transactions for capital projects, joint ventures, corporate financings, and mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Currently, Mr. Pasieka practices in all segments of the energy sector; in general corporate/commercial law; and in corporate finance, including early-stage and venture capital financing and mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers. He also has broad experience in Alberta's electricity sector. Mr. Pasieka is an officer and director of a number of public energy companies, as well as serving as chairman of the board for several oil and natural gas companies.