J-W Operating Company has a broad and experienced management team in place. The Company's executives have an in-depth knowledge of the energy industry, with many years of experience between them.
J-W Operating Company Board of Directors
Howard G. Westerman, Jr.
Chairman
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Westerman joined J-W Operating Company in 1978 as a Corporate Administrator. During his years with J-W Operating Company, he has been involved in every area of the business including well servicing, gathering, measurement, compression, and exploration and production. In 1998, Mr. Westerman was appointed President and in 1999, Chief Executive Officer. As President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Westerman has directed a period of rapid expansion for the compression, exploration and production, and measurement businesses. In 2005, Mr. Westerman resigned the position of President. Under his leadership, J-W Operating Company has achieved record earnings in every business unit. Mr. Westerman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Sociology from Benedictine College in 1975.
G. Gene Gradick
President
Mr. Gradick earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A & M University in 1967. Mr. Gradick began his career with Amoco Production Corporation and held various production, reservoir and regulatory supervisory positions. In 1976 he accepted a position as Vice President of Drilling with Damson Oil Corporation. In 1978 he joined Texas Oil and Gas Corporation and was assigned to Delhi Gas Pipeline Corporation where he held various engineering management positions. In 1982 he was transferred to TXO Production Corp. and became Senior Vice President and District Manager of the East Texas Region. In 1989 he returned to Delhi as Executive Vice President of Supply and Operations. In 1997 he became President of Delhi where he was instrumental in securing the successful sale of Delhi to Koch Industries. Mr. Gradick joined J-W Operating Company in 1998 as Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to President of J-W Operating Company in January 2005. He is a member of the Southern Gas Association and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Richard T. Clement
Executive Vice President
Mr. Clement began his oil and gas career with S H & J Drilling Corporation as Controller. He joined J-W Operating Company as District Administrator for the district office in Shreveport, LA in 1984. Over the past 25 years he has held numerous positions in compression, exploration and production, marketing, operations, pipeline and gathering. In 2000, Mr. Clement was promoted to President of J-W Gathering Company and subsequently he became President of J-W Pipeline Company and Q-West Energy Company, where his main focus was managing the gathering and mid-stream subsidiary. He was promoted to Executive Vice President in October 2009 in charge of Business Development; Business Processes; and Health, Safety and Environmental Affairs of the company and serves as an advisor to other Executive Team Members with regards to capital allocation, asset development, hydrocarbon marketing, contract, legal and regulatory matters. Mr. Clement earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia in l980.
Paul D. Westerman
Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Westerman served as a reservoir engineer for Phillips Petroleum Company and Kerr-McGee Corporation from 1979 through 1984. Mr. Westerman joined J-W Operating Company in 1984 to manage the company's exploration and production operations, Cohort Energy Company. In 1997, Mr. Westerman was made President of Cohort Energy Company. Since it's creation in 1984, Cohort Energy Company's emphasis on drilling rather than acquisitions has produced an impressive proven reserve base. In January 2005, Mr. Westerman was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of J-W Operating Company. Mr. Westerman earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1979 and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Institute of Mechanical Engineers and the National Society of Petroleum Engineers.
C. D. McDaniels
Executive Vice President
Vice Chairman
Mr. McDaniels joined J-W Operating Company in Shreveport, LA in 1976 as Manager of the Shreveport District. At J-W Operating Company, Mr. McDaniels has concentrated on gas pipeline operations, natural gas marketing and regulatory affairs. In 1982 and 1984, he was appointed Vice President and then Executive Vice President, respectively. In 2005, he was appointed to Vice Chairman of J-W Operating Company. He is currently a Registered Professional Engineer with the Louisiana Professional Engineer and Land Surveying Board.
Mr. McDaniels served in the United States Army with the Americal Division, 85th Chemical Mortar Battalion, in the Philippines and New Guinea during World War II. After being honorably discharged, Mr. McDaniels attended Louisiana Tech University. After graduating in 1948 with a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering, he was employed by the Arkansas Fuel Oil Corporation where he served as Chief Pipeline Engineer and Manager of Natural Gas and Crude Sales. In 1961 he accepted a position with Cities Service Oil Company where he served as Manager of Natural Gas Utilization and represented Cities in all Federal Power Commission area rate proceedings.
Andrew R. Weaver
Vice President, J-W Operating Company
President, J-W Wireline Company
President, Excell Services, Inc.
Mr. Weaver joined J-W Operating Company in 1979 as a Field Foreman for the Yuma County, Colorado operations. This task consisted of coordinating all J-W Operating Company services, which included drilling, production, gathering and compression. In 1985, he was promoted to District Manager. In 1997 he was appointed to the Board of Directors, promoted to Regional Manager of J-W Operating Company and President of Excell Drilling Company (now Excell Services, Inc.). Mr. Weaver has an extensive background in the multiple facets of J-W Operating Company and is currently focusing on growth in the well servicing business lines. Mr. Weaver is an Associate Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Colorado Oil and Gas Association and the American Association of Drilling Engineers.
Tom A. Wessels
Mr. Wessels was appointed Independent Director in April 2001. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 1972, serving in both management and financial advisory positions. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Math and Economics from Saint Benedict's College, his Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois and his Juris Doctorate from the Augusta Law School. He is a Certified Financial Manager, a Certified Investment Management Analyst, and teaches Masters of Business Administration courses. He is a retired Major General from the Army Reserves and serves as the Georgia Chair for the Employers Support of the Guard and Reserves.
David G. Adler
Mr. Adler was appointed Independent Director in April 2002. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as well as an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planning Council. Mr. Adler graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northwestern University in 1965 and received his Juris Doctorate from DePaul University in 1969. He is currently a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the American Bar Association.
Mynan C. Feldman
Ms. Feldman was appointed Independent Director in April 2002. Mynan C. Feldman is Senior Vice President of Bank of Texas, N.A. in the Energy Lending Group. From 2000 to 2010, Ms. Feldman was involved in energy advisory and energy private equity focused on the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. Additionally, Ms. Feldman spent 18 years specializing in corporate banking for energy clients. Ms. Feldman received a BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. Ms. Feldman is involved in several oil and gas industry groups including ADAM Energy Forum and Dallas Wildcat Committee. In addition, she is a member of Leadership Dallas.
Laura Jane Westerman
Ms. Westerman, widow of founder H.G. Westerman, has been active supporting the business since its inception in November 1960. She is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of J-W Operating Company and its subsidiaries. Ms. Westerman served on the Board of Directors for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas from 1991 to 1999 and is an active member of Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Richardson, Texas. Ms. Westerman founded the Westerman Foundation in June 2000 which primarily funds Christian-based charities.
Don G. Bizzell
Vice President, J-W Operating Company
President, J-W Power Company
Mr. Bizzell joined J-W Operating Company as Vice President of J-W Power Company in 1998 and under his direction led the compression business line to record revenues in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Mr. Bizzell served in several capacities with Halliburton Resource Management through 1994. As Manager of Compression, he was involved in the acquisition of Travis Compression (Gold King Company) and participated in negotiating the sale of Halliburton's compression division to Tidewater (Universal Compression CO.). Mr. Bizzell was employed in management positions with Weatherford Enterra Compression Company through October 1998. Mr. Bizzell earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southwestern Oklahoma University in 1974 and is active in the Gas Compressor Association, Gas Processors Association, the American Association of Drilling Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Richard G. Owston
Vice President, J-W Operating Company
President, J-W Measurement Company
Mr. Owston joined J-W Operating Company in April 2000 as Vice President of the measurement group with the task of uniting the fragmented gas measurement businesses acquired from 1998 to 2000 into a single profitable entity. Mr. Owston became President of J-W Measurement Company when it was officially formed in July 2003. Prior to joining J-W Operating Company, Mr. Owston served 18 years in many diverse roles at The Western Company and prior to that he worked for Wyly Corporation in Dallas, TEXAS as Manager of Employee Relations. Mr. Owston graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Kansas State University in 1963. Directly from college, Owston joined General Electric Company where he was selected to participate in the 18-month Employee Relations Training Program. After completion of this program he served terms in Huntsville, Alabama and Phoenix, Arizona.
Gene C. Daley
Vice President, J-W Operating Company
President, Cohort Energy Company
Gene C. Daley joined J-W Operating Company as President of Cohort Energy Company and Vice President of J-W Operating Company in December 2005. Mr. Daley began his career with Texaco Inc. as a geologist and later founded Carter Resources Inc. which was sold to Intercoast Energy Company and then to KCS Medallion Resources. Mr. Daley held many positions during this period including Vice President and General Manager Oil and Gas, Senior Vice President of Exploration and Development, Senior Vice President of Production, and President. Mr. Daley graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1972. He is also a member of many professional associations such as the Oklahoma Independent Producers Association, AAPG, and the International Society of Energy Advocates.
Paul N. Stephenson
Vice President, J-W Operating Company
President, J-W Manufacturing Company
Mr. Stephenson began his professional career with the Dorman Diesel Company in England which brought him to the United States in 1979. Through 1980 and 1981, Mr. Stephenson worked closely with J-W Operating Company until he was hired to be the Engine Shop Supervisor by the founder of J-W Operating Company, Howard G. Westerman, in 1982. Since that time he has held various positions within J-W Operating Company including Plant Superintendent, Manager of Engineered Packages, and General Manager of J-W Power Company's manufacturing division. Mr. Stephenson was promoted to President of the newly formed J-W Manufacturing Company in April 2009. Mr. Stephenson graduated from Lincoln Technical College in Lincoln, England with a degree in Engineering in May 1979.
Larry H. Carpenter
Vice President, J-W Operating Company
President, J-W Gathering Company
President, J-W Pipeline Company
President, Q-West Energy Company
Mr. Carpenter's career in the oil and gas industry began immediately upon graduation with Amoco where he moved through the engineering ranks to Amoco's Planning, Economics and Government Affairs group in their Chicago headquarters office in the late 1970s. From there he began a thirteen year career with Texas Oil and Gas Corporation, rising to the position of Executive Vice President of the parent company and President of the gas gathering and processing subsidiary. Subsequently, as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, he executed a successful turnaround of a small public exploration and production company. From there, he went on to serve as President of a small group of companies engaged in development, manufacturing, sales and marketing of various consumer products which were sold to mass merchants such as Wal-Mart, Costco and Sam's Clubs. Mr. Carpenter earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla in 1970.
Lindon H. Leners
Vice President of Finance
Mr. Leners joined the J-W Operating Company accounting department in 1981. In 1988, Mr. Leners was appointed Controller and has developed and managed the firm's accounting and financial reporting activities to date. In addition, Mr. Leners has responsibility for the information systems and business process departments. In 2003, he was promoted to his current position Vice President of Finance. Mr. Leners received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Oregon in 1981 and earned his Bachelors of Liberal Arts in English from the University of Minnesota in 1978.
Director, J-W Operating Company Compensation Committee Member Audit Committee Member Employee Profit Sharing Plan & Trust Committee Member
