Management and Directors

Management

Garnet K. Amundson
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Mr. Amundson has over 20 years of experience in oil and gas and related industries. Prior to the merger of Essential and Builders Energy Services Trust ("Builders"), Mr. Amundson was the President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Builders. Before joining Builders in 2004, Mr. Amundson was the Vice-President and Controller of Agrium Inc., an international fertilizer company, where he served as an officer since April 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Amundson worked in various managerial roles with companies including Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd. and Talisman Energy Inc. Mr. Amundson received his Chartered Accountant designation in 1987.

Jeff B. Newman
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Newman has over 20 years of experience in oilfield services and related industries. Prior to the merger with Builders, Mr. Newman was the Controller of Builders since 2007.  Before joining Builders, Mr. Newman built a successful consulting practice providing transaction-based advisory and contract CFO services to clients active in the oilfield service and other sectors across western Canada. Prior thereto, Mr. Newman was the Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Finance for a publicly traded oilfield services company. He previously held a variety of other positions with growth-orientated companies active in Canada and abroad. Mr. Newman holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary, received his Chartered Accountant designation in 1991 and his Chartered Business Valuator designation in 1995.

Kevin W. Job
Vice-President, Operations

Mr. Job has over 20 years of experience in oil and gas and related industries. Prior to the merger of Essential and Builders, Mr. Job was the Vice-President, Operations with Builders. Before joining Builders in 2005, Mr. Job was the Planning and Forecasting Manager for Agrium Inc. Prior thereto, Mr. Job held several managerial and finance related positions with NOVA Chemicals, NOVA Gas Transmission, Sabre Petroleum and Ocelot Industries. Mr. Job holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (economics major) from York University. Mr. Job obtained his Certified Management Accountant designation in 1988.

Don A. K. Webster
Vice-President, Operations

Mr. Webster has over 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Essential in 2007, he was the Vice-President, Operations at Dominion Exploration Canada Ltd. Mr. Webster has extensive experience with service and production companies, progressing in his career from a roughneck to a Vice-President of Operations.

Directors

James A. Banister
Chairman

Mr. Banister is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of BanCor Inc., an investment holding company and the successor to Travis Chemicals Inc., a private corporation. Mr. Banister has been an independent businessman since 1985 and has served as a director on the boards of a variety of public and private companies. His previous accomplishments include being United Way's annual campaign chairman for Calgary and area, a recipient of a Pinnacle Award for business excellence and community involvement and a recipient of Junior Achievement's "Business in the Community" leadership award. Mr. Banister received his Diploma in Business Administration in 1966.

MIchael J. Black

Mr. Black is the managing partner for the Calgary law office of Heenan Blaikie LLP.  Mr. Black is also a member of the firm’s national Executive Committee.

Nicholas G. Kirton

Mr. Kirton is a Chartered Accountant who has 38 years of service with KPMG LLP.  Mr. Kirton currently serves on the Board of Directors of Canexus Income Fund, Gran Tierra Energy Inc., Grande Cache Coal Corp. and Result Energy Inc. He also serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Calgary, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and is a member of the Education and Qualification Committee of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.  In 2006, Mr. Kirton received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

William T. Lynch

Mr. Lynch is an independent businessman with extensive oilfield services experience including 7 years with Halliburton Energy Services and 24 years with Dresser Industries, working in Canada and the United States.  He retired from his management role in 2006.  Mr. Lynch served as a director of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC) from 1991 to 2000.

Jeffrey J. Scott

Mr. Scott is President of Postell Energy Co. Ltd., a private junior oil company. He has extensive oil and gas management experience, beginning as a production manager of Postell Energy Co. Ltd in 1985 advancing to his current position of President. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of Gran Tierra Energy Inc., Galena Capital Corp. and Suroco Energy Inc. Mr. Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Calgary, and a Masters of Business Administration from
California Coast University.