Directors
David B. Kilpatrick has been a Director of the Company since June, 2002 and Chairman since October of 2005. Mr. Kilpatrick serves on the Company’s Audit Committee, and serves as the Chairman of the Company’s Compensation Committee. He is currently President of Kilpatrick Energy Group, which provides strategic management consulting services to the oil and gas industry. He currently serves as a Director of the publicly traded Cheniere Energy and Whittier Energy Corporation. Prior to the 1998 merger with Texaco, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Monterey Resources, Inc., the largest independent oil and gas producer in California. Mr. Kilpatrick has served as President of the California Independent Petroleum Association and is a member of its Board of Directors and also serves as a Director of the Independent Oil Producers Agency. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology and Physics from Whittier College.
Bryce W. Rhodes has been a Director of the Company since April 1999, when he was nominated and elected to the Board in connection with the sale by the Company of convertible promissory notes issued in a private placement transaction in October and November 1998. Mr. Rhodes is a member of the Company’s Audit Committee and Chairman of the Compensation Committee. Since 1991, Mr. Rhodes served as Vice President, and then from September 2003 as President and CEO of Whittier Energy Corporation ("WEC"), an oil and gas exploration company. Mr. Rhodes served as Investment Manager of WEC from 1985 until 1991. Mr. Rhodes received B.A. degrees in Geology and Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1976 and an MBA degree from Stanford University in 1979.
Dennis M. Swenson joined as a Director in October 2004, and serves as the Audit Committee Chairman and a member of the Compensation Committee. From 1992 through 1995, Mr. Swenson was an independent consultant. Mr. Swenson was Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer, of StarTek, Inc., a NYSE traded company with headquarters in Denver, Colorado from 1996 through retirement in 2001. Mr. Swenson was employed at Ernst & Young in Denver from 1960 to 1973, and was a partner at Ernst & Young from 1973 to 1991. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University and an MBA Degree from the University of Denver.
Management
Kenneth R. Berry, Jr. is the new CEO as of July 25th, 2006. He served as Vice President of land since August, 1999 and land manager for the Company since October 1997. Mr. Berry is responsible for the management of all land issues including leasing and permitting. Mr. Berry has 23 years of experience as an independent landman. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Berry served as the managing land consultant for Swift Energy Company in the Rocky Mountain region. Mr. Berry began his career in the land department with Tenneco Oil Company after earning a B.A. degree in Petroleum Land Management at the University of Texas - Austin.
Tucker L. Franciscus joined PYR in September of 2004 as Vice President of Strategic Development and Investor Relations. Mr. Franciscus joined the firm from Stifel Nicolaus & Company, where he oversaw their Investment Banking Energy Group. Previously, Mr. Franciscus served in several Investment Banking positions with J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Banc BT Wolfensohn since 1998. Mr. Franciscus has executed equity, debt, mergers and acquisitions and other financing transactions in various industries. For five years preceding his banking experience, Mr. Franciscus worked in various marketing and finance positions in the oil and gas sector, including Snyder Oil and KN Energy (Interenergy). Additionally, he was a commissioned Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army and served as a Major in the Reserves. Mr. Franciscus has an MBA from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Jane R. Richards has served as Chief Financial Officer since July 2006 and Controller and Chief Accounting Officer since April 2005. Ms. Richards’ responsibilities include managing the financial reporting for the Company, internal controls and cash management. Ms. Richards has managed financial and accounting reporting in the oil and gas exploration industry for over 20 years. Prior to joining PYR, Ms. Richards served in various financial management positions including manager of financial reporting for Tipperary Corporation from 2003 to 2005, financial projects consultant for Williams Companies from 2001 to 2003 and director of accounting for Barrett Resources Corporation from 1992 until its sale to Williams in 2001.
Gordon T. Vaskey has been with PYR since March 1999 and serves as the Exploration Manager. Mr. Vaskey is responsible for the technical evaluation and interpretation of many of the Company's ongoing projects. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Vaskey served as an exploration project leader with Chevron in Houston. Mr. Vaskey began his career with Gulf Oil in Casper after receiving his B.A. in Geology from the University of Montana and his M.S. in Geology from the University of Oregon.
