EMBER RESOURCES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Chief Financial Officer
- Vice President, Finance
Mr. Ryan is a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Financial Analyst with over 30 years of energy industry experience. Prior to joining Ember in 2005, he held senior finance positions with Drilcorp Energy Inc., Lateral Vector Resources Inc. and Vista International Petroleums Ltd., all publicly traded energy companies. Mr. Ryan graduated with a Bachelor of Administration Degree from the University of Regina, earned a Chartered Accountant designation while articling with predecessors to Deloitte LLP and earned a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. In addition, Mr. Ryan has served on the board of a TSX-listed energy company and the Canadian Television Fund.
Cameron R. Merkley P. Tech (Eng.) Vice President, Development Services Mr. Merkley has worked on the service and operator side of the energy industry for over 20 years. Mr. Merkley started with Ember in 2006 and returned to Ember in 2014 after three years managing drilling and completion operations in Western Canada, Newfoundland and North Dakota. Prior to his work at Ember Mr. Merkley worked with Compass Directional Services, Enerplus Corporation and Magus Engineering. Mr. Merkley is a Professional technologist with ASET, earning a diploma in Petroleum Engineering Technology from SAIT (1999).
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Vice President, Marketing, Transportation & Origination
Mr. Wignes is a Chartered Accountant with over 18 years of energy industry experience. Mr. Wignes joined Ember in the fall of 2020 after having previously worked for 11 years in the Perpetual Energy Inc. marketing department, most recently as the Manager Marketing, Transportation & Origination. In addition to his marketing experience Mr. Wignes held the role of Manager of Financial Reporting at Paramount Energy Trust. Mr. Wignes graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1999 from the University of Saskatchewan and earned a Chartered Accountant designation in 2002 while articling with Deloitte LLP.
Mr. Schultz is currently General Manager, HPC Finance at Inter Pipeline. Prior to joining Inter Pipeline in 2022, he was a Senior Vice President in Brookfield Corporation's energy group from 2012 through 2021 and prior to 2012 he was Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of a couple of oil and gas production companies in western Canada over a period of approximately eight years. Mr. Schultz has also worked at Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants where he provided various audit and advisory services for public and private corporations. Mr. Schultz holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta and is a Chartered Accountant.
Ms. Close retired from the position of President of the Production Services division of Tervita Corporation in November 2015, a position she had held since 2010. Tervita Production Services delivers engineering and field-based services to the oil and gas industry. From 2002 to 2010, Ms. Close was the Executive Vice President of DO2 Technologies Inc. (now Transzap, Inc.), a software company providing electronic invoicing to the oil and gas industry. Prior to DO2, Ms. Close served in a number of Regional Vice President roles in Halliburton Corporation's software division, Landmark Graphics. During Ms. Close's 12 years at Halliburton Corporation, she worked in Canada, the US and Europe. Ms. Close also currently serves on the board of directors of Descartes Systems Group. Ms. Close holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary.
Job Titles:
- CA, C.DIR. President and Chief Executive Officer
- DIR.
Mr. Dafoe has more than 30 years of industry experience in financial and operating positions of increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Ember, Mr. Dafoe was President and Chief Executive Officer of Thunder Energy Inc., a company he co-founded in 1996 and the predecessor company to Ember. Mr. Dafoe has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Dakota, is a Chartered Accountant and holds the ICD.D certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Mr. Dafoe has served on the Board of Governors of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and several TSX-listed companies. He currently serves on the Board of Akita Drilling Ltd., a TSX-listed company and is also a director of the Orphan Well Association (O.W.A.).
Mr. Merritt has over 35 years of experience in the upstream oil and gas sector. He was the founder of Masters Energy Inc., a public exploration and production company, incorporated in 2003. From 1998 to 2003, Mr. Merritt was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunfire Energy. Prior to 1998, he was the Vice President and General Manager of the oil and gas division of Pembina Corporation. Mr. Merritt currently serves on the board of directors of Perpetual Energy Inc., a TSX-listed company, and Zargon Oil and Gas Ltd., a TSX-listed company. Mr. Merritt received a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta in 1978 and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School.
Mr. Hamilton served as Corporate Advisor of Bonavista Energy Corporation (formerly, Bonavista Energy Trust) from May 2015 until July 2016. Prior thereto, Mr. Hamilton served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bonavista Energy Corporation from June 1, 2008 until May 8, 2015 and prior thereto served as its Vice President of Finance. Mr. Hamilton served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NuVista Energy Ltd. from July 2003 until May 2006 and served as its Corporate Secretary from July 2003 to June 2008. Prior to Bonavista's reorganization in July 2003, he spent over five years as Vice President, Finance of Bonavista Petroleum Ltd. and played a key role in the Company's successful refinancing and restructuring from a junior company to $1.2 billion market capitalization at the time of reorganization. Mr. Hamilton has over 35 years of experience in accounting and finance in the oil and gas industry. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Carleton University and is a Chartered Accountant.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst
Jason is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst with experience in private equity, capital markets, corporate finance, and business operations. He is currently Vice President in Brookfield Corporation's Private Equity Group ("Brookfield") focusing on strategy and operational value creation across investments in energy, industrials, and healthcare. Prior to joining Brookfield Corporation in 2017, Jason held roles in equity research at Peters & Co. Limited with a focus on oilfield services and EY in the assurance practice. He is currently a Director on the Board of CWC Energy Services. Jason holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary.
Mr. Reid is a retired businessman. He was a Managing Partner of Brookfield Corporation's Energy Group. He held several senior management positions at Brookfield Corporation and was responsible for its energy initiatives. He currently serves as Chairperson of CWC Energy Services Corp. and has been one of is directors since 2007. Mr. Reid established Brookfield Corporation's Calgary office in 2003 after spending several years as Chief Financial Officer for two oil and gas exploration and production companies in Western Canada, Bushmills Energy Corporation and the Causeway Energy Group of companies. He obtained his Chartered Accountant designation at PricewatershouseCoopers in Toronto and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Commerce) from the University of Toronto.
Mr. Rapini joined Perpetual Energy Inc. in December 2005 and has close to 30 years of gas marketing and trading experience in the natural gas industry. His previous positions include Vice President of Trade at Sempra Energy Trading, Senior Trader at Mirant Energy Marketing Ltd. and Senior Trader at Duke Energy Marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Calgary.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Geoscience
Mr. Rafuse has held various roles in the energy industry for over 15 years. Mr. Rafuse returned to Ember in 2014, after four years of startup and consulting ventures in Canada, the US, India, Europe and the Middle East. Prior thereto, Mr. Rafuse was a geologist with Encana Corporation and Thunder Energy Inc., and then Ember in 2005 with a focus on CBM geology. Mr. Rafuse is a Professional Geologist with APEGA, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Calgary (2000), having also studied Engineering at Royal Roads Military College.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Production
Mr. Rivard has worked in the energy industry since 2002 in various roles including software development, completions, and production operations. Prior to joining Ember in 2008, Mr. Rivard worked with Schlumberger (Merak), Trident Exploration, and Cordero Energy. Mr. Rivard is a Professional Engineer with APEGA, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary (2002).
Mr. Zuorro is a professional landman with more than 35 years of land and related business development experience in the Canadian oil and gas industry. Mr. Zuorro has held progressively responsible positions with a number of public and private companies. Prior to joining Ember in 2005, he was Vice President Land with Thunder Energy Inc. and Thunder Energy Trust. Mr. Zuorro holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta (1978) and is a member of the Canadian Association of Land and Energy Professionals.