Management
| J. Ross Craft President and Chief Executive Officer | |
| J. Ross Craft has been our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board since our inception in September 2002. Before Approach, Mr. Craft co-founded Athanor Resources Inc., an international exploration and production company with operations in the United States and Tunisia, in 1998 and was its Executive Vice President from 1998 until its merger with Nuevo Energy Company in September 2002. From 1988 to 1997, Mr. Craft served in various positions with American Cometra Inc., an independent exploration and production company with operations in the United States, including as Vice President – Operations from 1995 to 1997. American Cometra was sold in two parts, to Range Resources in 1995 and Pioneer Natural Resources in 1997. Mr. Craft has 27 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Craft, who holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University, is a registered Professional Engineer licensed in the State of Texas. In addition to membership in the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Mr. Craft is a member of the Texas Oil and Gas Association and Independent Petroleum Association of America. Mr. Craft has served on the Board of the Fort Worth chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers as well as on the Board of the Fort Worth Petroleum Engineers Club where his last position was President. In addition to the above, Mr. Craft is an Eagle Scout. | |
| Steven P. Smart Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
| Steven P. Smart has been our Treasurer since our inception in September 2002. Mr. Smart was named Vice President—Finance in August 2005, and promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in June 2007. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Smart was Controller and Treasurer of Prize Energy Corp., a public exploration and production company. From 1998 to 2000, Mr. Smart was a Senior Manager in the Energy Industry group at Arthur Andersen LLP. Prior to 2000, Mr. Smart served in senior executive financial positions with several public and private oil and gas companies, including Magnum Hunter Resources Inc. and Saxon Oil Co. Mr. Smart began his career in public accounting with Deloitte & Touche (formerly Touche Ross). Mr. Smart has more than 30 years of experience in both public and private companies in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Smart, who holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Angelo State University, is a Certified Public Accountant with an active license. | |
| J. Curtis Henderson Executive Vice President and General Counsel | |
| J. Curtis Henderson joined us in February 2007 as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Henderson served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Coterie Capital Partners, Ltd., a private equity partnership in Dallas, Texas. From 1998 to 2005, Mr. Henderson served as General Counsel of Nucentrix Broadband Networks, Inc., a public broadband wireless telecommunications company based in Dallas. While he was at Nucentrix, Mr. Henderson oversaw the sale of that company to an affiliate of Nextel Communications Inc. in 2004. Mr. Henderson began his career as a lawyer in the corporate and securities section of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell (formerly Locke Purnell Rain Harrell). Mr. Henderson has over 20 years experience in public and private securities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and regulatory affairs. Mr. Henderson holds a B.A. in Political Science from Austin College and a J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law. | |
| Ralph P. Manoushagian Executive Vice President - Land | |
| Ralph P. Manoushagian joined us in February 2004 as Land Manager. Mr. Manoushagian was named Senior Vice President – Land in June 2007 and Executive Vice President – Land in June 2008. In 2003, Mr. Manoushagian worked as an independent landman. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Manoushagian was the President of Hudco Fuels, a privately owned fuel distributorship. Mr. Manoushagian has been an active landman and oil and gas operator for 30 years. Mr. Manoushagian, who holds a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of North Texas, has been a Certified Professional Landman since 1988. Mr. Manoushagian is a director of the First Financial Bank of Southlake, Texas. He previously served as a director and Vice President of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners and as a director of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. | |
| Qingming Yang Executive Vice President - Business Development and Geosciences | |
| Qingming Yang has been employed with the Company since July 2009. From July 2009 to November 2010, Dr. Yang was the Vice President - Exploration. Dr. Yang has over 24 years of domestic and international exploration, technical and operating experience in the oil and gas industry. Prior to joining Approach, Dr. Yang was employed by Pioneer Natural Resources for 12 years in a variety of positions, including his last position as Geosciences Advisor/Technical Lead for Pioneer’s Eagle Ford Shale team. Dr. Yang earned his B.S. in Petroleum Geology from Chengdu University of Technology in the People’s Republic of China, his M.A. in Geology from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and his Ph.D. in Structural Geology from the University of Texas at Dallas. | |