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Our Leadership
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Garnet AmundsonPresident, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Mr. Amundson has been President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Essential Energy Services and its predecessor entities since 2004. He has led Essential and its predecessors through an initial public offering, two public company merger transactions with the acquisitions of Builders Energy Services in 2008 and Technicoil Corporation in 2011, the acquisition and integration of numerous private oilfield service companies and multiple oilfield service-line business dispositions. Prior to his role at Essential, Mr. Amundson’s business experience included managerial and officer roles at various levels of seniority with multi-national oil and gas producers, an international fertilizer company and a national accounting firm. He holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) designation. Mr. Amundson commenced his career in the oil and gas business over 35 years ago as a roughneck working on a drilling rig in Grande Prairie.
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Jeff NewmanSenior Vice President
Mr. Newman has over 30 years of experience in oilfield services and related industries including 15 years with Essential Energy Services and predecessor entities. Prior to his current role, Mr. Newman held a number of roles at Essential including CFO, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Vice President, Finance. Prior thereto he was the Controller of Builders Energy Services Trust. Before joining Builders, Mr. Newman built a successful consulting practice providing transaction-based advisory and contract CFO services to clients active in the oilfield services and other sectors across western Canada. Mr. Newman was also the CFO 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, the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) designation and the Chartered Business Valuator designation.
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Laura IngramChief Financial Officer
Ms. Ingram has over 15 years of experience in oilfield services and related industries including three years with Essential Energy Services. Prior to her current role, Ms. Ingram was the Controller at Essential. Prior thereto, Ms. Ingram held various senior leadership roles including Vice President, Finance for a publicly traded oilfield services company. Ms. Ingram holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA,CA) designation and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and a Psychology degree from the University of Alberta.
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Karen PerasaloVice President, Finance & Corporate Secretary
Ms. Perasalo has over 25 years of experience in oil and gas and related industries including 16 years with Essential Energy Services and predecessor entities. Ms. Perasalo provides a leadership role in public disclosure processes, investor relations, debt financing, financial structure and governance-related activities. Prior thereto, Ms. Perasalo was the Director of Finance and Investor Relations at Builders Energy Services Trust. Before joining Builders, Ms. Perasalo worked in Credit Risk Management at the Royal Bank of Canada, and held various roles at a Canadian-based international petrochemical company and a pipeline company including roles in corporate finance, corporate strategy and domestic and international mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Perasalo holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Saskatchewan, the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) designation and is a CFA® Charterholder.
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Sheldon HeckDirector, Downhole Tools & Rentals
Mr. Heck has over 25 years of oilfield service experience with Tryton Tool Services (“Tryton”), Essential’s downhole tools and rentals business. Mr. Heck was one of the original employees after Tryton was founded, prior to its acquisition by Essential’s predecessor entity, Builders Energy Services, in 2005.
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Jade IlukDirector, Human Resources
Mr. Iluk joined Essential in 2012 and has 20 years of HR leadership experience, 17 of which is in the oilfield services sector. Prior to joining Essential, he worked for a multinational, publicly-traded oilfield services company where he was a member of the executive team in Canada. Mr. Iluk earned a Bachelor of Administration from the University of Regina.
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Mark RavlichDirector, Essential Coil Well Service
Mr. Ravlich joined Essential in 2007 and has over 20 years of oilfield services experience. Mr. Ravlich worked for a multi-national oilfield service company for 10 years prior to joining Essential where he worked in both Operations and HSE. His work travels brought him to several western hemisphere countries over the years. Mr. Ravlich earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lake Superior State University in Michigan, U.S. and he holds a Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (CRSP) designation.