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Our Board Officers

 

ROBERT W. JORDAN – CHAIRMAN

Robert W. Jordan served as the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from October 2001 through October 2003. Mr. Jordan took charge of his Mission in the wake of the September 11 attacks and worked closely with senior Saudi and American leaders to enlist Saudi support for removing the Taliban from Afghanistan , liberating the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein, and promoting the Middle East peace process. As ambassador, he worked closely with President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell in matters such as the historic presidential summit meetings in Crawford , Texas , and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt . Mr. Jordan vigorously pursued stronger Saudi collaboration in the war on terrorism and terrorist financing, and advocated promotion of American business, human rights, democracy, and economic reform in the Kingdom, including reforms needed to qualify for Saudi accession to the World Trade Organization. Resuming his law career at Baker Botts in 2004, Mr. Jordan currently engages in an international business and dispute resolution practice.

 

E. PATRICK JENEVEIN III – PRESIDENT

Patrick Jenevein serves as president of Tang Energy Group, which builds, owns, and operates energy delivery systems in China and actively pursues power-generating opportunities throughout the world. Tang's current interests include, among others, developing large wind farms in Asia, primarily China , and ownership and management positions in Chinese companies that generate electricity, manufacture blades for wind turbines, and invest in or acquire related businesses. Mr. Jenevein serves on the boards of HT Blade Company, based in Baoding , China , and Gansu Dunhuang Catang Power Company, Ltd., based in western China . He also chairs Tang's board of directors. Mr. Jenevein founded Tang's general partner, the Nolan Group, Inc., in 1986 to enter the natural gas business. NG Processing Company, Inc. grew out of Nolan's gas gathering and processing operations and sponsored projects in Uzbekistan , Indonesia , China , and South America . NG formed Tang Energy Group in 1996.

 

EDWARD W. BLESSING – TREASURER AND VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE

Edward W. Blessing is the managing director of Blessing Petroleum Group, LLC, which was founded in 1989 to serve as a financial advisor to the energy industry. Mr. Blessing offers more than 30 years of experience in the global oil and gas industry. He primarily serves as an advisor to firms that are seeking to develop petroleum projects. Mr. Blessing has helped develop and finance projects in Switzerland , United Arab Emirates , Kazakhstan , Azerbaijan , and across North America . In addition to advising clients, Mr. Blessing currently serves as a director of NGP Capital Resources Company (NGPC), where he is chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. Prior to forming Blessing Petroleum Group, LLC, Mr. Blessing led the formation of Dallas-based Strategic Petroleum Inc. During the 1980s, Mr. Blessing managed Blessing Petroleum Corporation, an independent oil and gas firm located in Oklahoma City . He served as executive vice president and director of Oklahoma City-based Oklahoma Oil and Gas Company from 1978 to 1980. During the early 1970s, Mr. Blessing served in various capacities within the natural resource venture capital industry.

 

KATHLEEN GIBSON – VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGY

Kathleen Gibson joined Citi in November 2006 as head of Citibank Texas Commercial and president Citibank Texas . She was named president of the Central Region, Commercial Banking, during 2007. Prior to joining Citi, Kathleen spent 25 years with Bank of America and its predecessor banks, where she held various leadership roles in corporate banking, Commercial Banking and asset management. She ran the southwest strategies and North Texas commercial businesses for Bank of America during 2003 to 2006, and served as president of Bank of America, Dallas, during that time. From 2000 to 2003, she held various roles in private banking and asset management. From 1998 until 2000, she was managing director responsible for the southwest diversified industries group for Bank of America Securities. From 1991 until 1998, Ms. Gibson had responsibility for cross border structured finance and project finance origination activities in the western United States . During the ten years prior to 1991, Ms. Gibson held lending and management positions within the corporate bank. Born in Texas , Ms. Gibson lived several early years in Buenos Aires , Argentina , and Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic . Ms. Gibson has been active in many community organizations since moving to Dallas in 1981.

 

AMANDA SCHNETZER - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY

Amanda W. Schnetzer is executive director of the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations. Amanda began her career as a foreign policy researcher at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington , DC (1995-1999). At AEI she also served as program director for the New Atlantic Initiative, a project whose distinguished patrons included Margaret Thatcher, Vaclav Havel, Henry Kissinger, and other eminent individuals dedicated to the reinvigoration of Atlantic institutions of political and economic cooperation. Amanda went on to serve as director of studies and then senior fellow at the pro-democracy organization Freedom House in New York (2000-2005). Among other responsibilities at Freedom House, she edited the Nations in Transit series, a key resource for the U.S. government in determining foreign assistance priorities for the post-Communist states. Amanda received her MA from Georgetown University and her BA from Southern Methodist University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude.

 

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