About Us – DEPA

RON GUSEK, DIRECTOR

Ron Gusek is the CEO of Liberty Energy, after serving as President since November 2016. He joined the company in 2014 as VP of Technology and Development. With 25 years of experience in North American oil and gas, Ron has also gained international expertise through work in Asia, Russia, and the Middle East. At Liberty, he focuses on technology innovation, service quality, efficiency, and optimization.

Ron holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and has held previously roles at Sanjel Corporation, Zodiac Exploration, and Pinnacle Technologies, specializing in hydraulic fracturing in unconventional reservoirs.

Ron is a runner, cyclist, hiker, skier, and occasional adventure racer. Ron is a devoted husband to Jodi and a proud father to their two daughters.

PATRICK MONTALBAN SECRETARY/TREASURER

Patrick is currently President & CEO and Director of Montaban Oil & Gas Operations, Inc., (MOGO, INC) a private company formed by his father, Mr. Joseph V. Montalban. Patrick is also currently President & CEO and Director of Mountainview Energy Ltd. Patrick is Vice President of Great Northern Drilling, a small independent oil and gas producer in Montana and Wyoming.

Patrick formed his first oil and gas exploration and production company in 1999, known as Altamont Oil & Gas, Inc. Altamont is a private Company 100% owned by Patrick, who is also the President & CEO. He also formed and is President & CEO of Genesis Energy, Inc., a private gas gathering and compression Company.

Patrick has been married to his wife and partner, Toni, for 38 years. They have two children Joseph and Tori, who are both married and added an amazing son-in-law and daughter-in-law to the family, Justin and Keelie. Patrick and Toni have two grandchildren, Jet Patrick and Maida Jo.

ROCK ZIERMAN, VICE PRESIDENT

Rock Zierman is the Chief Executive Officer for the California Independent Petroleum Association. He has worked with CIPA since October 2002. Prior to being appointed CEO, Rock served as both the Director of Public Affairs for CIPA, and the Executive Director of the California Natural Gas Producers Association (CNGPA), a wholly owned subsidiary organization of CIPA.

Rock recommends and implements policy for the Association’s 50 member Board of Directors. He serves as chief spokesperson for the Association and coordinates all of its state and national legislative activities. Rock also serves on the Board of Directors of the Domestic Energy Producers Association (DEPA) and the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).

Prior to joining CIPA, Rock served as Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Mike Briggs (Fresno). Rock has also served in the offices of Assembly members Chuck Quackenbush (San Jose), Tom Bordonaro (Paso Robles), and Robert Prenter (Hanford).

Rock graduated from Santa Clara University with a business degree in economics.

Brook Simmons, Director

Simmons served as the federal lobbyist for the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA) from 2008-2015. He served on the executive committee of the board of directors for the Oklahoma Oil & Gas Association (OKOGA) from 2015-2019 and helped merge the organizations into the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.

From 2015 until its acquisition by Encana (now Ovintiv) in 2019, Brook Simmons managed federal, state and local government affairs for Newfield Exploration, and worked in Oklahoma with frequency. Since then, Simmons has represented private clients on federal issues in Washington, D.C.

Simmons has served on the board of directors for the Western Energy Alliance (WEA), North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC), Royalty Owners & Producers Educational Coalition (ROPE), and the Utah Petroleum Association (UPA). He also served on Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s Energy Advisory Council.

Simmons is a graduate of Ardmore High School and the University of Oklahoma. A former journalist, he worked in Congress from 1991-2004 – serving U.S. Senator Don Nickles, R-Okla., and U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky. – while taking breaks to work on campaigns and to serve as spokesman for the American Sportfishing Association.

Ben Shepperd, Director

Ben Shepperd serves as the President of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association based in Midland, Texas, since 2006. In that role he represents oil and gas interests before legislative and regulatory bodies in Texas, New Mexico and Washington, D.C. He has more than twenty years working on state legislative and regulatory issues. His Austin experience includes staffing several Texas House members, including David Swinford, Harvey Hilderbran, and Buddy West. He served as committee counsel for the House Energy Resources Committee under Chairman West. He also served as Chairman Hilderbran’s water policy advisor in the 79th Legislative Session focusing on issues before the Natural Resources Committee.

He also worked for three different state agencies over those years, including the Department of Agriculture, director of Rural Affairs for the Department of Economic Development, and as Legislative and Policy Director for Commissioner Charles Matthews at the Railroad Commission. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from Texas A & M University in College Station. Mr. Shepperd is a board member of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute Foundation at the University of Texas at the Permian Basin, as well as on the Advisory Council for the UTPB School of Business.

Ron Ness, Director

Ron Ness is President of the North Dakota Petroleum Council. He has held that position since 1999; his primary function is governmental relations in North Dakota. He serves as the industry spokesperson and manages the association which represents more than 500 companies involved in all aspects of North Dakota’s oil and gas industry.

Ness was previously President of the North Dakota Retail and Petroleum Marketers Association. Prior to that he spent ten years with the State of North Dakota, most of which as the Deputy Commissioner of Labor.

Ness is a Tolna, North Dakota native, a graduate of North Dakota State University in Business and Economics, and received his masters in management from the University of Mary.

Ness was appointed by Governor’s Schafer, Hoeven, Dalrymple and Burgum to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, the Oil and Gas Research Council, the Empower North Dakota Commission and the Governor’s Revenue Advisory Committee.

Ness also serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Energy Environmental Research Center’s Foundation. He is on the Board of Directors for the Mule Deer Foundation, Sanford Health Bismarck, the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance, the North Dakota Kids First Foundation, the Missouri River Advisory Council and the Board of Regents at the University of Mary. Ness is also a partner in Bismarck Partners a commercial real estate group.

Ness and his wife Becky have three children and are avid outdoorsmen, who enjoy golfing, fishing and hunting.

Stephanie Canales, Director

Stephanie Canales is based out of Denver, Colorado with over 10 years of oil and gas, environmental, and energy industry related experience. Stephanie currently serves as Business Development Manager for Tenaris. In 2021, Stephanie was appointed as Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Equity in Energy program out of the office of Economic Impact and Diversity.

Following a lifelong aspiration, Stephanie embarked on a career path in the environmental industry. This goal set her up for a career with BP after graduation as an Environmental Scientist following America’s largest remedial effort in history out of southern Louisiana and offshore GOM. While working on BP’s 2010 response effort, she accepted a variety of positions ranging from deck hand to lead scientist. This position eventually led to an opportunity in North Dakota during the “Bakken Boom” as a field sales representative in the oil and gas sector. Stephanie continued gaining experience and eventually entered the corporate world with executive level positions at Schlumberger, Weatherford, BOS Solutions, and more recently Cougar Drilling Solutions.

Stephanie is active in contributing ideas and a voice to publicize the benefits of American energy independence as well as highlighting educational perspectives regarding oil and gas related issues. She believes there is a great deal of history to share and an encouraging outlook ahead for the energy industry. Stephanie enjoys connecting with people and strives to communicate new ideas and fresh perspectives to solve problems while bringing value to the affiliations she’s involved with.

Stephanie has a Bachelor’s from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in Geography and Environmental Science with a minor in Communications. She is also working towards a Graduate Certificate from Stanford University in Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies.

Dan Boren, Director

Dan Boren is the Oklahoma President of the First United Bank. He joined First United Bank October 2019 after being the Corporate Development for the Chickasaw Nation. Based in Oklahoma, Dan helps to drive the Nation’s business diversification strategy. In his capacity, Dan serves on numerous boards within the Nation that cut across the technology, health, financial services and energy sectors.

Before joining the Nation, Dan represented Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for four terms before retiring in 2013.

While in Congress, Dan played a leadership role on Native American issues, serving as the Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Indian Affairs. Dan helped shape key national economic recovery policies as a member of the House Financial Services Committee. Dan also served on the House Armed Services Committee and House Select Committee on Intelligence and earned a reputation for being able to work with members of both parties to pass laws that strengthened U.S. defense and national security.

Before election to Congress in 2004, Dan served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and was the first freshman state lawmaker ever to be elected as Caucus Chairman.

Dan continues to find ways to contribute to his community. He currently serves on the boards of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum, National Rifle Association, Seminole State College Educational Foundation, OU Children’s Hospital Foundation, IBC Bank, Canterbury Voices, Oklahoma Academy, OKC Boathouse Foundation, Domestic Energy Producers Alliance, Sovereign Asset Management (Chairman), Walnut Creek Property Investments and the Last Frontier Council (Boy Scouts of America), the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence and Stella Nova.

Dan earned his B.S. in Economics at Texas Christian University and a M.B.A. in International Business from the University of Oklahoma. Dan currently resides in Edmond, OK with his wife, Andrea, and their two children, Janna and Hunter.

Bill Stevens, President

Bill Stevens is currently President of WindRiver Associates, LLC. His clients include interests in oil and gas companies, a statewide oil and gas trade association, groundwater owners and producers, and brackish and seawater desalination and financial services.

He was a founding officer of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers and served as its government affairs officer and Executive Vice-president from 2000 – 2011. The Alliance represents more than 3,000 independent producers, service companies and their employees in Texas. He continues to represent the Alliance in Austin and Washington, D C as a government affairs consultant/Chief Lobbyist.

In his role with his clients, Stevens regularly testifies before various legislative and congressional committees in Austin and Washington, D C. He serves as an official representative of the Texas delegation to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission on the Environment and Safety Committee, and is a member of the Pipeline Safety Committee of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance (DEPA) and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Council for a Secure America, a coalition of domestic and Israeli advocates for U. S. independent oil and gas interests.

Stevens experience in the oil and gas industry began in the Austin Chalk boom in 1980 running a trucking operation for small refinery supply. He has also worked in exploration fundraising, management and operations.

He is a staunch advocate of the the domestic oil and gas industry.

Ed Cross, Director

Edward Cross serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Illinois Oil & Gas Association (IOGA) where he responsible for public policy advocacy and interaction with external stakeholders including elected officials, regulators, government decision-makers, and community leaders. Cross began this position January 1, 2025. Previously, Cross served as President and COO of the Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association (KIOGA) since September 2003. During his 21-year tenure at KIOGA, Cross played a pivotal role in advancing the interests of independent oil and gas producers in Kansas and nationally.

Cross serves as an executive board member to the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance (DEPA) and a board member of the Council for a Secure America (CSA). He is an active member of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and serves as an advisory committee member to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC).

Cross also serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Liaison Committee of Cooperating Oil and Gas Associations, a network of state and regional trade associations that represent the independent oil and gas exploration and production industry in the U.S. where he is responsible for coordinating the organization’s efforts.

Cross was a Kansas appointed Associate Representative to the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC). The IOGCC is a national organization representing the Governors of 37 oil and gas producing states. At IOGCC, Cross has served as Chair of the Public Outreach Committee and a member of the Resolutions Committee, two of eight standing IOGCC committees.

In November 2023 Cross was named “2023 Top Lobbyist” by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics. In November 2018, Cross was named a finalist for the 2018 Petroleum Economist magazine energy executive of the year award. In April 2015, Cross was recognized for his national leadership by being honored with the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Stripper Well Association. In January 2013, Cross was named by Ingram’s, a Kansas City business magazine, as one of the “50 Kansans You Should Know”.

Cross has published 8 peer-reviewed papers on economic, environmental, and energy policy issues facing the independent oil and gas industry. He has authored nearly 100 editorials on energy issues and has made over 100 testimonial presentations to Legislatures, government agencies, and professional groups including testifying before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and the U.S. House Small Business Committee. He is a licensed professional geologist and holds a B.S. in Geology and an M.B.A. from Southern Illinois University.

John Schmitz, CHAIRMAN

John Schmitz is the Chairman and Founder of B-29 Investments, a Dallas-based private equity firm representing his personal energy investments. Mr. Schmitz leads the investment decisions and operating execution of the B-29 team and actively manages/advises all portfolio companies. Mr. Schmitz holds the Chairman, President, and CEO positions at Select Water Solutions, as well as serving as Chairman and CEO of Endurance Lift Holdings, which consists of the Endurance Lift Solutions and Bell Supply Company subsidiaries. Additionally, Mr. Schmitz serves on the board of Silver Creek Exploration and Axis Energy Services.

Outside of the B-29 landscape, Mr. Schmitz also serves on the board of the Southwest Diabetic Foundation.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Mr. Schmitz has founded and developed numerous successful businesses in the oilfield services sector of the energy industry over his 40+ years of involvement. Such businesses include Brammer Supply (predecessor to BSI holdings and ultimately recapped as part of Complete Energy Services), Allied Production Solutions (merged into Forum Energy Technologies), and Peak Oilfield Services (the foundation of what became Select). Mr. Schmitz has also executed numerous upstream and midstream transactions including the sales of property packages across the Barnett, Eagle Ford, and Fayetteville basins to EOG Resources, Chesapeake Energy, and XTO Energy, respectively, and the sale of Cimmaron Gathering, LP, a natural gas pipeline company, to Copano Energy, LLC.

Jerry Simmons, President/CEO

Jerry R. Simmons is currently the President and CEO of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance (DEPA) headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Before joining DEPA he spent the previous twelve years as Executive Director of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO). Prior to that, Jerry was President of EnergyTech Group, Inc. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma providing technical support services to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Strategic Center for Natural Gas and Oil. Jerry was previously employed with TRW/BDM as Principal Environmental Engineer/Regulatory and Policy Analyst. He also served as Associate Executive Director of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.

Mr. Simmons served as Chairman of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Health Safety and Environment Technical Committee in 1993 and on the SPE Reprint Series Committee from 2003-2006. He is author of two SPE technical papers and numerous studies on state oil and gas environmental regulatory programs.

Jerry holds a degree in Geology from the University of Oklahoma and has worked as an exploration and production geologist for Hamilton Brothers Oil Company, O.I.L. Energy, Texas Oil and Gas and BHP Americas. Jerry has served on the Board of Directors of the Council for a Secure America, as Executive Vice President to the Royalty Owners and Producers Educational Coalition, and is a veteran of the US Air Force. Jerry has been a frequent presenter and panelist for industry events since 2006. He was presented with the International Energy Advocates 2012 “Energy Advocate of the year” award.

Berry Mullennix, Secretary & Treasurer

Mr. Mullennix attended New Mexico State University with a major in Business Administration. During spring, summer, and winter breaks from NMSU, he worked for Four Corners Drilling in Farmington, New Mexico as a roughneck on various drilling projects in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and Colorado. Before graduating, Berry left in 1983 to form a construction/remodeling company in Dallas, TX which was sold in 1988. In 1989, Mr. Mullennix re-entered the oil and gas industry marketing oil and gas joint ventures for a Dallas based broker/dealer. In mid 1992 he formed Mullennix Consultants, Inc. which acted as an independent consultant and broker to investors and oil companies, consulting on financing (bank, institutional, and private) mergers, acquisitions and investments. He has worked on project financing (including senior debt, equity, VPPs, mezzanine, etc.) from $100M-$1B. In December 1995, Roy Grossman and Mr. Mullennix formed their first of five companies Mannix Oil Company that became an early pioneer of horizontal CBM development. In September 2001, Mannix was sold to Williams Production Company. In mid 2003, Mr. Mullennix, Mr. Grossman and key former employees teamed up to form Cannon Energy. Cannon was sold to form Panther Energy Company, LLC (Panther) in 2005 which is majority owned by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Growth Fund. Panther had over 100 employees and operated in Texas, Oklahoma, California, North Dakota, and Montana. Panther was sold in 2013 for $625MM and Panther 2 was formed the same year. It was sold a short 36 months later for $863MM. Panther 3 was formed in November of 2017 and the company is currently looking for new areas of interest. Mr. Mullennix is a member of multiple states’ oil and gas associations including serving on the Crude Oil Committee of the IPAA (Independent Petroleum Association of America), the board of the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA) and as Secretary/Treasurer/Board Member of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance (DEPA), and The Council for a Secure America. He also serves on the board of the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

Don Montgomery, Vice President

Don D Montgomery, Jr. grew up in the oil and gas business in Eldorado, Arkansas. His father was a geologist and his grandfather was a lawyer heavily involved in the legal aspects of the oil business. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma where he majored in Petroleum Land Management and Accounting. Don obtained his JD Degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, Texas and pursued graduate studies in law at the University of London, University College.

Don is the Owner of Montgomery Exploration Company, founded in 1970, and Monexco, LLC, founded in 1978. Both companies are engaged in acquiring, developing and operating oil and gas properties. He is President, Chairman of the Board, and Owner of Fairfax Oil Company, which has been incorporated in Texas since 1984.

Don’s grandfather served as District Attorney in Union County, Arkansas and cousin Jodie Mahony served 36 continuous years in the Arkansas State Legislature. Don is active in the Democratic Party on the local, state and national levels. He served at the pleasure of Governor Ann Richards of Texas on the Interstate Oil Compact as a member of the Regulatory Practices Committee. He served on Carter’s Energy Task Force in 1976. He served as Texas Finance Chairman for Gary Hart in 1984 and 1988. He was Co-Chairman of the Romer for Governor Finance Committee in Colorado in 1990 and subsequently served as Finance Co-Chairman for Ben Nighthorse Campbell in his first term as U.S. Senator. He also served in the capacity of Finance Chairman for Congressman Martin Frost in all his campaigns. He served as a Board member of the National Committee for an Effective Congress. Don is currently Vice President of Domestic Energy Producers Alliance, “DEPA”.

Don was a member of the Board and Treasurer of the Isthmus Institute, a forum to explore interactions between scientific and spiritual approaches to everyday life. He is a founder of High Frontier, a residential psychiatric care facility for 48 mentally and physically abused adolescents located in the Davis Mountains.

Mike McDonald, President

Mike McDonald is the President and co-owner of Triad Energy, Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company that he co-founded in 1981, which is based in Oklahoma City, OK. McDonald is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and New York University. He holds the following degrees B.B.A (Accountancy), J.D., and L.L.M. (Taxation). McDonald served our Country in the United States Air Force from 1976-1980 as a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps. During this time he was also an Adjunct Professor at Phillips University from 1977-1978. He is a former Chairman of the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association and a former President of the Wildcatters Club of Oklahoma and currently serves as the Chairman of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board and as President of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance. He has testified before Congress on issues relating to the regulation and taxation of the oil and gas industry and is the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Stripper Well Association and has been inducted into the Wildcatter’s Hall of Honor.

Harold Hamm, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

Founder, and Executive Chairman
Continental Resources

Harold Hamm is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Continental Resources. Growing up in rural Oklahoma, he was the last of 13 children born to sharecroppers. He went to work in the oil fields as a teenager and established Continental Resources in 1967 at the age of 21. Today, Continental Resources is a top-10 oil producer in the United States and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Mr. Hamm serves as Chairman of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance (DEPA). Through DEPA, Mr. Hamm is widely recognized as the man who worked tirelessly to help lift America’s 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports. He also serves on the board of the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and America First Policies.

Platts Global Energy Awards honored Mr. Hamm with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his legacy of leadership, innovation and commitment to bringing America to energy independence. He has also been named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” and was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association.

Mr. Hamm’s global perspective on the geopolitics of oil and gas, his commitment to U.S. energy independence and his legacy of U.S. job growth has led to numerous awards and recognitions, including the U.S. Steel Tubular Products “Chief Roughneck Award”, Oil and Gas Investor magazine’s “Executive of the Year,” Western Energy Alliance’s “Wildcatter of the Year,” and the Platts Global Energy Awards “CEO of the Year” (while Continental Resources was also named “Energy Company of the Year.”)

STronger Together: DEPA and IPAA unite under one voice