A former executive with WPX Energy before it merged with Devon Energy in 2021 as been named to one of the top executive positions at Tulsa-based Empire Petroleum.
Empire announced it has named J. Kevin Vann to fill the company’s newly created position of Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning.
Vann was formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with WPX before its merger with Devon Energy. In his new role with Empire, he will be responsible for the company’s financial planning and analysis efforts, lead Empire’s strategic planning, assist with capital markets initiatives and provide other strategic oversight.
“We are delighted to have Kevin join the Empire executive team. He has enjoyed a highly successful career in the energy industry and his deep experience in capital allocation, equity and debt issuances, strategic M&A, hedging and risk management and other corporate activities will be invaluable as we prudently grow our business,” said tommy Pritchard, Chief Executive Officer of Empire.
Mike Morrisett, President of Empire, said he looks forward to having Vann’s extensive skill set as the company builds out its investor outreach.
“Kevin has a long history of providing strategic leadership to professionals managing treasury, planning, accounting, investor relations, information technology, human resources, internal audit and other activities.”
“I am pleased to join the Company and look forward to collaborating closely with the executive team, the Board of Directors and the rest of the Empire team,” said Kevin Vann. “The Company is well-positioned with a strong asset base and a long runway of opportunities. I am encouraged by the targeted plan that has been developed to build a company that is recognized for strategic and operational excellence, while maintaining and enhancing a strong financial position.”
Vann joined WPX in 2012 as Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer and was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (“EVP & CFO”) in 2014. During his tenure as EVP & CFO, he played a leading role in helping transform WPX through in excess of $8 billion in transactions over a three-year period that resulted in an organization with more than $2 billion in annual revenue, approximately 600 employees and a market capitalization in excess of $5 billion when the company merged with Devon in January 2021.
Prior to his tenure at WPX Energy, Vann had multiple roles of increasing responsibility at The Williams Companies from 1998 to 2011. He began his career in 1993 with Arthur Anderson & Co., where he oversaw public and private client audits in the oil and gas exploration and services, pipeline, and banking industries.
Empire Petroleum Corporation is a publicly traded, Tulsa-based oil and gas company with current producing assets in Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota, Montana, and New Mexico.
Source: Empire press release