Jim Beck has been Chairman of the Foundation for Energy Education, as well as President of Tiger Eye Resources LLC, since 2006. Previously, he was President of Seneca Resources Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of National Fuel Gas Co, from 1996 to 2006. Mr. Beck joined National Fuel Gas in 1989 as Manager of Geology for Seneca's California production, following 20 years of petroleum industry experience throughout the U.S. and internationally. In 1995, he was elected Executive Vice President of Seneca, prior to becoming President. During his tenure at Seneca, reserves increased from 200 Bcfe to nearly 1.1 Tcfe. Seneca had onshore operations in Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, Appalachia, California and western Canada, as well as offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mr. Beck’s oil field career began with 11 years at Schlumberger, in the U.S., and Central and South America. During that time, he helped develop Schlumberger’s Fracture Identification Log. He subsequently served as Vice President at Roberts Oil and Gas, a small public company operating mainly in the Rockies and Oklahoma. He was also Chief Geologist for ANR Production Co., with operations mainly in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico, followed by a stint at Transco Exploration as a research petrophysicist and offshore area manager.

Mr. Beck earned a B.S. degree in Geology, with minors in Math and Physics, from Iowa State University. In addition, he is a registered Professional Geologist in Texas. He is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts. He is a board member with the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, as well as a member of the board of the Domestic Petroleum Council (DPC) and IPAA.

In addition to serving as President of the Foundation, Pat French is also senior vice president (since 2000) of the group’s parent organization, the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. As President, he is responsible for overall direction of the Foundation, including programs, policy and issue stands, strategic alignment with other organizations, finances and industry relations.

After earning an undergraduate degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland, Mr. French began his career on Capitol Hill in 1977 with the Republican National Committee. He then served with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from 1978 to 1990 in various development positions, and had assignments in Chicago, Dallas, San Jose and Washington.

In 1991, he became a senior partner with The Association Development Group, a Washington-based consulting firm specializing in national trade associations. Major clients included the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the American Gas Association. Mr. French sits on the board of directors of the Global Energy Management Institute at the University of Houston, and on the Assessment & Strategy Development Committee of the Greater Houston Energy Collaborative.

As Vice President of the Foundation, Kurt Abraham is responsible for conducting the Public Education Media Campaigns, developing the organization’s website and recruiting membership. In addition, he is Vice President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, having joined the association as Director of Professional Development in July 2007.

Previously, he was Managing/International Editor for World Oil magazine at Gulf Publishing Co. (Houston), where he was responsible for daily oversight of editorial content. During more than 22 years at World Oil, he also headed the magazine’s statistical and forecasting efforts. His compilation of oil and gas reserve figures for countries around the world was re-published annually by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Mr. Abraham earned a B.A. in journalism and business administration from Texas A&M University in 1980. His journalistic background includes experience in all four major media—magazines, newspapers, radio and television. He has traveled extensively to most of the world’s major oil-producing regions, and serves as an expert commentator on E&P geopolitics to several TV and radio stations in the U.S. and Canada. He is a Past President (2006) and Senior Regent of the Houston-based National Oil Equipment Manufacturers and Delegates Society (NOMADS) and is a member of the Supply & Demand Committee of IPAA.

In addition to his duties as Secretary/Treasurer of the Foundation, Alex Mills has been President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers since 2000, following the merger of the North Texas Oil & Gas Association (NTOGA) and the West Central Texas Oil & Gas Association (WeCTOGA).

Mr. Mills moved to Wichita Falls in 1994 as NTOGA’s Executive Vice President, after serving eight years in Washington, D.C., as IPAA’s Vice President of Marketing. From 1981 to 1986, he was also WeCTOGA’s Executive Vice President in Abilene. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Texas after serving in the U.S. Army Security Agency.

He worked as Managing Editor of The American Oil & Gas Reporter, and for several newspapers, and television and radio stations in Texas. He authors a column concerning energy issues that appears in the Fort Worth Business Press, San Angelo Standard Times, the Journal of North Texas, the Graham Leader, Wichita Falls Times Record News and the Midland Reporter Telegram.

Mr. Mills was President of the University of North Texas Alumni Association in 1997 and 1998. Texas Governor Ann Richards appointed him to the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission in 1994, and Gov. George W. Bush re-appointed him in 1995. He serves on the National Stripper Well Association’s board and on IPAA’s Wildcatters’ Political Action Committee. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Texas Society of Association Executives, IPAA, the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Desk & Derrick Club. He is a former high school football official.