Board of Directors

Keith A. MacPhail

Chair of the Board of Directors

Mr. MacPhail has more than 37 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and is currently our Chair. Mr. MacPhail was President and CEO of the company from 1997 to 2008, Chair and CEO from 2008 to 2012 and Executive Chair from 2012 to March 1, 2018. Prior to joining Bonavista Petroleum Ltd. in 1997, Mr. MacPhail held progressively more responsible positions with Canadian Natural Resources Limited with his final position being Executive Vice President and COO. Prior thereto, he held the position of Production Manager with Poco Petroleums Ltd. 

Mr. MacPhail holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Montana College of Mineral Science and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. 

Mr. MacPhail is Chair of the Board of NuVista Energy Ltd. and serves on the board of directors of Cenovus Energy Inc. and two other private companies.

Jason E. Skehar

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Skehar has 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Skehar joined the Bonavista team in November 1999 as Production Engineer, was promoted to Production Manager in January 2003, Vice President Production in January 2005, to President and Chief Operating Officer in November 2008 and then promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer in December 2012. He started his career in 1994 as Operations Engineer at Fletcher Challenge and prior to joining Bonavista, held both production and exploitation positions at Renaissance Energy Inc. and Probe Exploration Inc. 

Mr. Skehar graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1994 with Bachelor of Science (Distinction) degree in Mechanical Engineering.

George S. Armoyan

Independent Director

Mr. Armoyan is President of Geosam Capital Inc., President of Armco Capital Inc., and Executive Chairman of Clarke Inc. Mr. Armoyan is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in real estate and various industries. Since 1982, Mr. Armoyan has successfully founded and grown numerous businesses, created shareholder value at several public companies through restructuring operations by applying a common-sense approach to business.

Mr. Armoyan serves on the Board of Clarke Inc. (TSX:CKI), and TerraVest Industries (TSX:TVK)

Ian S. Brown

Independent Director

Mr. Brown has been an independent businessman and a corporate director since January 2006. Prior thereto, Mr. Brown was a Senior Managing Director of Raymond James Ltd. from 1995 to 2005. From 1986 to 1995, Mr. Brown was the Executive Vice President of the Alberta Stock Exchange.

Mr. Brown is currently a member of the Board of Cathedral Energy Services Ltd. Mr. Brown was also a board member of the TSX Group from 2001 to 2006; a board member of Market Regulation Services Inc. from 2001 to 2005; and a board member and Vice Chairman of the Canadian Venture Exchange from 1999 to 2001.

Mr. Brown obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1983 and also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) and a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

David P. Carey

Lead Director

Mr. Carey has over 35 years of diverse Canadian and international energy industry experience covering: exploration, production, project evaluations, corporate finance and investor relations in conventional western Canada, oilsands, the Canadian frontiers and international. Mr. Carey retired from his role as Senior Vice President Capital Markets for ARC Resources Ltd. in 2016. In this role, he had responsibility for ARC’s investor relations and communications as well as corporate governance activities. Prior to joining ARC Resources Ltd. in 2001, Mr. Carey held the dual roles of Director Investor Relations for Gulf Canada Resources and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Athabasca Oil Sands Trust. Mr. Carey is a member of the Petroleum Advisory Committee for the Alberta Securities Commission.

Mr. Carey holds both a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) in Geological Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration from Queen’s University. Mr. Carey is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, the Institute of Corporate Directors and a Fellow of the Canadian Investor Relations Institute.

Mary C. Hemmingsen

Independent Director

Ms. Hemmingsen brings more than 25 years of energy and infrastructure experience across many aspects of both the North American and global energy sector. Ms. Hemmingsen currently serves on a number of publicly listed and private company boards in the energy, energy services and infrastructure sector including, Stuart Olson,  InstarAGF Asset Management and is Executive Chair of Trace Water Solutions. Ms. Hemmingsen’s previous executive roles included Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of North West Innovation Works, a clean-tech natural gas to methanol development platform, KPMG Partner and Industry Lead of Power and Utilities for Canada as well as Global Head of Gas and LNG, and Senior Vice President of Business Development for Brookfield Power and Utilities.

Ms. Hemmingsen is a Chartered Professional Accountant of British Columbia who holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Simon Fraser University and has completed the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program.

Theresa B.Y. Jang

Independent Director

Ms. Jang has over 25 years of experience in the North American energy infrastructure sector covering: finance, capital markets, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, accounting, financial reporting and governance. Ms. Jang is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Stantec Inc. ("Stantec"). Ms. Jang joined Stantec on September 10, 2018 as Executive Vice President and she took on the CFO role effective January 1, 2019. Prior thereto, Ms. Jang served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Veresen Inc. ("Veresen"). During her tenure as CFO of Veresen, she also served as a Board member and Audit Committee Chair at Alliance Pipeline Ltd. and Aux Sable Canada. Ms. Jang previously held roles of Vice President, Finance and Risk Management and Vice President, Controller at Veresen. Prior thereto, Ms. Jang held various senior finance and accounting roles at TransCanada Corporation during her 15-year tenure.

Ms. Jang holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Chartered Accountant) of Alberta.

Ronald J. Poelzer

Vice Chair of the Board of Directors

Mr. Poelzer has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and is currently our Vice Chair. Mr. Poelzer has been with Bonavista since 1997. He was our Executive Vice Chairman from June 2012 until 2015 and our Executive Vice President up to 2012. Prior to joining Bonavista Petroleum Ltd. in 1997, Mr. Poelzer was Vice President, Business Development with Poco Petroleums Ltd.

Mr. Poelzer holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Distinction) degree from the University of Saskatchewan and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta.

Mr. Poelzer is also a member of the board of directors of NuVista Energy Ltd., as well as various private companies, the Fraser Institute and a charitable foundation.

Christopher P. Slubicki

Independent Director

Mr. Slubicki has more than 35 years of experience in the business sector. Mr. Slubicki is currently President and CEO of Modern Resources Inc., a Calgary based private oil and gas company.

Prior to November 28, 2011, Mr. Slubicki was President and CEO of OPTI Canada Inc. Until June 2006, Mr. Slubicki was the Vice-Chairman of Scotia Waterous, a division of Scotia Capital. Prior thereto, Mr. Slubicki was a founding partner of Waterous & Co., a global independent energy investment-banking firm. Prior to the founding of Waterous, Mr. Slubicki held various operations management and engineering positions with Placer CEGO Petroleum and Chevron Canada Resources Limited.

Mr. Slubicki holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen's University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Calgary and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.