DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Justin R. Foster, Senior Associate, Vural Law Firm PLLC, will be the guest speaker at the luncheon meeting of the Women’s Energy Network (WEN) – North Texas Chapter on Thursday, May 8, 2014, at the Fort Worth Petroleum Club, 777 Main Street #4000. Thomas Bates, Adjunct Professor of Finance and co-chair of the Energy MBA Advisory Board at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University, will be the guest speaker at the luncheon meeting of WEN on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, at the Dallas Petroleum Club, 2200 Ross Avenue. Registration for both events will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by the luncheon from noon-1:00 p.m.
Foster will discuss “Ownership of Minerals under Roadways & the Strip and Gore Doctrine in Texas.” A question-and-answer session will follow his presentation.
Foster began his career in oil and gas as a landman and title research clerk. He earned a B.B.A., summa cum laude, from Lamar University before earning his Juris Doctor from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law) in 2009. His practice as a Senior Associate at the Vural Law Firm PLLC focuses exclusively in the oil and gas field with an emphasis on drilling and division order title opinions. Foster is licensed in Texas and North Dakota, and is a member of the Permian Basin Landman’s Association and the Texas Oil & Gas Professionals and Executives.
“WEN North Texas is pleased to announce Justin Foster as our speaker for the May Fort Worth luncheon,” said Diana Frazier, 2014 WEN North Texas Chapter President. “We look forward to his presentation on mineral ownership under roadways and learning more about oil and gas legal issues in Texas.”
Thomas Bates will present a talk entitled, “The Next Big Thing is the last Big Thing and It’s Really Big,” at the May Dallas luncheon. His presentation will focus on the long term contributions that shale plays have and will continue to give to the U.S. economy. A question-and-answer session will follow his presentation.
Bates currently serves on the boards of directors of Hercules Offshore, TETRA Technologies, Alacer Gold Corporation, Southwest Oilfield Products, Independence Contract Drilling, and Wellflex Energy Solutions. Since 2011, he has been Adjunct Professor of Finance in the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University and is a co-chair of its Energy MBA Advisory Board. Previously, Bates served as Managing Director and then Senior Advisor of Lime Rock Partners, President of the Discovery Group of Baker Hughes, and President and CEO of Weatherford Enterra. He also spent 15 years with Schlumberger, working domestically and internationally. Bates began his career conducting drilling research for Shell Oil Company and has been a personal and corporate investor in more than a dozen oil-service technology startups. Bates was the recipient of the 1995 University of Houston/American Society of Engineers Offshore Technology Conference Award for outstanding leadership and citizenship. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.
“WEN North Texas is honored to welcome Thomas Bates as the featured speaker for our May 2014 luncheon in Dallas,” said Frazier. “Mr. Bates’ 25 years of experience in oil-service management and operations and his numerous board-of-directors positions in the oil and gas industry will provide our members with valuable industry advice and expertise.”
The cost for WEN North Texas members to attend is $35. For prospective members, the price is $50. Please register online at http://www.womensenergynetwork.org. Payment can be made by credit card through the online registration portal or the day of the event by cash or check payable to Women’s Energy Network North Texas.
For more information about the event, contact Whitney Randolph, OneWest Bank, at Whitney.Randolph@owb.com.
For more information about the Women’s Energy Network – North Texas Chapter, visit www.wennorthtexas.org and click on WEN North Texas. Interested parties can join the North Texas Chapter by clicking on Join Today! on the North Texas Chapter’s home page.
About WEN
The Women’s Energy Network is a nonprofit association of women professionals in the energy industry that provides networking and community outreach opportunities and fosters career and leadership development. Founded in 1994, the organization has more than 2,000 members nationwide. For more information, please visit the WEN North Texas Chapter website at www.wennorthtexas.org.
