Matt Ralls, Rowan, elected 2011 IADC chairman

Matt Ralls, president and CEO of Rowan Companies, was elected 2011 IADC chairman at the association’s 2010 Annual General Meeting, held 10-12 November in San Antonio, Texas. His term begins on 1 January 2011.

Mr Ralls was appointed CEO and president and elected as a director of Rowan in January 2009. He was with GlobalSantaFe Corp from 1997 until the completion of the merger of GlobalSantaFe with Transocean in November 2007. He served as GlobalSantaFe’s executive VP and chief operating officer from 2005 through 2007 and prior to that was senior VP and CFO. From 1990 to 1996, Mr Ralls was executive VP and CFO of Kelley Oil and Gas Corp. Before that, he spent 17 years in commercial banking with three large Texas banks. A full profile article of Mr Ralls will be published in the January/February 2011 issue of Drilling Contractor.

Dan Rabun, chairman, president and CEO of Ensco, was elected as the association’s new vice chairman, while Beth Gordon, controller for Diamond Offshore Drilling, was re-elected as secretary-treasurer. Ms Gordon also chairs the IADC Accounting Issues/Procedures Committee.

David Russell, executive VP – drilling operations for Rowan, was elected vice president of the Offshore Division, while Ronnie Witherspoon, senior VP – business development & marketing for Nabors Drilling USA, was elected vice president of the Land Division. David Reid, global account VP – E&P business and technology for National Oilwell Varco, was re-elected vice president of IADC’s Drilling & Well Services Division.

Also re-elected were Dr Lee Hunt as IADC president; Brian Petty as senior vice president – government affairs; and Tom Terrell as senior vice president – business development.