Ed Jacob, Marshall Ballard receive IADC Exemplary Service Awards

He also thanked George Dotson of Helmerich & Payne and Pete Miller, also with H&P at the time, and Tom Richards with Grey Wolf for their professional support. Mr Richards, he said, “not only provided me with the opportunity to participate with IADC, but also encouraged me to be an active participant. This has been very valuable for me over my career because not only have I made a lot of relationships through this organizations – which is one of the most incredible networking organizations in our industry – but I’ve made a lot of friends. That’s been very special.”

Personally, Mr Jacob also thanked his wife Ruth and son Shawn for their inspiration and support.

Mr Ballard accepted his award by thanking everyone who’s given him support and help, “because, without that, what success I have enjoyed – I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it.”

Mr Jacob joined Grey Wolf Drilling in January 1999 as vice president – marketing and was appointed to senior vice president – marketing in November 1999. In February 2002 he was promoted to senior vice president – operations. Since leaving Grey Wolf, Mr Jacob has worked as an industry consultant.

Prior to joining Grey Wolf, he served as vice president of operations for Bayard Drilling Technologies from December 1996 until June 1997, at which time he was promoted to executive vice president, a position he held until January 1999.

Prior to December 1996, Mr Jacob spent 13 years working for Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co, holding various operational and marketing positions.

He attended Nichols State University and the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. Mr Jacob has been a stalwart supporter of IADC and has held numerous positions within the organization. He has served as a director of IADC since 1989 and held the position of vice president land division from 1998-2000. He served on IADC’s Executive Committee from 2004-2006. He also served on several other committees, including: Land Policy Committee, Information Technology Committee, Contracts Committee, Drilling Conference Advisory Committee and the Ethics and Corporate Compliance Committee.

Mr Ballard is senior vice president of ENSCO’s international operating company and plans to retire his service in March 2009. He earned a degree in history from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1964 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Tulane Law School in 1967. He began working for the Chaffe, McCall law firm in New Orleans as a clerk and investigator in 1965.

In 1971, Mr Ballard co-founded Burke and Ballard and was a partner until 1977. During these six years, he worked extensively with a number of drilling companies, including Penrod Drilling, Zapata, Sonat, Santa Fe, Dixilyn Field, Chiles and Global Marine.

Through his affiliation with Penrod, he was a member of a special group formed by and under the IADC Offshore Committee that negotiated subchapter I-A and grandfather rules to inspect the then existing jackup and submersible MODUs with the US Coast Guard. This same group also negotiated Coast Guard licensing of drilling personnel for service on propulsion assisted semisubmersibles.

In 1977, Mr Ballard joined Penrod as the company attorney, a position that included responsibilities in regulatory affairs management and extensive contract work. During that tenure, his responsibilities expanded to include contract management and marketing functions.

In 1985, he was appointed Penrod’s general manager and later company president, when the structure of the organization changed from a partnership to a corporation.

When ENSCO purchased Penrod in 1993, Mr Ballard was appointed vice president of business development and assumed his current position in 2002.

Throughout his career, Mr Ballard served in numerous capacities within IADC. He has served on the Offshore Primary Division, the American Regional Committee and the European Regional Forum – all IADC Committees. He held the position of vice chairman of the Executive Committee in 1994 and served as a member of the same committee from 1996-1998. Mr Ballard also served as vice president offshore division in 1995 and is a longtime director of IADC. In conjunction with his IADC activity, he was appointed vice chairman, and later chairman, of the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC) to the US Coast Guard. He has also served on the governing board of the Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA), the offshore service vessel counterpart to the IADC.

Mr Ballard has been married to Faye Ballard for 43 years and has four grown children and eight grandchildren.