HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

- 1995 -

Royce Reichert

Royce Reichert was born and raised on a farm at Quill Lake, Saskatchewan. He later attended Luther College in Regina.

Royce, like many Saskatchewanians in those days, moved away to find work. In 1955 and 1956, Royce tried his hand at forestry in British Columbia. He returned to Saskatchewan and began his career in the oil industry in 1957.

He worked for Souris Servicing and Ken Imler Servicing, moving between Bienfait, Shaunavon, and Weyburn.

After fifteen years in the well-servicing business, Royce formed his own company, Badge Services Ltd. He began with two and in 1995 had nine service rigs employing close to sixty people.

Besides his own company, Royce has been an active member of both business and community organizations. He is a past president of the Oilfield Technical Society, and in 1995 was Chairman of the Saskatchewan Division of the Canadian Association of Oilfield Drilling Contractors.

Verne Lyons

Born in Chaplin, Saskatchewan in 1925, Verne grew up in the Herschel, Dodsland, and Biggar areas. He served in the Canadian Army from 1942 to 1944 and graduated in geology from the University of Alberta in 1951.

Verne worked with Shell Oil, Catawba Corp., and Charter Oil until 1959 when he became a self-employed consultant.

In 1969, he formed a public oil and gas company, Alberta Eastern Gas, pioneering shallow gas development, which later evolved into Ocelot Industries Ltd. (OIL). Ocelot was an oil and gas producing company with a contract drilling and pipeline division featuring Cactus Drilling, O.J. Pipelines, South Eastern Pipelines, and a petro-chemical division with a world-class methanol plant at Kitimat, B.C.

During 1989 and 1989, Ocelot Industries was reorganized into Ocelot Energy, Lynx Services Ltd., and Methanex Corporation. Lyons was Chairman of these various companies from 1967-1990. He remained active as Chairman of Lynx Energy Services and Chairman of Snow Leopard Resources Inc., which is involved in oil and gas in Kazakhstan, Middle East countries, and Saskatchewan.

Matt Baldwin

Matt was born in Blucher, Saskatchewan. He attended the College of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan for three years, before graduating in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Alberta in 1951. Upon graduation, Matt and a classmate, George Knoll, founded Baldwin and Knoll Ltd. and built it into a 45-service rig company.

Matt expanded his interests and became part owner of Grizzly Ledcor Well Servicing, Grizzly Well Servicing, Hi-West Well Servicing, and Poncho Well Servicing, which currently operates more than 50 service rigs from their Edmonton base.

Matt’s athletic accomplishments almost equal his energy achievements. He was Alberta Curling Champion in 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1971. He is a three-time winner of the Briar in 1954, 1957, 1958, and Silver Broom in 1959.

He has been inducted into the Canadian (Alberta and Edmonton) oil industry halls of fame. He is also in the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame as well as being recognized in the University of Alberta’s Wall of Fame.

Matt did not restrict his athletic endeavors to curling. He remained an active member of the Edmonton Eskimos Football Club Board of Directors since 1980 and served as its President in 1977 and 1978.

In 1995, Matt served on the Board of Alberta Energy Company, as well as President of Embee Consulting.

Bob Peterson

Bob was born in Regina and graduated from Queens University with a Masters in Chemical Engineering

Bob Peterson is one of the most respected members of the energy industry and was Chairman, President, and CEO of Imperial Oil Limited.

Following graduation in 1960, he joined Imperial Oil Limited. Bob held various positions within the Imperial Exxon family. In 1982 he became President of Esso Resources Ltd. in Calgary. In 1985, Bob moved to corporate headquarters in Toronto as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Imperial Oil. In 1992, he became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Bob is the Chairman of the Conference Board of Canada, a director of the Royal Bank of Canada and the C.D. Howe Institute, and a governor of Junior Achievement of Canada and Olympic Trust of Canada. As well, he is a member of the Business Council on National Issues, and the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta.

Don Barkwell

Don was born in Eston, Saskatchewan, and earned an engineering degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

After his education, Don spent four years in the Saskatchewan Department of Mineral Resources as a principal engineer.

Seeing the opportunities developing in the oil patch, Don made the move into the private sector in 1957 to a company called New Superior Oils of Canada Ltd. This company went on to become Norcen Energy Resources Limited. After serving in various positions with the company, Don eventually became Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of the company.

Don is responsible for taking Norcen to the world by developing plays from North America to the North Sea to Australia. Under his guidance, Norcen grew to be a consistently profitable Canadian company that was and is envied around the world. After almost 30 years with the Norcen group of companies, Don decided to change careers.

In 1988, Don took over as President and Chief Executive Officer of POCO Petroleum Ltd. and once again worked his magic. In the span of four years, he restructured the company and returned it to profitability. Don retired as President and CEO of POCO in 1992 to manage his own company – Barkwell Investments Ltd. and to sit on the Boards of Co-Enerco, Morgan Bank, POCO Petroleum Ltd., Golf Lease Inc., and the Advisory Council to the University of Calgary.

Daryl Birnie

Daryl was born near his grandfather’s original homestead at Walpole, Saskatchewan near Ogema. He received a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Saskatchewan and a Masters from the University of Alberta.

Daryl, after graduation, joined Amoco Canada Petroleum Corporation as a geophysicist and after a short period became Exploration Superintendent. Daryl left Amoco, joining Voyageur Petroleum Ltd. as executive vice president, and later joined Dome/Encor Energy group as a senior vice-president. In 1988, he was appointed President, CEO, and Director of Mark Resources Inc.

In 1995, Daryl was Chairman of Inland Gas and Oil Ltd., and Director of Saxon Petroleum, Rider Resources, and Oiltec Resources, in addition to his own Ogema Energy Ltd. He has also been one of the prime movers of the Saskatchewan Petroleum Industry Hall of Fame.

Daryl’s professional and community contributions are great. A Governor of the Calgary Petroleum Club APEGGA, CSEG-CSPG, and SEG, where he was technical chair for their International Convention in Calgary in 1977, President of the McMahon Stadium Society, Director and Vice-Chair of the Calgary Stampeder Football Club, Calgary Stampede Association Director and President of the World Champion Calgary Aqua Belle Synchronized Swimming Club.