Candidates for AAPG office have been given the opportunity to respond briefly to the subject: "Why I Accepted the Invitation to be a Candidate for an AAPG Office."
Their responses and biographical information were provided by each candidate and edited only for grammar, spelling and format.
This information will also be provided as hard-copy in the January issue of the EXPLORER and available on the AAPG Web site through the election period. Ballots will be mailed, online in the first quarter of 2013. Results will be posted mid-May 2013.
Candidates were asked to limit their biographies to 350 words and responses to 500 words.
2012-13 Secretary Candidate
Richard W. Ball Learn about Richard W. Ball
Chevron Upstream, Southern Africa SBU - Houston
Why I Accepted the Invitation to be a Candidate for an AAPG Office ...
I am grateful and proud to be a candidate for the office of Secretary. My experience in the AAPG has instilled in me the importance of professionalism, volunteerism and service. While it is a relatively early time in my industry experience, my concentrated record of escalating service reflects personal initiative and commitment to an organization that I believe has been vital to my professional development and success to date.
Like most active members today, I joined the AAPG as a Student member while working on my bachelor’s degree in geology. After attending my first annual convention I knew that I wanted to be more deeply involved in this wonderful association, which is filled with individuals who are passionate about their science, fellowship and organization. As a student, I quickly took on various leadership roles within the chapter. These roles culminated in my election as president of Stephen F. Austin State University’s AAPG Chapter in 2005, when we won the Student Chapter of the Year award.
As I made the transition from Student to Active member, I gained a unique perspective on the importance of student/new member retention. In the May 2012 AAPG EXPLORER, then president Paul Weimer provided an excellent analysis of this issue. The bottom line, retention needs to improve in order for this organization to thrive as it has in the past. This is where I have focused the majority of my efforts, on what past president Scott Tinker referred to as The Bridge or the transition from Student to Young Professional to Active membership.
As a Young Professional member of the AAPG, I find that the more time that I dedicate to the organization, the more I am indebted. Whether serving by hosting the Global Student Chapter Leadership Summit, participating in Leadership Days, working on strategic plans with committees, enjoying the fellowship of the many friends I have made in the organization, or attending meetings, I enjoy my involvement at every level.
Each position held and project worked within the AAPG has enhanced my professional development, amplified my skill sets and proved to be another great adventure. I will never be able to fully repay the AAPG for the opportunities it has afforded me, but through my continued service to the organization, I will not stop trying.
If elected to the position of Secretary, I will focus on improving domestic/international Student, Young Professional and member retention levels by concentrating efforts on these four areas: 1) Furthering The Bridge program; 2) Strengthening our international and domestic Student/Young Professional outreach programs; 3) Focusing on the AAPG website content; and 4) Contributing to a thorough review of the membership benefits portfolio and AAPG’s branding strategy.
About Richard W. Ball ...
Development geologist-Angola Block O, Chevron, Houston
Born 1982, Dallas
Academic Degrees
M.S., geology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
B.S., geology, Stephen F. Austin State University
Experience
2012-present
Development geologist-Angola Block 0; Chevron, Houston
2004-present
Founder, Importation; T-ingo Importers, Dallas
2010-12
Exploration geologist-Gulf of Mexico; Chevron, Houston
2007-10
Development geologist-San Juan Basin; Chevron, Houston
2006
Contract geologist-Gulf of Mexico shelf; ToppKnotch, Lafayette, La.
2005-06
Geotech-onshore Louisiana; Rainier Minerals; Lafayette, La.
AAPG Activities
Joined AAPG 2002
Member EMD
2010-present
Chair, Student Chapters Committee
2007-12
Director, Student Chapter Leadership Summit
2008-10
Vice chair, Young Professionals Committee
2007-10
Vice chair, Student Chapters Committee
2005-08
Member, Education Committee
Publications
- 2010, The Highs and Lows of Subsalt Exploration in Southeastern Green Canyon, Deepwater Gulf of Mexico - A World-Class Petroleum System
- 2009, LIDAR Imaging Technology Used to Reduce Cycle time, and Costs while Increasing Safety and Stakeholder Alignment
- 2009, Digital Regional Investigation of the Wilcox Group of Northern Louisiana: Application to Coalbed Natural Gas Evaluation
- 2007, Regional Subsurface Investigation: Coal Accumulation in the Wilcox Group, Northern Louisiana
- 2006, Ore Petrographic Aspects of Recent Basaltic Andesite from Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
- 2005, Geochemical and Petrograhic Aspects of Basaltic Andesites from Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
AAPG Secretary Responsibilities as defined by AAPG Bylaws, Article II, Section 6.
The Secretary shall be responsible for recording the actions of the Executive Committee; shall keep possession of the corporate seal and affix the same; and, subject to Executive Committee approval, shall have policy oversight of all non-technical and non-peer reviewed publications and communications. The Secretary shall perform other duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee.