Richard (Rick) Fritz is a native Oklahoman who spent much of his youth around the oil patch in Osage County, Oklahoma. Rick said he met his first geologist when he was 11 years old. He was so impressed with the geologist's intellect, cool clothes and fancy car that he decided to become a geologist on the spot.

Currently, Rick is CEO of Council Oak Resources, a new EnCap private equity start-up focused on the Midcontinent. The goal of Council Oak Resources is to determine the best resource reservoirs and target using advanced geoscience, engineering and analytical methods.

Rick started his career in 1977 by working for Exxon (before +Mobil) in development geology in South Texas and later as an exploration geologist in the Mid-continent. During this time Rick explored for Granite Wash, Morrow-Springer and Hunton oil and gas reservoirs.

After leaving Exxon, Rick worked as a consultant and manager for Masera Corporation in the development of geological and geophysical studies in the Mid-continent, Gulf Coast and Black Warrior basins. In 1995 Rick became the President of MXC Corporation working as an independent explorationist in the Gulf Coast and Mid-continent.

From 1999 to 2011, Rick was the Executive Director of AAPG. He was responsible for the management of AAPG headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the oversight of numerous programs for AAPG's 34,000+ members. Rick is an active AAPG member, especially in the Division of Professional Affairs, where he was recently president.

In 2011 Rick was hired to work in SM Energy Company's new venture exploration team in Tulsa. Rick studied active resource plays to understand the parameters that made some successful and others marginal.

One of Rick's favorite Oklahomans is Will Rogers. Like Will, Rick is a "people person" and enjoys working with and managing professionals, especially young professionals.