Executive Leadership
Bob Gerrity
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bob Gerrity, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bob Gerrity is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vitesse and determines culture and directs strategy, spending and acquisitions. Vitesse found its roots in the Bakken when Bob invested his own capital to purchase non-operated working interest acreage in 2010. Bob has personally participated in over 500 gross wells to date.
Bob got his start in the oil industry in 1982 by purchasing an interest in four newly drilled Codell wells in the Wattenberg Field of Colorado. He established Gerrity Oil and Gas Corporation (Gerrity Oil) as a low-cost operator that provided economic performance in a depressed price environment. This attracted hedge funds, family offices and an endowment fund from 1982 to 1989. Gerrity Oil went public in 1990.
In the early 90s, Gerrity Oil was one of the most active operators in the country, running 19 rigs in the Wattenberg Field. The company merged with Snyder Oil’s Wattenberg assets in 1996 to form Patina Oil & Gas Corporation (Patina), which was eventually merged into Noble Resources. Gerrity Oil’s core properties represent a meaningful part of Noble’s current activities in the Wattenberg.
Bob’s favorite places are anywhere his wonderful wife is; the 12th Street reef on a glassy day…push tide…head high; aerobic summer hikes on the face of Ajax; the far end of the driving range with a right-to-left breeze; and any shaded place outside with a biography.
Brian Cree
President
Brian Cree, President
Brian is the President of Vitesse and is responsible for the financial, operational and corporate/legal aspects of the Company.
Brian has been involved in the oil and gas industry for over 25 years. In 1987, Brian joined the predecessor of Gerrity Oil and worked closely with Bob for almost 9 years to grow and eventually merge the company with Patina. While at Gerrity Oil, he held various financial and operational roles including CFO, SVP of Operations and COO, and served as a Director on its Board.
Brian continued with Patina in similar roles (COO, Executive Vice President and Board member) until 1999, at which time he decided to try other industries and spent close to 14 years as the CFO and/or COO at various technology and energy companies before joining Vitesse in 2013.
During his career, Brian has raised close to $1 billion in public and private financings and has closed a significant number of transactions related to the acquisition and divestiture of assets. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, a position appointed by the Governor, from 1999 through 2007.
Brian received his B.A. in Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa and began his career at Deloitte. Brian has a wife and three kids and enjoys spending his free time hunting, fishing, and attending the Rockies Fantasy Baseball Camp.
James Henderson
Chief Financial Officer
James Henderson, Chief Financial Officer
James “Jimmy” Henderson has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Vitesse effective September 1, 2023, and, as such, is responsible for all financial aspects of the Company.
Jimmy brings over 30 years of management, financial and accounting experience in the oil and gas industry. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President Finance and CFO of Whiting Petroleum upon its exit from bankruptcy in September 2020 until its merger with Oasis Petroleum in July 2022, forming Chord Energy. Previously, Jimmy served in the same role at SRC Energy and Kodiak Oil & Gas, growing each entity through acquisitions and capital investments. His tenure at these companies culminated in their respective mergers with PDC Energy (now Chevron) and Whiting Petroleum. Cumulatively, Jimmy was instrumental in public market capital raises of over $3.5 billion and oil and gas acquisitions exceeding $3.0 billion in transaction value.
Prior to these executive positions, Jimmy was employed in roles of increasing responsibility at Western Gas Resources, Aspect Energy and Pennzoil Company.
Jimmy received his B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas Tech University and his M.B.A. from Regis University. Jimmy and his wife enjoy spending their free time in the Colorado mountains and are avid golfers, cyclists and hikers.
Chris Humber
General Counsel and Secretary
Chris Humber, General Counsel and Secretary
Chris Humber is General Counsel and Secretary for Vitesse and heads up the legal team at the Company.
Chris served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Sundance Energy Inc. from July 2020, until its sale to SilverBow Resources, Inc. in June 2022. Previously, he served as Jagged Peak Energy Inc.’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from August 2016 through the company’s February 2017 initial public offering until the company’s merger with Parsley Energy, Inc. in January 2020. Prior to that, he served as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc. from its initial public offering in December 2011 until March 2016.
Prior to that time, Chris was a practicing attorney focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and securities matters for public and private companies as a partner with the law firm Kendall, Koenig & Oelsner PC in Denver, Colorado and an associate with the law firms Hogan & Hartson LLP (now Hogan Lovells US LLP) in Denver, Colorado and Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington, D.C. and McLean, Virginia.
Chris has a J.D. from Emory University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He enjoys spending his free time with family, fly fishing in the rivers of Colorado and playing pinball.
Management Team
Shanna Ash
Chief Engineer
Shanna Ash, Chief Engineer
Shanna comes to Vitesse with 19 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. She first joined Vitesse in March of 2014 and played an integral part in the acquisition that founded Vitesse Energy.
Shanna has a strong background in reservoir engineering, business development and operations and has served in engineering roles at BP, Burlington Resources, Netherland, Sewell and Associates and Luca Technologies.
She enjoys spending time with her family and exploring all the outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer. Her current favorite book is one her son recommended, Peak by Roland Smith.
Shanna holds a BS in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University and is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas.
Amanda Bailey
VP – Chief Technology Officer
Amanda Bailey, VP – Chief Technology Officer
Amanda manages data and technology systems at Vitesse. She recently architected and built an integrated database system and custom web application that allows Vitesse to better manage its growing non-op oil and gas assets.
Prior to Vitesse, Amanda worked for EOG Resources for 9 years where she leveraged the power of data and predictive analytics to provide innovative insights and reduce costs in completions, production and reservoir projects.
Amanda is a devoted member of the Peloton community, enjoys endurance cycling, and sometimes sits on the beach with her toes in the sand. One of her favorite books is All the Light We Cannot See.
Amanda received a Master’s Degree from NC State University and a graduate of the Galvanize Data Science program.
Adam Cree
Director – Engineering
Adam Cree, Director – Engineering
Adam joined Vitesse in April 2019 and currently assists with acquisition evaluation, working closely with the finance and land departments allowing for cohesive understanding and optimized valuation of each deal examined. In conjunction with assisting in the evaluation of acquisitions, he also provides operational insight and data analysis on any questions or concerns Vitesse perceives.
Prior to joining Vitesse, Adam worked as a Field Engineer for Liberty Oilfield Services as part of their DJ Basin fleet, gaining experience in frac operations and design while working closely with operators.
Adam has a passion for hunting and fishing and if not in the great outdoors, he enjoys being active through working out and playing volleyball. Adam’s favorite book is Extreme Ownership by Leif Babin and Jocko Willink.
Adam holds a BS in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Wyoming.
Dustin Emmons
Director – Business Operations
Dustin Emmons, Director – Business Operations
Dustin joined Vitesse in October of 2018. He works closely with the CEO, Bob Gerrity, to bring efficiencies to the business. Dustin began his career in public accounting at EKS&H where he served as both an Audit and Tax Senior.
Dustin spends his free time outdoors with his wife and three children, mountain biking and climbing. He enjoys reading the works of Barry Crump as the stories remind him of his time in New Zealand as a newlywed.
Dustin holds an MS in Accounting and a BS in Finance from the University of Colorado and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.
Levi Johns
Director – Financial Reporting and Accounting
Levi Johns, Director – Financial Reporting and Accounting
Levi joined Vitesse in July 2019 and currently assists with SEC reporting, accounting, and internal control functions. Levi works closely with our data team to develop accounting processes tailored to a fully non-operated oil and gas company.
Prior to joining Vitesse, Levi worked at BDO in Houston and EKS&H in Denver as a financial statement auditor with a concentration on the upstream oil and gas sector.
Levi spends his free time skiing with his wife across the Rocky Mountains and taking trips in their campervan. His favorite book is Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer.
Levi received a BS in Accounting from Arizona State University.
Gina Matero
VP – Legal, Oil and Gas Operations
Gina Matero, VP – Legal, Oil and Gas Operations
Gina is responsible for managing the legal affairs of the Company. Prior to joining Vitesse, she was a Shareholder and founding member at Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. and has been advising oil and gas clients for over 20 years. She began her career in oil and gas with a natural gas midstream company in a management role prior to attending law school.
One of her favorite experiences was teaching English in a high school in Lodz Poland not long after Poland gained its independence from the Soviet Union. She enjoys spending her free time hiking, traveling and gardening and often gets lost reading true crime – The Devil in the White City is a favorite, and anything by Ben Macintyre.
Gina earned a JD, with honors, from the University of Denver and a BS/BA in Economics and Finance from Regis University.
Ben Messier
Director – Investor Relations and Business Development
Ben Messier
Director – Investor Relations and Business Development
Ben joined Vitesse in 2018 after previously working in the oil and gas investment banking groups of Intrepid Financial Partners and Credit Suisse. In his role at Vitesse, he is responsible for investor relations and hedging analysis.
His hobbies include skiing, spending time with his wife and children, working out (upper body only) and Microsoft Excel. His favorite books are TV Guide and Antifragile.
Ben holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Rice University.
Mike Morella
VP – Chief Accounting Officer
Mike Morella, VP – Chief Accounting Officer
Mike joined Vitesse in 2014 and has worked in the oil and gas industry for over 25 years. Prior to joining Vitesse, Mike spent seven years as the Controller for two startup oil and gas companies.
Mike cut his teeth at KPMG in Midland, Texas as an audit manager for oil and gas companies and spent time as Controller of Westport Oil and Gas, during which time Westport successfully completed its initial public offering. When Westport was acquired by Kerr-McGee, he continued working with Kerr-McGee until it was acquired by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
Mike enjoys traveling and spending time with his teenage boys, especially working on his family’s ranch in Montana. His favorite book is Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.
Mike received a BS in Accounting from Montana State University
Matt Olson
VP – Mergers and Acquisitions
Matt Olson, VP – Mergers and Acquisitions
Matt joined Vitesse in June of 2014. Along with overseeing all asset acquisitions and divestitures, he also manages the Land Department.
He is an avid sports fan and enjoys going to the movies and hiking with his family. His favorite authors are Michael Crichton and Frank Herbert.
Matt has a BS in Biochemistry, with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Colorado.
Andrea Patterson
Director – Infrastructure and Cybersecurity
Andrea Patterson, Director – Infrastructure and Cybersecurity
Andrea is the Director of Infrastructure and Cybersecurity at Vitesse. She joined Vitesse in June of 2021, and plays a crucial role in the evolution of the Vitesse technology portfolio.
Before Vitesse, Andrea worked in the healthcare industry during the past twenty-five years specializing in healthcare information technology, cybersecurity, and informatics. During her tenure, Andrea brought information technology to the center of business operations and strategic initiatives through innovative thinking and the ability to translate ideas into operations. Andrea’s focus on end-user education and implementing the latest cybersecurity technologies ensured the integrity and availability of mission-critical data and solutions essential to preserving business continuity.
Andrea enjoys spending time with her family traveling, fishing, and exploring new Minecraft worlds with her son. Andrea is part of the Peloton community and enjoys cycling with Robin’s Wolfpack.
Andrea holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration from The University of Colorado.
Dane Roybal
Director – Financial Planning and Analysis
Dane Roybal, Director – Financial Planning and Analysis
Dane joined Vitesse in 2015 and is primarily responsible for acquisition and divestiture analysis and corporate financial planning. Dane has been personally investing in Bakken non-operating working interest acreage since 2011 and has participated in over 85 gross wells. Prior to Vitesse, Dane was a Senior Financial Analyst at Sagient Research where he oversaw the equity research process on roughly 12 biotech companies.
Dane enjoys spending his free time hiking with his wife and son and working out and is a huge Denver Bronco and Colorado Avalanche fan. His favorite books are 12 Rules for Life, by Jordan Peterson, and The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Dane has a BBA from Washington University.
Brian Southern
Lead – Vulcan and Mercury
Brian Southern, Lead – Vulcan and Mercury
Brian joined Vitesse in its infancy in the beginning of 2014 and has worn many hats as the company has grown and expanded. In his current role, Brian leads the Vulcan and Mercury projects at Vitesse. He has served in financial roles in the oil and gas industry for 18 years.
Brian currently serves on the board of Colorado Christian Services, an adoption agency, and serves on the board of a non-profit youth lacrosse organization. He spends most of his free time coaching youth sports and staying active outdoors with his wife and three kids. His current book of choice is the Tao of Charlie Munger.
Brian holds a BS in Marketing from Abilene Christian University and an MBA in Finance from Regis University.
Michael Sabol
VP – SEC and Financial Reporting
Michael Sabol, VP – SEC and Financial Reporting
Michael joined Vitesse in April 2016 and is responsible for reporting functions as well as certain finance and human resources functions.
Michael brings over 25 years of financial experience with both public and private companies, including significant experience working with biofuels and other energy startup companies to bring them to market, and also in the telecommunications industry. He began his career in public accounting at Price Waterhouse in Philadelphia in various roles, including Audit Manager.
He enjoys himself most while hiking, biking, skiing and spending time in the Colorado outdoors with his wife and two children or while reading a book. His favorite book is Thank You for Smoking or other political satires.
Michael has BS degrees in Accounting and English Literature from King’s College.
Melissa Stogner
Accounting Data Management
Melissa Stogner, Accounting Data Management
Melissa joined Vitesse in 2018 after previously working as a revenue accountant for Anadarko. Prior to joining the oil and gas industry she spent 13 years as a financial analyst at Lockheed Martin. In her role at Vitesse, she utilizes the integrated data in the Luminis database to provide reports for on-going Vulcan projects to ensure accurate revenue analysis.
Her hobbies include spending time with her family and friends, traveling and exploring new places. She enjoys listening to podcasts about business.
Melissa holds a BS in Finance and Information Systems from the University of Colorado.
Marvie Swan
Executive Assistant
Marvie Swan, Executive Assistant
Marvie joined Vitesse in May of 2019. She provides Executive Assistant support to the Chairman and CEO, Bob Gerrity, and acts as liaison with the Vitesse Board.
During her professional career, she was a legal assistant for 12 years and an EA to senior-level executives in engineering, gold mining, real estate, commercial construction, and architecture. Marvie previously worked for Bob at Gerrity Oil & Gas as his EA for multiple years.
Originally from West Texas, Marvie has called Colorado home for over 50 years. In her free time she enjoys music, travel, spa treatments, hot yoga, and spoiling her little dog, Shoni.
Luke Weimer
Controller
Luke Weimer, Controller
Luke joined Vitesse in November 2017 and is primarily responsible for managing accounting records and generating Luminis reports that integrate accounting data across all departments in the Company to enhance operational analysis.
Prior to joining Vitesse, Luke started his career in public accounting at EKS&H and served as an Audit Senior working on both public and private oil and gas companies. Luke has over 10 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry.
Luke is an avid hunter and enjoys spending time in the great outdoors with his wife and three children. His favorite author is Mathew Kelly.
Luke has a BS in Accounting from the University of Northern Colorado and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Michael Wozniak
Legal Consultant
Michael Wozniak, Legal Consultant
Michael has served the energy and natural resources industry for more than 42 years and was the co-founder of the law firm Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. Over his career, Michael has been the managing partner or office head for three energy law firms and has been actively involved in every phase of natural resource exploration, regulation, development, transport, processing and marketing. Michael has been a board advisor for a midstream Permian water, gas and oil gatherer and has been general counsel for four cradle-to-exit private equity-backed energy companies. He has also been the Chair of a publicly traded oil and gas company.
Michael is active in community and governmental affairs and was elected to three terms as Mayor of the City of Cherry Hills Village. He has authored numerous energy related papers, is a former trustee and frequent lecturer for the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and has appeared before oil and gas commissions, environmental agencies and other regulatory bodies literally hundreds of times.
Michael enjoys traveling, golf and the outdoors. His favorite business book is Good to Great and he reads Daniel Silva novels for escape. Michael earned his JD from the University of Colorado School of Law.