GAURDIE E. BANISTER JR. HAS BEEN APPOINTED PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AERA ENERGY L.L.C. in Bakersfield, California. becoming one of the first African Americans in the nation to run a major energy company. Aera Energy, jointly owned by affiliates of Shell Oil and ExxonMobil, is one of California's largest producers of oil and gas, accounting for approximately 30% of the state's production.
"My vision is to use Our world-class operational processes coupled with new, sophisticated technologies to unlock the 3 1/2 billion barrels of resources we have on our books in a safe and environmentally friendly way," Banister says. "I bring a global perspective to Aera, [recognizing] what's taking place around the world and how that affects our business."
Banister succeeds Aera's former president and CEO, Eugene J. Voiland, who retired at the end of 2007. Previously...