July 24th, 2008 - Workshop Sessions #1

Opportunities in Unconventional Gas Panel

This panelists of this session will help the audience to understand the opportunities that unconventional gas presents, but simultaneously grasp the complexities inherent in the challenges.  Broad themes that will be covered in the panel discussion will be success stories for attracting investment dollars, Government's role in both BC and Alberta, and the primary differences between Canadian and US experiences in terms of unconventional gas development.

Speakers

Doug A. Dafoe, C.A. , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Dafoe is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with over 25 years industry experience. Prior to joining Ember, Mr. Dafoe was President and Chief Executive Officer of Thunder Energy Inc., a company he co-founded in mid-1996.Mr. Dafoe graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in Business Administration, he earned his CPA designation in 1979 and became a CA in 1980.  Mr. Dafoe entered the oil & gas industry in 1980 and held various financial and operating positions of increasing importance working for both junior and integrated oil and gas companies.
 
Mr. Dafoe has served on the Board of Governors of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and is a director of several TSX-listed companies including Thunder Energy Trust, Alberta Clipper Energy Inc. and Cyries Energy Inc.
 
Derek Krivak, BSc.
Mr. Krivak has over 10 years of oil and gas experience with the past six years focusing on unconventional gas. His Coalbed Methane, Shale Gas and Tight Gas experience with the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the Alberta Research Council (ARC) have covered projects throughout North America. Currently he holds the position of Chief Operating Officer for Stealth Ventures Ltd. a Calgary based junior oil and gas company active in Nova Scotia Coalbed Methane, Saskatchewan and Alberta shale gas plays.  Derek remains an active participant on the Canadian Society for Unconventional Gas technical committee and is a member of the Board of Directors. 

Mike Dawson, Canadian Society for Unconventional Gas (CSUG)
Mike graduated with a B.Sc in Geology from the University of Calgary in 1975.  He spent the first 9 years of his career working in the coal industry in Calgary. In 1983, he joined the Geological Survey of Canada as a research scientist to be part of a team that was developing an inventory of coal resources for Canada.

In 1989, in response to industry requests for information, Mike switched his research efforts to coalbed methane. From 1989 to 1999, he was responsible for managing the Geological Survey’s coalbed methane research program.  These efforts were focussed primarily on characterization of the coal gas potential of the various coalfields in Canada.  Other research projects included quantification of micro-permeability of fractured reservoirs and a comparison of coalbed methane basins throughout North America and Australia.  In 1999 Mike left the government to return to industry where after a couple of brief stops along the way he is now employed as President of the Canadian Society for Unconventional Gas.

Access to Capital

In this wokshop session, The speaker will draw upon his considerable expertise to offer insights into how service and supply companies can access capital to fuel company growth and expansion. From private companies to publicly traded organizations, and from private equity to accessing public debt and equity markets, you will gain insights on how service and supply firms can get the money they need in order to grow.

Speakers

Bruce McDonald, Canaccord Capital

Mr. McDonald is a Managing Director with Canaccord Adams.  Since joining Canaccord in 2002, he has held the positions of royalty trust analyst, Global Head of Energy Research and Director of Research, Canada.  In his 5 years as a research analyst, Bruce achieved a top 8 ranking by Brendan Woods in each year and in 2006, Bruce was selected by Starmine and the Financial Post as  #1 stock picker in the royalty trust category and #2 in earnings estimate accuracy. 

In November 2007, he was appointed Global Head of Energy at Canaccord Adams.  With over 19 years of experience in finance and oil and gas, Bruce graduated with an MA in Economics from Queen’s University and has a BA Honours with Distinction from the University of New Brunswick.  He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Environmental Landscape

Increased regulatory requirements surrounding environmental values such as air, water, soils, vegetation, wildlife and biodiversity greatly influence practices of the natural resource industry for all market sectors including mining, forestry, agriculture, land development and the energy sector.  In developed countries, and in particular in our own back yard in Alberta, the environmental regulatory landscape has rapidly moved from questioning whether or not environmental matters have to be addressed, becoming part of standard operational and best management practices.  Many large and small natural resource-based companies place emphasis on corporate environmental policy,a key element of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).  CSR has attained a level of significance that transcends national boundaries and demonstrates the interrelatedness of corporate practice globally.  Standards and practices engaged by industry in Canada regarding environmental and social management have implications far afield, notably in light of international expectations regarding Canadian performance. 

Speakers

Part One: Optimizing the Sale of Your Business - Secure the Future

Owners and managers of all business types will draw on sixty years financial advisory, mergers and acquisition experience of AIM Capital Corp partners Phil Payne and Terry Kilburn. Private or public, the protocols shared will help both buyers and sellers identify for themselves how the best bidders are solicited, how preferred prices and terms are obtained, how to prepare your staff, and most importantly, how to close the sale. The panelists have participated as financial advisors in the sale of over fifty businesses

Part Two: Greater Edmonton Economic Development Team (GEEDT) – Upgraders and the Supply Sector

Part Three: Greater Edmonton Industrial Real Estate Market, Market Trends & Future Development in a Booming Economy

Speakers

Phil Payne, AIM Capital
Founder of Energy Technology Products Ltd., Phil sold the company to employees.  He was Canadian C.F.O. and general manager of Gould Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer of high voltage electrical equipment.  He has negotiated 19 acquisitions and divestitures in the USA and Canada, and assisted several companies with purchase investigations.

Phil is past Chairman of the Edmonton YMCA and YMCA Alberta, and past director of the Vancouver YMCA and their foundation.  He actively assists Alberta’s Cross Cancer Institute in funds development and he is a Derrick Golf & Winter Club member.  He is a chartered accountant - MBA, with twenty five years of business ownership, and provides you experience and simplification of your acquisition and divestiture goals.

Terry Kilburn, AIM Capital

A founding partner of Avison Young and AIM Capital, Terry has participated in some of Western Canada’s largest and most creative deals involving billions of dollars, such as: the sale of Guiness Tower, the Marine Building and Oceanic Plaza in Vancouver; the assembly and development of Commerce Place in Edmonton; and the sale of Shell Court in Calgary.  In the past 2 years, Terry and Phil have successfully completed 5 major business sales which have all exceeded their clients’ expectations.
 
An active volunteer, Terry has assisted the United Way and is the past Chairman of the Edmonton YMCA and YMCA Alberta.  He is also a past director of both the Mayfair Golf and Country Club and the Edmonton Eskimo Football Club and is currently active in funds development for the Edmonton YMCA and the PC Party of Alberta.

Thomas Ashcroft, Avison Young
Thomas Ashcroft, a Partner with Avison Young, is enjoying his 12th year with the firm, specializing in the Industrial market. Thomas has earned his reputation as one of Edmonton’s most knowledgeable and respected agents. Thomas prides himself on being on top of the market and in many cases ahead of market trends. Clients appreciate this forward thinking attitude and knowledge as it allows them to capitalize on market trends or prepare themselves for future adjustments.

Thomas has extensive sales and leasing experience in the industrial sector having brokered over 550 transactions representing over $400,000,000.00 and 6,000,000 square feet of real estate. Thomas is a leader in his market and is consistently a "Top 10" producer across the country, and a "Top 5" producer within the Avison Young network of offices.

Gerry Gabinet, Strathcona County
Gerry Gabinet is the Manager of Economic Development and Tourism for Strathcona County, Alberta’s fourth largest municipality. He has worked with a committed economic development team of seven people for the past six years. Prior to working as manager at Strathcona County, Gerry worked at Parkland County as Coordinator of Business Development for four years.  Gerry has a strong history in marketing, having worked in the consumer goods industry for Proctor & Gamble and Molson’s Brewery.  He was involved with commercial industrial real estate working with Dynafour Real Estate and J.J. Barnicke Real Estate Limited.

He is involved with many outside organizations from across Alberta, Western Canada and North America. These organizations include: Chairman - Greater Edmonton Economic  Development Team, Economic Developers Alberta, Economic Developers Association Canada, International Economic Development Council, Pacific Northwest Economic Development Council ( Past-President), International Council for Shopping Centres, CoreNet Global and Alberta First.