JOHN ROBERT DELLER - PRESIDENT, SECRETARY & DIRECTOR
Having served with Blackstone since 2013, Mr. Deller, 66, has over 30 years Wall Street financial experience in managing investment portfolios for high net worth individuals, city municipalities and trusts. His career began in 1983 as Senior Vice President and partner for the investment advisory firm of Noroian and Associates. Mr. Deller assumed direct investment management responsibilities for over $30 Million in ERISA mandated funds. He has been employed with Dean Witter Reynolds, Bateman Eichler, Hill Richards, Kemper Securities and Prudential Securities as an account executive before establishing his own Registered Investment Advisory firm and Insurance Agency, Desert Capital Management Group, Inc. in 1997. Mr. Deller sold Desert Capital in 2012 and joined Blackstone. He is a past Director and Secretary of South Coast Oil Corporation and holds a BS degree in Speech and Political Science from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
PETER LAEHY - DIRECTOR & CONSULTANT
Mr. Laehy, 73, is a Senior Executive with considerable expertise in business operations and development, with emphasis in the oil & gas sector. He has served as a Blackstone Director since 2012. Since 2003, Mr. Laehy has been principal and CEO of Pacific Energy Solutions, Inc., where he has designed, built and operated renewable fuel energy plants and infrastructure systems for production of natural gas and oil operations, and has led and managed other complex projects involving natural resource extraction and processing. His experience includes senior positions in management, sales, marketing and consulting. Mr. Laehy holds 7 patents and studied Business Administration at Belknap College in New Hampshire.
KARN MYERS - DIRECTOR & TREASURER
Karn Myers, 71, serves as Treasurer for Blackstone after joining the Board of Directors in October 2016. Ms. Myers previously served as Executive Associate for her late husband Mark Dodge, former Chairman and CFO of Blackstone from 2008 to 2016. Previously, Karn was an Entertainment Executive working for a special effects company that included a project for the movie Titanic. At this time, she discovered the feral cat problem that exists in Los Angeles, inspiring Karn to co-found FixNation in July of 2007 with Mark Dodge, which has become the largest organization of it kind in greater Los Angeles. Ms. Myers serves as Executive Director and CFO of the nonprofit and has served on its Board of Directors since 2009. Additionally, Ms. Myers has experience having served as an Executive Assistant to Chief Executives of various industries, both domestic and international. Other experience includes officer training at First Interstate Bank, serving as a Real Estate agent, and supervising office management technology skills.
MARK PAULINO - DIRECTOR & Consultant
Mr. Paulino, 56, began his career in the retail securities industry over 30 years ago and successfully managed millions in over 100 accounts. In 1999, Mr. Paulino founded Hennessey Financial and serves as the President and CEO, overseeing operations and clients. From 2005 – 2017, Mark was President and member of the board of directors of Global Vest Corporation, serving as a consultant representing Hennessey and/or GlobalVest for Blackstone. In 2016, Mr. Paulino joined both Pacifoco and Blackstone as the newest member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Paulino holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communications from Arizona State University.
STEVEN J. SOGARD - CONSULTANT & ADVISOR
Steven J. Sogard, 65, through business consulting company, GlobalVest Corporation and Tower 20 Group, Inc. has been an outside consultant to Blackstone and Pacifoco since its inception. Mr. Sogard has over forty years of experience in business and financial consulting services, including experience with oil and gas and real estate companies. Mr. Sogard and GlobalVest have assisted the Board in negotiations, acquisitions and shareholder relations. Mr. Sogard has served on the board directors of several different enterprises. Since 2006 through present, Mr. Sogard has served as consultant through GlobalVest Corporation and/or tower 20 Group for companies including Blackstone/Pacifoco, Hammerhead Managing Partners, Octopus Energy, Atticus Financial and various other Companies. From 2002-2006, Mr. Sogard was a lead consultant, in preparing South Coast Oil Corporation for a future strategic transaction such as a rollup financing, IPO, merger or acquisition. He worked extensively in several different legal and financial areas of the project, including recruiting a board of directors and conforming corporate governance practices. In addition, Mr. Sogard advised on the acquisition of a multi-million dollar oil and gas production facility. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Sogard was a senior vice-president at Fox & Company Investments, a NASD member. From 1993 to 1995, he was president and CEO of Performance Financial Center LLC, a real estate development and leasing company in Phoenix, Arizona, and from 1989 to 1991, Mr. Sogard was president of Cenpac Securities Corporation, an Arizona-based NASD Broker-Dealer. Since 1997, Mr. Sogard has been a member of the Board of Directors of GlobalVest Corporation, a consulting and management services company. He is the founder of Glacier Realty Corporation, a Colorado-based real estate business that sold property and luxury condominiums located in resort properties in Telluride, Colorado. Mr. Sogard serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club since 2004 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tufts University in 1981.