Greetings from Oklahoma City! How long has it been since you have been to visit our amazing city? If it has been more than a couple of years, you will be surprised when you visit this September at all that has taken place. One part of town that we know you will love is Bricktown (which is just around the corner from the Skirvin Hotel).

Bricktown was once an abandoned warehouse district. Through the vision and leadership of our elected officials, the old warehouse district has become the place to visit for locals and tourists. From the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (home of the Oklahoma Redhawks, AAA affiliate of the Houston Astros) to the amazing restaurants and shops Bricktown has something for everyone.

The Red Earth Desk and Derrick Club and the clubs from Region VI are looking forward to seeing you in September!

For more information on Bricktown visit www.welcometobricktown.com.

They called the decade the Roaring 20s. For the young state of Oklahoma, it had many reasons to roar. You could hear the roar of black gold spewing up from the red earth raining down on the prairie. You could hear the roar of excitement coming from the wildcatters, investors, and oil men as they became almost instant millionaires. For the Indians the oil and gas boom was just another sound, like the cannon that open the land runs, that would end their hopes of independent Indian nations. Plus there was the roar from all the cars, trucks, tractors, and trains that tore across the once peaceful landscape. Then also there was the roar of the Tommy gun or the 45 that would settle scores for the greedy villains who wanted it all. But then there was the muffled roar, more of a moan, that was mostly drowned out by the other roars: the agonizing moan of the failed investors who risked it all and then lost it, the moan of men being injured in oil field accidents or a from a fight at one of the many illegal saloons that dotted the plains, the moans of frustrated lawmen who attempted to solve the slew of killings that sprinkled the state much like the equipment of abandoned oil fields. For the men and women who survived this time . . . they will never forget the roar or the muffled moans.

Meet Ignatus Michael Slick, aka., I. M . Slick, the Golden Prince of the wildcatters. Like most wildcatters, his success rate, starting out at least, was one good well for every ten drilled. This was very frustrating for investors and mineral right owners. But something happened. Suddenly it was one out of four, then one out of three, until lately it has become one out of TWO with both wells actually producing but only one would be a real moneymaker. Was it luck? Had he developed some geological tool or trick to finding oil? Or was he using some old Indian magic he had heard about on the plains? No one seems to know and he isn’t sharing the secret but his “trick” is worth millions. There are some who would kill for such a skill.

Meet Boom Boom Amor, the roughnecks’ and drillers’ dream girl. She could sing a little, dance a little, and steal a little of the heart of the men who went to see her. While they drank illegal whiskey at an illegal saloon trying to relax and escape the drudgery of the oil fields, she escaped with most of their money which, for the most part, they gladly surrendered.

Joining us as a speaker for this year’s convention is Mark A. Fischer, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Chaparral Energy!

Mark A. Fischer, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, co-founded Chaparral Energy in 1988 and has served as its CEO, President and Chairman of the Board since its inception. Mr. Fischer began his career with Exxon Company USA in 1972 in the Permian Basin of West Texas where he held various positions as production engineer, reservoir engineer, field superintendent and finally supervising production engineer. From 1977 until 1980, Mr Fischer served as the drilling and production manager for the West Texas and then Mid-Continent Division of TXO Production Corp. Prior to founding Chaparral, he served as division operations manager for Slawson Exploration Company, focusing on the Mid-Continent and Panhandle Divisions. Mr. Fischer is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the American Petroleum Institute and served as a director of API from 1984-1986. Mr. Fischer graduated from Texas A&M University in 1972 with an honors degree in aerospace engineering and currently sits on the Engineering Advisory Council and Energy Institute for Texas A&M University.