Donald L. Sytsma

Position
        Principal, H&H Energy Consultants                                         

Education
        B.S., Accounting, Indiana University, May 1979
        Bloomington, Indiana - Graduated with Highest Distinction
        Uniform CPA Examination, Passed May 1979

Professional and  Business History  
        H&H Energy Consultants, Present 
                    Principal

        Harrington and Hrehor Energy Consulting Group, 1995 – 1999
                    Director

        The Polaris Pipeline Corporation, 1994 -1995
                    Controller 

        Plains Resources, Inc. 1993 – 1994
                    Manager, Financial Planning & Forecasting 

        United Gas Pipe Line Company, 1985 – 1993
                   Director, Internal Audit
                   Director, General Accounting & Financial Reporting
                   Manager, Gas Accounting

        Texaco, Inc. / Getty Oil Company, 1982 - 1985
                   Internal Audit Coordinator

        DataChem, Inc., 1981 – 1982
                   Controller 

        KPMG Peat Marwick, 1979 – 1980
                   Auditor   

Range of Experience                             

        Mr. Sytsma has twenty years experience primarily in the energy industry. His experience encompasses most all sectors of the energy industry including gas marketing, transmission, distribution, storage, power generation and exploration and production. Mr. Sytsma has served as department head with responsibility for all aspects of the financial management, operational and financial accounting and audit functions within an organization. His diverse upstream and downstream direct industry experiences provide a complete under­standing of the business effects, information requirements, systems and process needs to effect market restructuring. He has been directly involved in the restructuring, reformation and introduction of customer choice in many markets, and has performed consulting engagements in Europe, Australia, Russia and the United States. Mr. Sytsma’s primary consulting focus is in the areas of energy trading, financial valuations, expert testimony, market reformations and business requirement definitions for information systems.

Professional and Business Experience

        Since 1995, Mr. Sytsma has provided advisory and consulting services in market reformation, energy operations, trading, risk management, marketing, gas storage, business processes and best practices.  He has performed work such as the following:

        At Polaris Pipeline, Mr. Sytsma was responsible for managing the financial aspects of the company including debt and equity financing, accounting, cash and trading positions, financial forecasts, and monitored physical and financial trading activities and exposures.  Negotiated increase to credit facility, and completed equity transaction.

        At Plains Resources, Mr. Sytsma was responsible for treasury operations, credit and security, flash and long term financial and operational forecasts and budgets, performance and plan monitoring, board reports on operating results, insurance risk management, and debt compliance.  Negotiated credit facility for crude oil trading activities, and monitored trading positions and open exposures.

        At United Gas Pipe Line Company, its parent and its marketing affiliates, Mr. Sytsma was responsible for directing and/or performing the department activities for the following are:

        At United, in addition to the department activities, Mr. Sytsma engaged in numerous other activities, special projects and assignments including:

        At Texaco, Mr. Sytsma was responsible for performing financial and operational audits; special projects and management initiated reviews in the company’s southern exploration and production division.  Performed quality assurance reviews of other audit groups, and in connection with Texaco’s acquisition of Getty:

        At DataChem, Mr. Sytsma was responsible for all accounting activities.  Developed software primarily for patient information files and billing activities.

        At KPMG Peat Marwick, Mr. Sytsma made financial audits of real estate development savings and loans, and energy clients.

Professional Presentations

Presentation at AGA Accounting Conference on proposed US Gas Industry Standards for the management and resolution of gas imbalances (1988)

Company presentation to senior officers on a  zero based budgetary process and evaluation methodology to be used in restructuring the Company (1992)

Company presentation to senior officers on the first time controllable budget process to be utilized together with the process that was to be used to reduce controllable expenses (1994)

Presentation to mid-west natural gas client on Natural Gas Marketing Transaction Risks and Risk Management (1996)

Presentation to Russian client on the business process effects and associated systems impacts of proposed reformation initiatives in the Russian natural gas market (1997)

US Gas Industry Steering Committee that published natural gas industry standards through COPAS Bulletin No. 28  

Litigation Support and Expert Testimony

Expert witness in contract pricing dispute, Civil Action No. 96-1289 in United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Eastern Division, West Tennessee Gas Utility v. Teco Gas Marketing Company et al (1997)

Expert witness in underground gas storage condemnation valuation litigation, Lomex Oil & Gas et al v. ANR Pipeline, Case No. 96-4138 NZ, Circuit Court of Lake County, State of Michigan. (1998)

Expert litigation support in LNG storage lease valuation, Massachusetts LNG v. Industrial National Leasing Corp. Case No. 97-2391 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Superior Court (1999)  

Professional and Business Affiliations

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants
Institute of Internal Auditors
National Energy Service Association (NESA)

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