Executive Profiles
John F. Thrash — Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Thrash is a co-founder of eCORP and its affiliates, and has been responsible for project generation, contract negotiation, and corporate finance for the Company and its affiliates since 1982. He is responsible for the development of several oil and gas projects in South Texas. Dr. Thrash has served as Chief Executive Officer of Natural Gas Storage Corporation of North America, eCORP and a number of affiliates since 1985 with similar responsibilities concerning the development of the Company's gas storage projects, related assets and financing initiatives. Dr. Thrash routinely speaks on behalf of the Company in various public and industry forums.
Dr. Thrash is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. Dr. Thrash obtained a Medical Doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Prior to becoming involved full time in his family's energy business concerns, Dr. Thrash was in private medical practice in Houston. Dr. Thrash serves in various capacities on behalf of numerous professional, civic and charitable organizations.
Robert R. Voorhees, Jr. — Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director
Robert has been with eCORP and affiliated companies for almost twenty years serving as Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director for most of that time. During that period, he was responsible for the financial accounting, tax accounting, budgeting, financing activities and administration associated with the development, design, construction, operation and ultimate sale of two of the premier gas storage facilities in the United States, the Stuart Gas Storage Facility in Oklahoma and the Stagecoach Gas Storage Facility in New York.
Before joining eCORP in 1988, Robert practiced as a consultant and CPA, and acted as Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Finance for 2 small publicly held companies.
From 1983 to 1986, he was vice president for a private real estate investment and development firm in Houston, Texas. He also worked with Ernst & Whinney and Texas Eastern Corporation. Robert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Louisiana State University, and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1981.
G.S. (Steve) Clifton — Business Development Officer and Managing Director
Prior to joining the Company in 1996, Mr. Clifton served in a variety of positions with Houston Lighting and Power (HL&P) and HL&P's parent, Houston Industries (HI), including directing HL&P's fuels purchasing practices, storage utilization, and most recently has served as Director of State Affairs for HL&P/HI.
Mr. Clifton's tenures with HL&P/HI as well as with the electric generation industry's various agencies, commissions, and institutes have been long, successful, and quite distinguished. Mr. Clifton is recognized throughout the industry as a leader and innovator in the areas of electric generation fuels supply, business management, organization, and regulation.
Patrick J. Peldner — Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President
Pat most recently served as an officer with Enstor, Inc., one of the largest natural gas storage companies in North America. Prior to his tenure at Enstor, Inc., Mr. Peldner amassed significant experience in the natural gas storage, processing, and pipeline businesses with several energy companies. He has been involved in the development and acquisition of numerous natural gas storage facilities in North America. His storage development experience includes depleted reservoirs, bedded salt and domal salt structures.
Pat is a past President of the Natural Gas Association of Oklahoma, and a board member and Secretary/Treasurer of NESA, the National Energy Services Association based in Houston. Mr. Peldner is a graduate of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia and a Civil Engineering graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
John N. (“Jack”) Bellinger — Vice President and General Counsel
Jack has been with eCORP since June 2007. He has over 25 years of legal and management experience and is responsible for the company's legal functions. Prior to joining eCORP he served as Vice President, Managing Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Calpine Corporation where he was employed 2000 to 2007. From 1994 to 2000 he served as Senior Counsel and later Managing Counsel and Assistant Secretary for Hadson Corporation and its successor, LG&E Energy, Inc. He also worked in the Energy Section of Blanchard Walker, O'Quinn & Roberts law firm in Shreveport, Louisiana from 1990 – 1993, Texas Oil and Gas Corp. in its Shreveport office from 1985 to 1990, Hargrove Guyton Ramey and Barlow Law Firm in Shreveport from 1983 to 1985, and for Phelps Dunbar Law Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1982. Mr. Bellinger holds J.D. and bachelor in accounting degrees from Louisiana State University ('82 &'79), and a Master of Law Degree in Environmental Law from the University of Houston ('94). He is a member of the Texas, Louisiana and Kentucky State Bar Associations, the Houston Bar Association and the Association of Corporate Counsel. He serves on the board of TicKids of Texas.