Layne Christensen Co. named James R. Easter the chief financial officer, effective May 6, 2013.
Easter brings a wealth of financial, management and industry experience to Layne. He most recently served as chief financial officer of SEH Offshore Ventures, the focus of which was to acquire and operate an international fleet of standard class jack-up drilling units. In 2010, he accepted the position of chief financial officer at Seahawk Drilling, a shallow-water contract oil and gas drilling company. The following year, Easter was appointed president and CEO of Seahawk where he successfully managed the sale of the company to Hercules Offshore. From 2002 to 2008, Easter was vice president of finance and treasurer, and then vice president of corporate development and strategic planning at McDermott International, a Fortune 500 company focused on executing complex offshore oil & gas projects worldwide. Prior to this, Easter was vice president, transaction development and support, at Reliant Energy Solutions Inc., part of Reliant Energy.
He received his B.A. from the University of Texas, Austin and an M.B.A. from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management.
Rene Robichaud, president and CEO of Layne, said, "Jim's expertise in finance, M&A, energy services, and managing global companies makes him an ideal fit for Layne. We expect Jim's vision and counsel will be a vital component of our continuing evolution into a global provider of responsible solutions for water, mineral and energy resources."
Easter succeeds Jerry Fanska, who announced his retirement in December 2012. Fanska will remain with Layne in order to assist in the transition of responsibilities and Layne's relocation to Houston.
Source: Layne Christensen Co.
