Kenai’s management team has over 100 years of experience in the oil, gas, and geothermal markets and through this experience has been successful in navigating Kenai through all of the industries ups and downs
Directors and Officers
President
Tim Crist
Tim graduated from California State University at Fresno in 1980 with his B.S. degree in Business Administration. By this time, he had already accumulated 5 years of contract drilling experience. Tim began working full time for Kenai Drilling immediately after his graduation in 1980. His original assignment was as a Kenai Corporation Special Projects Coordinator, primarily concentrating on projects that benefited all 4 of Kenai Corp’s Drilling Divisions (California, Rocky Mountains, Texas and New Mexico). During the next 5 years, Tim was promoted to Safety Manager and Superintendent/Contracts Manager. In June of 1985, Tim was promoted to President of Kenai Drilling and was relocated to Odessa Texas to oversee Kenai’s 4 Drilling Divisions.
In July of 1988, Kenai sold their drilling assets to an investor group which included Mr. Crist and he has remained as President subsequent to that time.
VP of Finance
David Uhler
David graduated from Santa Clara University in 1993 with a B.S. degree in Commerce with an emphasis in Accounting. After graduation, he began working in the tax department of Arthur Andersen, LLP in San Jose, California where he obtained his CPA license in 1996.
In 1999, David moved back to the Central Coast of California and went to work in the tax department of Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP in Santa Barbara, California. David was a partner in the firm from 2003 until 2006 when he left to take the Chief Financial Officer position at Kenai. During his tenure at Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP, David was selected to sit on the Large and Mid-Size Business division of the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Counsel (IRSAC). The IRSAC is a national advisory committee to the IRS comprised of tax professionals from around the country. David’s 14 years of experience in the accounting industry have helped Kenai manage its recent expansion in California and the Mid-Continent.
VP & Chief Operation Officer
David Arias
David started his career in the Oil and Gas Industry with Camay Drilling in 1977 as a rig hand in Southern California. In 1981 he transitioned to an Oil and Gas Industry service company, Eastman Whipstock, as a sub-surface surveyor and field sales representative. Soon he was promoted to the position of Account Representative in 1988.
Then in 1995 David accepted a position with Halliburton Energy Services as an Account manager. During David’s career at Halliburton he held several key positions including: Senior Account Manager, Operations Manager, and in 2009 he accepted the position of Business Development Manager, where he supervised the entire west coast division.
David joined Kenai Drilling in 2011 as the Business Development Manager focused on industry relations and business growth. In May 2012, David was promoted to the position of Executive Vice President/C.O.O with responsibility focused on California Operations and Business Development. David currently represents Kenai Drilling by actively participating in the California Independent Producers Association (CIPA), the American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), and Oil and Gas Industry Boards. He is also a member of the board for the non-profit organization R.M. Pyles Boys Camp for at risk youths. In 2011 David was voted CIPA “Member of The Year” for continuous support of industry. A combination of David’s 35 years of California Oil Industry experience and the relationships he has built throughout the industry have been proven to be a great addition to Kenai’s already strong team.