Many accountants prefer to manage a company’s finances from the comfort of an office, but Maria Mejia is not that kind of person. Instead, the CFO of Ulterra Drilling Techniques LP travels throughout the world to visit employees in the field and gain a more holistic, on-the-ground perspective of the company she leads. “It gives me the pulse of the organization,” she says. “I don’t think we can run the company effectively from a spreadsheet, so I try to get out there as much as I can.”
Mejia must be doing something right. Since she joined Ulterra in 2010, the company’s annual revenue has ballooned to about $400 million from about $100 million. The number of employees has grown to about 600 from 120. And under Mejia’s financial leadership, Ulterra has become the largest drill bit producer in the U.S., outpacing its larger competitors. “We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. There was a massive downturn from the end of 2014 to the end of 2016 that set us a little bit back in terms of overall numbers, but we used that time to continue to focus on the customers and doing things differently so we could gain their trust and grow quickly out of the downturn. And we did. We have significantly outpaced the market since that last downturn. It’s been challenging, but a lot of fun.”
Get the nomination form for 2020. Deadline for submissions is Friday, August 30, 2019.
Recommended Reading
Marketed: Berlin Resources Anadarko Basin Opportunity
2024-05-13 - Berlin Resources LLC has retained EnergyNet for the sale of an Anadarko Basin opportunity in the Donita 35/2 AP #1H in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma.
Marketed: Wayfinder Resources, KSE Minerals Five Well Package in Oklahoma
2024-05-13 - Wayfinder Resources Operating and KSE Minerals has retained EnergyNet for the sale of a Mississippian/ Woodford opportunity in Canadian County, Oklahoma.
ADNOC Drilling Secures $1.7B Contract for Unconventionals Recovery
2024-05-13 - ADNOC Drilling’s new incorporated company, Turnwell Industries, will deliver a total of 144 unconventional wells, as per the contract.
NANO Nuclear Energy Closes $10.25MM IPO
2024-05-13 - NANO Nuclear began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol NNE on May 8.
Permian M&A: Oxy Shops Delaware Assets, Family Oil Cos. Stand Out
2024-05-10 - As operators scour the Permian Basin for M&A opportunities, they’re keeping an eye on a tepid divestiture market. Family-owned oil companies also stand out among the pack of private inventory holders remaining in the Permian, according to Enverus Intelligence Research.