History

Executive Manager

Rob Bayless, Jr., serves as Executive Manager of Robert L. Bayless, Producer LLC where he manages strategic development and growth across the company’s oil and gas assets. Rob started his career as an operations engineer with Amoco Production. In 1986, he founded Robert L. Bayless, Producer LLC to pursue production and exploration work in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. Many years later, he merged the firm with his father’s company in New Mexico.

Rob has a Petroleum Engineering degree from Stanford University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He has been active in organizations serving the oil and gas industry throughout his career, including as a president of the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States and an executive committee member of the Independent Petroleum Association of America.  

Chief Operating Officer

John Thomas serves as Chief Operating Officer at Robert L. Bayless, Producer LLC, overseeing operations, strategy, and performance of both operated and non-operated assets across the company’s Rocky Mountain portfolio.   John joined Bayless in 2008 as an Operations Engineer in the Farmington, New Mexico office.  He later advanced into production and asset management roles before relocating to Denver in 2018.   John began his career with Halliburton Energy Services, where he worked in field engineering and business development.    

 He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida.  John is a former President of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico and currently serves on the advisory board for the Western Energy Alliance.

Controller

Meredith has over 20 years accounting experience in the oil and gas industry and joined Robert L. Bayless Producer, LLC in June 2022. She is responsible for the company’s accounting, financial reporting, human resources, and administration. Prior to joining the company, she worked for Tracker Resource Development and Key Production Company. Meredith received a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of North Dakota in 1992. She is a member of COPAS Colorado and participates in the Denver O & G Controllers Group.

Engineering Manager

As Engineering Manager at Robert L. Bayless, Producer LLC, Nathan Denzin oversees drilling, completion, and production operations throughout the Uinta, San Juan, and Piceance basins. With nearly two decades of experience in both domestic and international energy development, he focuses on advancing efficient, safe, and environmentally responsible operations. Nathan holds a B.S. in Geological Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and is a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Australia.

Land Manager

Cranford D. Newell, Jr. is a seasoned land professional with nearly 20 years of experience managing operated and non-operated oil and gas assets across the Rocky Mountain region. He serves as Land Manager at Bayless, where he oversees the land aspects of asset growth along with acquisitions, divestitures, and business development. Cranford has held numerous leadership roles with the American Association of Professional Landmen and the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, an MBA from the University of Denver and is a Certified Professional Landman.

Senior Geoscientist

Lisa Wolff serves as the Senior Geoscientist at Robert L. Bayless, Producer LLC, bringing over 15 years of geological and geophysical experience in exploration and development. At Whiting Petroleum, Occidental Petroleum, Tamarack Oil and Gas, and Bill Barrett Corporation, she specialized in seismic interpretation, structural mapping, and basin analysis. At Bayless, Lisa integrates subsurface data to evaluate prospectivity and guide development across the company’s Rocky Mountain assets. She holds a B.S. degree in Geology from the University of Wyoming and a M.S degree in Geology from California State University Northridge. 

Senior Geoscience Advisor

Matt Silverman has nearly 50 years’ experience in petroleum exploration and production.  His efforts have been successful in finding and developing oil and gas reserves in Europe, Australia, and the western United States. From 2001 to 2023, Mr. Silverman was responsible for Bayless’s exploration new ventures and special projects in Australia and the Central and Southern Rocky Mountains regions.  He currently serves as Senior Geoscience Advisor for Bayless.