Sydri’s Leadership Team

Leadership Focused on Long-Term Growth

Sydri’s leadership team combines deep industry experience with a forward-looking approach to growth. With a foundation built by seasoned operators, the company continues to evolve through new partnerships and expanded opportunities.

Randall A. Wilkins, P.E.

President

Randy founded Sydri in 2003 and brings decades of experience in upstream oil and gas acquisitions, operations, and asset development. He has led multiple successful acquisition and development projects using a disciplined acquire–exploit–exit strategy.

In 2015, Randy sourced and negotiated the $376 million Ajax Permian acquisition from W&T Offshore and served on the company’s Board of Directors through its successful sale to Diamondback Energy, generating a threefold return.

Earlier in his career, Randy held operational and leadership roles with BASA Resources, TANA Oil & Gas, Enron, and Pennzoil. He holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and previously served on the UT Petroleum Engineering Advisory Council.

Randy is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and was recognized by the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) as Best CEO – Small Company in 2015.

Thomas S. Strother, P.E.

Chief Operating Officer

Tom brings more than 40 years of experience in upstream oil and gas operations, drilling, and completions across major U.S. producing basins. His expertise includes production operations, horizontal drilling, and conventional and multistage completion programs across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Tom founded a consulting firm providing technical expertise in drilling, production, completion design, and reservoir engineering, supporting operators in optimizing field performance and development strategies.

Earlier in his career, he held hands-on operational and management roles with Sydri, Veritas, TANA Oil & Gas, and Pennzoil. Tom holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas Tech University and a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.

Philip R. “Rusty” Rice, CPL

Vice President, Land

Rusty is a 40-year industry veteran and an experienced Independent Petroleum Landman with extensive experience across multiple U.S. producing regions. His background includes a wide range of hands-on and executive roles involving land management, lease acquisition, and title analysis across Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Montana, and New Mexico.

Rusty has held asset management roles with Marathon and Enserch and brings significant expertise in title research, lease negotiations, and the oversight of field landmen. His experience also includes prospect generation, seismic acquisition, due diligence, and title curative work supporting exploration and development projects.

Rusty holds a B.B.A. in Petroleum Land Management from the University of Oklahoma. He is a Certified Petroleum Landman (CPL) and is an active member of the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) and the Dallas Association of Petroleum Landmen.

Carlos A. DeAyala, P.E.

Advisor

Carlos brings extensive executive leadership experience in upstream oil and gas, with a focus on business development, acquisitions and divestitures, and strategic planning. Prior to joining Sydri, he served as Vice President of Business Development, Strategy and Planning at Linn Energy, where he led 24 asset sales between 2017 and 2018 valued at approximately $2 billion and played a key role in more than $12 billion in acquisitions and divestitures since 2012.

Earlier in his career, Carlos held senior leadership and asset management roles including Executive Vice President at Sydri, Chief Operating Officer at Beryl, and positions with Pogo Producing, British Gas, Wintershall/BASF, and Mobil, building broad experience across international and U.S. upstream operations.

Carlos holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. He previously served on the University of Texas Petroleum Engineering Advisory Council and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the Association of Divestiture Managers (ADAM), and the World Oil & Gas Technology (WOTT). Carlos is also a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and has been a featured speaker at the 2018 SPE M&A Symposium and the 2017 A&D Strategies Workshop.

Christian M. Snyder

Engineering Manager

Christian brings more than 30 years of oil and gas industry experience spanning onshore, offshore, and international projects. He is a highly versatile petroleum engineer with expertise across production and completion engineering, reservoir simulation, field supervision, regulatory reporting, environmental compliance, reserves management, and asset evaluation.

Throughout his career, he has worked for major energy companies, global service providers and independent operators, gaining broad technical and operational experience across a wide range of projects and asset types

Christian holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University and is the holder of a U.S. patent for enhanced artificial lift methods.

Jennifer T. Huynh

Controller

Jennifer brings 20 years of accounting experience, including 17 years in the oil and gas industry supporting upstream operations and financial reporting. Her background includes a broad range of accounting responsibilities developed from the ground up, providing her with comprehensive knowledge of financial processes within E&P organizations.

Her experience includes regulatory reporting, state reporting for Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming, as well as federal filings. Over the course of her career, Jennifer has worked with both private and public exploration and production companies before joining Sydri in the summer of 2022.

Jennifer holds a B.B.A. from Wichita State University and an MBA from Baker University.

Riley B. Wilkins, J.D.

Vice President, Legal

Riley supports Sydri’s land, legal, and business operations with a background in legal analysis, contract development, and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining Sydri, Riley practiced law where he gained experience advising clients on contractual matters, regulatory issues, and multi-state legal compliance.

During his legal practice, Riley drafted and negotiated contracts, policy manuals, and settlement agreements while ensuring compliance across multiple jurisdictions. He represented clients in state and federal court proceedings, conducted extensive legal research, and provided guidance on labor, employment, privacy, and compliance matters. Riley also successfully negotiated the recovery of more than $500,000 in delinquent employer payments and built strong client relationships through strategic communication and problem-solving.

Riley is currently completing the Professional Land Management Certificate through the University of Texas PETEX program to further develop expertise in mineral rights, lease structures, and land administration within the oil and gas industry. He holds a B.S. in Sports Management from the University of Arkansas and a Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School.

Connect with Sydri’s Leadership Team

Learn more about Sydri Energy Group’s experience, operations, and investment approach by reaching out directly to our team.

Contact Sydri Energy