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The NALTA
2002 Conference recently held
in Lake Tahoe was a resounding
success, and has set new
standards for excellence and
attendance. Attendees totaled
260, which has set a new NALTA
record. Twenty-three
educational topics were
covered through a total of 44
class slots. Classes were one
hour in length, 4 classes
concurrently, and almost all
rotated at least twice, thus
ensuring the attendees more
than one opportunity to see a
desired topic. Speakers were
from all over country: 2 from
California, 1 from Salt Lake
City, 1 from Denver, 3 from
Oklahoma City, 1 from Tulsa, 4
from Dallas, 1 from Midland,
and 11 from Houston. Of the 24
class speakers (two spoke
together), 8 were women.
Professions represented were
attorneys (both corporate and
private practice),
hydrogeologist, real estate
developer, and land
professionals, both from the
management level and the
technical level.
This conference was also
special because it had all the
Presidents from all the land
industry groups present. Scott
Stone, AAPL President,
Elizabeth Nolan, NADOA
President, Lynn Willers from
NARO, and our own Lisa Greer.
There was also a large
(unplanned) group of Past
Presidents of NALTA: David
Nelson, Michael Smith, Linda
McGowen, Betty Headley, Linda
Howerton, Linda Soper, Jo
Downing Hale, and Martha
Cheshire
The opening speaker was a
local oilman in the Tahoe
area, Guy Burge, who works for
an Oklahoma company. He gave
us insight into the oil and
gas business in the area. Our
keynote speaker was James
Hackett, President and CEO of
Ocean Energy from Houston. He
presented us with his views on
the importance of
Professionalism and Ethics.
Topics covered were
diverse, from Brownfield
Development (conversion of
abandoned oilfields into
commercial/residential
property); to Seismic Options;
Contracts; Trusts Estates and
Agencies; Ramifications of
Drilling on Split Depths;
International Contracts;
Offshore Drilling; Unit
Agreements; Lease Maintenance;
Farmout Provisions; Lease
Termination Problems; Gas
Balancing and Imbalances;
Rocky Mountain Public Lands;
Acquisitions &
Divestitures; JOA Comparisons;
Why and How to Tract; Planning
a Land Conversion;
Ratifications and Amendments;
Economic Fundamentals; to
Client Services; Internet
Resources; Powerful
Communication Styles; and
Professionalism and Ethics.
The conference was accredited
through NALTA, AAPL, NADOA,
NARO, IRWA, and CLE through
the State of Texas.
The Wednesday workshop was
The Total Analyst, presented
by 5 speakers who spoke on the
Overall View of the Total
Analyst, Lease Maintenance,
Acquisitions &
Divestitures, Contracts, Title
Opinions/Divisions Orders, and
Client Services, which pulled
it all together. The speakers
from Petro-Hunt, Jan Warren
and Eugenia Denniston, ensured
that each attendee received
some sort of Petro-Hunt goodie
at their seat, and Petro Hunt
and Merit Energy (Erin
Wonderly) also gave away door
prizes. We all learned a new
way to share gifts: to put it
into a foil-made swan
(courtesy of Eugenia). The
speakers were excellent; their
materials complete, and gave
all of us a comprehensive view
of the Total Analyst. The
Wednesday workshop had
attendees totaling 145, which
is also a new NALTA record. It
was excellent!
We would like to thank the
speakers and their companies
who donated either all of a
part of the expense associated
with attending this
conference. They are Nancy
Beresky, Waterstone
Environmental; Wade Brawley,
Chesapeake Energy; Paul
Conner, UnitSource; Allen
Cummings, Haynes & Boone;
Martin Gibson, Patton &
Boggs; James Hackett, Gregg
Roden, and Bill Flores, Jr.,
Ocean Energy; Dan Jensen, Parr
Waddoups Brown Gee &
Loveless; Arnie Johnson, Noble
Energy; Jan Warren,
Petro-Hunt; Jim Wilson, EDI
Investments, and Terry Hogwood,
Chaffin Law Firm.. It is
because of support from these
individuals and companies that
NALTA can offer a quality
educational program value. We
would also like to thank
speakers Donna Dowling, Faith
Orlowski, Alan Morgan, Doug
Potter, Nancy Baird, Marsha
Breazeale, Frank Cascio, John
Peterson, and Tim Dowd for
their time and preparation.
Goodie Bags were furnished
by GWIZ, signs (also works of
art) furnished by XTO Energy,
many goodie bag items, and of
course the marvelous NALTA
stadium blankets and
flashlights. Vendors included
GWIZ Systems., Inc., LandPro
Corp., LandWorks, Inc.,
Paradigm Technologies, Inc.,
and Quorum Business Solutions,
Inc. Sponsors were Ocean
Energy, Inc., ConocoPhillips,
Burlington Resources,
Chesapeake Energy, Dominion
Exploration & Production,
Tom Brown Inc., St. Mary Land
& Exploration, Bank of
America, Buttram Energies,
BlackStone Energy, and the
local chapters of Houston,
Dallas-Ft. Worth, Oikolahoma
City, Tulsa, and Denver.
Martha Cheshire received
the Presidents Award for
outstanding contributions to
the organization. This award
is presented by the current
President to a deserving past
President who has made
significant contributions to
the organization, which are
above the normal expectations
of a President. Martha was
President in 2000 and was
presented the award by Lisa
Greer, 2002 President. Under
her leadership and with a
strong Board, the organization
was restructured to be the
dynamic industry group it is
today. Speaker and vendor
contracts and operating
budgets were put into place.
Conference planning was done
on the national level, rather
than from a rotating host
chapter. The Galveston 2000
Conference was the most
successful Conference up to
that time, and the past two
conferences have set new
records in attendance and new
standards in excellence. She
also visited all the local
chapters and attended other
industry board meetings as
President. Martha was
Education Chair for the 2002
Tahoe Conference and Donations
Chair of the 2001 Tulsa
Conference, and continues as
the Recertification
Coordinator for the
Certification program. Martha
is an independent who has
worked all phases of Land and
Land Administration. She was
one of the first 13 CPLTA's in
Houston and is also a RLP. She
continues in the role of
Marketing/Publicity/Website
contact for NALTA and is
preparing for NALTA's fourth
year at NAPE.
Another award was given
this year to the Outstanding
Member of the Year. Each
chapter nominated a deserving
member. Every nominee was a
deserving candidate; it was a
close race, and Tulsa's Joe
Anderson received the first
Outstanding Member of the Year
Award.
The Wednesday night
Presidents Reception was held
at the Harveys Hotel at the
Hard Rock Café. It was a
great place to meet and
mingle. Thursday night social
was a trip to the world-famous
Ponderosa Ranch (home of
Bonanza). NALTA had the whole
place, and there was as lot of
entertainment and fun!
Friday night was a dinner
dance cruise aboard a
paddlewheeler, Dixie Queen, on
beautiful Lake Tahoe under a
full moon. Saturday field trip
was a trip to Carson City to
visit the State Museum and see
a fantastic display of minted
silver, and on to Virginia
City where a gold mine was
toured and shopping abounded.
The scenery in this area is
breathtaking! Thanks to all
the proctors who came to the
aid of their organization and
introduced speakers and, in
some cases, wrote summary
articles. NALTA thanks you for
this extra effort.
Plans are well underway for
the 2003 Conference to be held
in Albuquerque, October 8-11,
during the International
Balloon Festival. Join in to
make this another great
conference. A new threshold
has been reached with this
Tahoe conference. Let’s
continue the tradition. Please
contact Melva Thornton,
Conference Coordinator
Martha Cheshire, CPLTA/RLP
Houston, TX
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