Cycle Tested Leadership and Technical Expertise
The United Production Partners (UPP) leadership team is comprised of operational, financial and technical experts from the top North American oil & gas operator, EnerVest Operating, L.L.C.
Board of Directors
Jud Walker • President and Chief Executive Officer of EnerVest, Ltd.
Jud Walker is President & Chief Executive Officer of EnerVest, Ltd. Prior to this role, Jud was President and CEO of EnerVest Operating, L.L.C (EVOC). He also has served as EVOC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, leader of the company’s Permian Basin asset team and was head of New Ventures. Before joining EnerVest in 2009, Jud was the lead geoscientist at Chesapeake. He is a founding member of the Next Generation Giving Circle, associated with the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Jud holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology, cum laude, from Texas Christian University and a Master of Science in Geological Sciences, summa cum laude, from The University of Texas at Austin.
Alex Zazzi • President and Chief Executive Officer of EnerVest Operating, L.L.C.
Alex Zazzi is President and Chief Executive Officer of EnerVest Operating, L.L.C. Prior to this position, Alex served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Proceeding his role as EVP and COO, he managed the company’s North Texas and Mid-Continent assets. He began his career with Schlumberger, specializing in offshore completions. Originally from Canada, Alex attended the University of Montana and earned a Petroleum Engineering degree from Montana Tech in 2003.
Travis Hancock • Chief Financial Officer of EnerVest, Ltd.
Travis W. Hancock joined EnerVest in 2013. As the firm’s Chief Financial Officer, he leads all financial, accounting, capital formation, and tax activities. Since joining EnerVest, Mr. Hancock has been in increasing levels of responsibility, including managing the restructuring of several legacy EnerVest funds, during the 2015-2017 global downturn in the oil and gas sector, with a key focus on incremental recovery for limited partners. Mr. Hancock, along with John Walker, led the firm’s largest monetization in its history in a sale to TPG’s Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) in 2018, which now trades on the NYSE as Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (MGY). Mr. Hancock’s other responsibilities have included special projects and new opportunities. Prior to joining EnerVest, he was a member of the investment team at Wells Fargo Energy Capital, Inc. where he helped originate and manage mezzanine debt and private equity investments in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. Mr. Hancock has also spent time in national politics.
Mr. Hancock received a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University, graduating summa cum laude. Mr. Hancock is a member of the Houston Producers’ Forum and the Independent Petroleum Association of America, where serves on the Supply & Demand Committee. Mr. Hancock and his wife, Dr. Anna Lehmann, live in Houston and have two sons.
Jim McKinney • Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of EnerVest Operating, L.L.C.
Jim is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of EnerVest Operating, L.L.C. He has served in many roles at EnerVest over the past nine years including Senior Vice President & General Manager of EVOC’s Appalachia South Asset Team, Vice President and General Manager of EVOC’s East Appalachia Asset Team, and Vice President of EVOC Shared Services. Before joining EnerVest, Jim worked as Vice President and Regional Manager for Penn Virginia Corporation and in many roles for Royal Dutch Shell. Jim currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Oil & Gas Association, as a member of the Board of Directors of TruPoint Bank, as a member of the Advisory Board for the West Virginia University Energy Land Management program, and as an Advisory Board member for the Virginia Tech University Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research. Jim earned his B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee and his M.B.A. from Houston Baptist University.