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Our Team
MCM Energy Partners, LLC is led by a team of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in energy development, production, and strategic investment, committed to navigating challenges and delivering innovative, sustainable growth solutions.
Miles C. McPherren
CEO
Miles C. McPherren
CEO
Miles McPherren is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MCM Energy Partners, LLC, which he established in November 2009. Since founding the company, Miles has led MCM’s growth into a respected and disciplined energy firm, guided by a long-term vision and a strong operational foundation.
Miles began his career as a Landman, gaining hands-on experience across several of the nation’s most prominent shale plays, including the Permian Basin, Barnett Shale, Haynesville Shale, and Eagle Ford Shale. This early field experience provided a deep understanding of land, acquisitions, and asset development that continues to inform his leadership and strategic decision-making at MCM.
Miles holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech University and earned an Energy Commerce Certification from the Rawls College of Business. Under his leadership, MCM Energy Partners has expanded its asset base and operational capabilities while maintaining a disciplined approach to growth and value creation.
Miles resides in Midland, Texas, with his wife, Katie, and their three children.
Matthew A. Chitwood
President
Matthew A. Chitwood
President
Matthew Chitwood serves as President of MCM Energy Partners, where he has played a central role in shaping the company’s growth strategy and operational direction since joining the firm in 2015. With nearly 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Matthew brings a disciplined, hands-on approach to asset acquisition, development, and portfolio management.
Matthew began his career in 2006 as an independent landman in the Granite Wash Play of Western Oklahoma, where he developed a strong foundation in land negotiations, title analysis, and project execution. Over the course of his career, he has worked across multiple major U.S. plays, including the Barnett Shale, Eagle Ford Shale, and the Permian Basin, building a reputation for identifying value and navigating complex transactions in competitive markets.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University and completed graduate studies focused on energy law at the University of Oklahoma. His academic background, combined with extensive field and operational experience, supports his leadership at MCM with a focus on disciplined growth and long-term value creation.
Kevin Plaisted
CFO
Kevin Plaisted
CFO
Kevin serves as Chief Financial Officer of MCM Energy Partners, LLC, and its affiliated entities. In this capacity, he supports all financial and strategic planning functions, including capital allocation, treasury management, risk assessment, and corporate finance initiatives. Kevin provides executive leadership in financial reporting, compliance, and investor relations, supporting the company’s continued growth and operational excellence.
Prior to joining MCM in 2013, Kevin served as a commercial loan officer in Midland, where he specialized in production-based lending solutions for energy sector clients throughout the Permian Basin.
Kevin holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Finance from the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University, as well as a Master of Professional Accountancy from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
Kelvin Fisher
COO
Kelvin Fisher
COO
Kelvin Fisher serves as Chief Operating Officer of MCM Energy Partners, where he oversees drilling, completions, production, and day-to-day operational execution across the company’s assets. Kelvin formally joined MCM in 2024, after working closely with the company in a contract and partner capacity beginning in 2021.
Kelvin brings nearly 30 years of oil and gas industry experience, with more than two decades focused in the Permian Basin. He began his career with Schlumberger-Dowell, working across Canada, Alaska, the Permian Basin, and Indonesia, gaining broad exposure to drilling and completions operations from a global service-company perspective.
In 2002, Kelvin joined Endeavor Energy Resources, where he spent 14 years in drilling and completions roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as Drilling Manager. During his tenure, he was actively involved in the early development of horizontal drilling operations in both the Midland and Delaware basins. From 2016 through 2020, Kelvin held senior operational roles with several private operators, including Midland Energy, ExL Petroleum, and Ridge Runner Resources, where he led development planning, drilling programs, and production operations.
Kelvin holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Manitoba and brings a disciplined, hands-on approach to operations that supports MCM’s commitment to efficient development and long-term value creation.
James K. Rowland
General Counsel
James K. Rowland
General Counsel
James K. Rowland serves as General Counsel for MCM Energy Partners, where he is responsible for the company’s legal strategy and oversight across all operational and transactional matters. He advises executive leadership and ownership on acquisitions and divestitures, financing and lending arrangements, joint ventures, mineral and surface matters, governance, and enterprise risk management. With a practical understanding of upstream operations and the commercial drivers of exploration and production, James provides business-focused legal guidance that supports disciplined growth and long-term asset development.
James has built his career advising and leading energy companies through complex upstream transactions, regulatory matters, asset acquisitions and divestitures, and operational strategy. He has extensive experience negotiating purchase and sale agreements, structuring joint ventures, overseeing due diligence, managing lender relationships, and addressing regulatory and title issues. His work reflects a strong command of oil and gas law, mineral ownership structures, and the commercial realities of exploration and production.
James holds a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Tech University, a Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Houston Law Center. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and is Board Certified in Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation recognizing substantial, tested expertise and experience in the field.
James resides in Midland, Texas, with his wife, Melissa, and their two children.
David Blackketter
VP. Reservoir Engineering
David Blackketter
Vice President of Reservoir Engineering
David serves as Vice President of Reservoir Engineering at MCM Energy Partners, where he leads reservoir engineering, asset evaluation, and development optimization across the company’s portfolio. He works closely with executive leadership to support disciplined capital allocation, acquisitions, and long-term asset development.
David began his oil and gas career with Berry Petroleum Company (later acquired by Linn Energy), where he developed high-graded production type curves and capital forecasting tools to support investment decisions. He later joined SM Energy, operating assets in the Midland and Delaware Basins before transitioning to the Business Development team in the Delaware Basin. In that role, he evaluated prospective acreage, developed data analytics-driven screening tools, and contributed to the divestiture of the company’s Southeast New Mexico assets.
He subsequently served as Vice President of Acquisitions & Divestitures at Texas Standard Oil, expanding the company’s Southeast New Mexico position to more than 10,000 net acres and 20-mile high-pressure gas gathering system. Prior to joining MCM, David was a member of Endeavor Energy Resources’ New Ventures team, supporting strategic growth in the Midland Basin and evaluating opportunities across multiple basins.
David holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas and a Master of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University. His blend of technical expertise and transaction experience strengthens MCM’s strategy of disciplined growth and efficient asset development.
Casey Morton
Reservoir Engineer
Casey Morton
Reservoir Engineer
Casey serves as Reservoir Engineer at MCM Energy Partners, where he provides technical leadership across reservoir engineering, asset evaluation, and development planning. Based in Midland, he formally joined MCM in 2025 after supporting the company in a contract capacity for several years.
Casey brings more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, including a decade of focused work in the Permian Basin. He began his career with Halliburton in South Texas and the Permian Basin, building a strong technical foundation in formation evaluation, completion design, and cementing operations.
Prior to joining MCM, Casey served in executive roles with NGP-backed Boaz Energy I and II, where he contributed to acquisition evaluation, development strategy, divestitures, and the formation of PermRock Royalty Trust (NYSE: PRT). Earlier in his career, he worked as a reservoir engineer with Netherland, Sewell & Associates in Dallas, gaining extensive experience in reserve reporting and asset evaluation for operators and financial institutions. This background provides him with a comprehensive understanding of asset performance, value assessment, and disciplined capital deployment.
Casey holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. His blend of operational experience and technical rigor supports MCM’s strategy of disciplined transactions and efficient, long-term asset development.
David Grace
Sr. VP of Geosciences
David Grace
Sr. VP of Geosciences
David serves as Senior Vice President of Geosciences for MCM Energy Partners, providing senior leadership and strategic direction to the company’s technical team. He brings nearly four decades of experience in the Permian Basin, having spent his career with Permian-focused independent operators.
David began his career at Henry Petroleum, where he spent 18 years rising through the ranks. During his tenure, he was an integral member of the team that helped initiate the Wolfberry play in the Midland Basin, culminating in Henry Petroleum’s sale to Concho Resources in 2008. He later served as Chief Geologist at Patriot Resources, where he introduced and advanced the Wolfbone concept.
As Exploration Manager at ExL Petroleum, David led technical efforts that resulted in multiple successful exits in the Southern Delaware Basin, including the sale of Reeves County assets totaling approximately $1 billion. In 2022, prior to joining MCM, David founded Vulcan Exploration. The Vulcan team spent more than two years providing technical advisory services to MCM across multiple opportunities, ultimately leading to Vulcan’s integration into MCM in 2024.
David holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University and has worked extensively throughout the Permian Basin for over 39 years.
Nathan Diehl
VP of Geology
Nathan Diehl
VP of Geology
Nathan Diehl serves as Vice President of Geology for MCM Energy Partners, where he leads geologic evaluation, prospect generation, and development planning across the company’s Permian Basin asset portfolio. He works closely with executive leadership, reservoir engineering, and land teams to identify, mature, and execute high-quality drilling opportunities that support disciplined capital deployment and long-term asset development.
Nathan brings more than a decade of experience in acquisitions, asset evaluation, and inventory development. Prior to joining MCM, he spent several years with Endurance Resources, where he led geologic underwriting and technical evaluation across multiple basins. His work included comprehensive basin-wide mapping and structural interpretation throughout the Permian Basin, supporting the acquisition, development, and eventual divestiture of multiple assets totaling nearly $1 billion in transaction value.
Nathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Marietta College and a Master of Science in Geology from The University of Texas Permian Basin.
M. Lawson Mertz
Sr. Landman – Acquisition & Development
M. Lawson Mertz
Sr. Landman – Acquisition & Development
M. Lawson Mertz serves as the Senior A&D Landman for MCM Energy Partners. Prior to joining MCM, Lawson held key leadership roles in the land sector, including Vice President of Land at Endurance Resources and Supervisor of the Delaware Land Department at Diamondback Energy. He also held various land positions at Southern Star Exploration and Linn Energy.
Lawson began his career in oil and gas after graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Over the course of his career, he has worked projects across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado, and Utah, with a primary focus in the Permian Basin, where he has worked for over 14 years.
John Neely
VP of Business Development
John Neely
VP of Business Development
John Neely serves as Vice President of Business Development for MCM Energy Partners. A Certified Professional Landman, John began his career in 2012 as an independent landman in the Permian Basin, where he developed a deep understanding of the region’s operational and transactional landscape.
Throughout his career, John has played a key role in the successful acquisition and sale of both upstream and midstream assets across the Permian Basin. His experience spans business development, deal structuring, and asset management, with a strong focus on building partnerships that drive long-term value for MCM and its stakeholders.
John holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Texas Tech University.
Adam Borgman
Land Manager – Permian Basin
Adam Borgman
Land Manager – Permian Basin
Adam currently serves as the Land Manager of MCM Energy Partners. He joined MCM Energy Partners in 2015 and has been closely involved and instrumental in several major acquisitions, divestitures, and development projects that have advanced MCM’s long-term growth.
He began his career working in the Barnett Shale, Cline Shale, and conventional projects across Texas before moving to the Permian Basin. With more than 15 years of industry experience, Adam has built a strong foundation in title, negotiations, and land management. He is known for his steady approach, attention to detail, and ability to coordinate complex projects with efficiency and accuracy.
Adam holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business from Texas A&M University and is a Certified Professional Landman (CPL).
Eric Jessup
Sr. Landman – Permian Basin
Eric Jessup
Sr. Landman – Permian Basin
Eric serves as Senior Landman for MCM Energy Partners, where he has been a key member of the land team since 2015. He is a registered Professional Landman. With nearly two decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, Eric brings a strong background in title, negotiations, and project management to his role.
He began his career in 2006 working in the Barnett and Eagle Ford Shale plays, where he developed a comprehensive understanding of land operations and lease acquisition. Since joining MCM, Eric has played an integral role in numerous acquisitions, divestitures, and the ongoing development of the company’s Permian Basin projects.
Cami Albritton
Sr. Landman – Land And Legal
Cami Albritton
Sr. Landman – Land And Legal
Cami Albritton serves as Senior Landman in the Land and Legal Department for MCM Energy Partners. With more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, she brings a comprehensive understanding of the land process—from title and curative work to lease analysis, division orders, and ownership relations involving both working and royalty interests.
Before joining MCM, Cami worked extensively in the Barnett and Eagle Ford Shale plays, where she earned a reputation for thorough title research, practical problem-solving in complex curative matters, and effective communication with mineral and surface owners. She later served as a paralegal at Morgan Leeton, PC, gaining valuable experience in oil and gas law and the legal frameworks that support the energy sector.
With two decades of combined land and legal expertise, Cami is known for her attention to detail, integrity, and collaborative approach to resolving title issues and supporting operational goals. She continues to bring a practical, people-first perspective to every project she oversees.
Cami holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Oklahoma State University.
Leigha McBride
Director of Business Operations
Leigha McBride
Director of Business Operations
Leigha McBride serves as the Director of Business Operations for MCM Energy Partners. Since joining MCM in 2015, Leigha has played a key role in integrating the company’s land, accounting, and operational workflows to support MCM’s continued growth and efficiency across its various entities.
Leigha began her career as a Landman in 2011 working in the Eagle Ford Shale, developing a strong foundation in title, lease analysis, and owner relations. Over the years, her expertise has expanded to include overseeing day-to-day business operations, managing working interest and royalty ownership matters, and fostering communication between landowners, partners, and internal teams.
In addition to her operational responsibilities, Leigha is actively involved in MCM’s community outreach and philanthropic efforts throughout the Permian Basin, reflecting the company’s commitment to local engagement and responsible development.
