History

AAPL unites close to 12,000 landmen and land professionals through 38 affiliated local associations across North America. We encourage fair trading terms that work in the interest of all parties, wise utilization of natural resources, and responsible stewardship of the land's surface.

EVOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

Noteworthy History

AAPL was initially founded as the American Association of Petroleum Landmen in 1955.

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The AAPL Landman Scholarship Trust was formed in 1958.

The Landman magazine was launched in 1960.

The Certified Professional Landman program launched in 1980.

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The AAPL Educational Foundation was formed in 1983.

AAPL purchased a headquarters building in 1985 in Fort Worth, Texas.

AAPL changed its name to the American Association of Professional Landmen and debuted a new logo in 1992.

AAPL launched the North American Prospect Expo, now known as NAPE in 1993.

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Developed a Member Mark in 2010 for members to display and distinguish themselves as professional and ethical landmen to the public.

Received the 2012 Energy Advocate of the Year Association Award from IEPC.

Purchased new headquarters building in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

Pam Feist, CPL, became the first female president of AAPL in 2017.

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Former President George W. Bush became an honorary member of AAPL in 2019.

AAPL launched a new brand and logo in 2019.

Past Presidents

1955 George Foster Brown*
1956 Miller Waggoner*
1957 Hamilton Rogers*
1958 Thomas G. Keliher*
1959 M. W. Hankinson*
1960 Ralph L. Cormany*
1961 George R. Bixler*
1962 Haden J. Upchurch, CPL*
1963 James A. Walker*
1964 Arthur S. Berger*
1965 James W. Beavers Jr., CPL*
1966 Robert G. Furse*
1967 Robert A. Mosbacher*
1968 Rex E. Tarr*
1969 Tom S. Yancey, CPL*
1970 J. Herb Hughes*
1971 E. N. Litman*
1972 C. J. Caskey, CPL
1973 William C. Albright*
1974 Allen Cook, CPL
1975 Wayne A. Blankenship Jr., CPL*
1976 Bernard L. House, CPL*
1977 J. F. Womack, CPL*
1978 Harold D. Carter, CPL
1979 D. L. (Don) Simasko, CPL
1980 E. J. (Gene) Wentworth, CPL*
1981 D. Calvin Blue Jr., CPL*
1982 Roland F. Champion, CPL*
1983 Harry Raney, CPL*
1984 Max H. Ernest III, CPL*
1985 Omer R. Humble, CPL*
1986 Jim L. Hanna, CPL*
1987 C. Phil Fleming, CPL*
1988 Frank J. Bavendick, CPL*
1989 James M. Perkins Jr., CPL/ESA
1990 Horace E. Rowold, CPL*
1991 Lee J. Molesworth, CPL/ESA

*deceased

1992 Jack Sweeney, CPL
1993 James P. McGowen, CPL
1994 Willard B. Simmons Jr., CPL
1995 Russell W. Hawkins, CPL
1996 Leon Hirsch, CPL
1997 Donald L. Clark, CPL
1998 David R. Cape, CPL
1999 Carl A. Schellinger, CPL*
2000 Eric K. Hanson, CPL/ESA*
2001 Michael O. Conley, CPL
2002 Scott L. Stone, CPL
2003 S. Craig Young, CPL
2004 Harold J. Anderson, CPL/ESA
2005 David N. Frye, CPL
2006 Knute H. Lee Jr., CPL*
2007 M. Craig Clark, CPL
2008 Marshall E. Lochausen, CPL
2009 G. Rimmer Covington, CPL
2010 Steven D. Wentworth, CPL
2011 Jack C. Richards, CPL
2012 Jim R. Dewbre, CPL
2013 M. Don Key, CPL
2014 Roger A. Soape, CPL
2015 Marc R. Strahn, CPL
2016 Pamela D. Feist, CPL
2017 David W. Miller, CPL
2018 Michel E. Curry, CPL
2019 Jay W. Beavers III, CPL
2020 Lester A. Zitkus, CPL
2021 James T. Devlin, CPL
2022 Carl D. Campbell, CPL
2023 J. Brooks Yates, CPL
2024 Nancy C. McCaskell, CPL
2025 Kyle B. Reynolds, CPL

Past Executive Committees

YEAR	PRESIDENT	1ST VP	2ND VP	3RD VP	SECRETARY	TREASURER
1955	George Foster Brown*	Miller Waggoner*	Tillson D. Craft	Robert E. Barnard	Ernest S. Wells, Jr.	Owen F. Stevens
1956	Miller Waggoner*	Hamilton Rogers*	Robert K. Summy	Jack W. Prothro	W. Paul Miller	William B. Beale
1957	Hamilton Rogers*	Paul M. Pope, Jr.	Emmet C. Wilson	S. W. Blount, III	Don Woodward*	W. Paul Miller
1958	Thomas G. Kelliher*	William H. Laird	Joseph H. Ware, Jr.	Robert M. Garst*	Don D. Ford	Charles G. Cary
1959	M. W. Hankinson*	Ralph L. Cormany*	Robert M. Garst*	John H. Folks	Ed Q. Smith	L. A. Bal
1960	Ralph L. Cormany*	George R. Bixler*	Emmett Williams	E. E. Gilbert	C. M. Cook	Dudley Couvillon
1961	George R. Bixler*	Haden J. Upchurch*	James A. Walker*	Robert N. Gadbois	Warren D. Henderson	Gerald E. Gotschall
1962	Haden J. Upchurch*	James A. Walker*	Jack M. West	Jack G. McQueen	Arthur E. Smith, Jr.	David M. Dayvault
1963	James A. Walker*	Arthur S. Berger*	John H. Folks	James W. Beavers, Jr.*	Herbert S. Harry	Clyde Parker
1964	Arthur S. (Art) Berger*	James W. Beavers, Jr.*	W. E. Farrar	Gerald E. Gotschall	Frank P. Castleberry	Joseph F. Hildebrand
1965	James W. Beavers, Jr.*	Robert G. Furse*	W. G Rogers, Jr.	Walter A. Perrin	Byron M. Rankin, Jr.*	James B. Bexley
1966	Robert G. Furse*	Robert A. Mosbacher*	H. F. Boles*	John Herbert Hughes*	Maynard W. Rafferty	George H. Ketchum
1967	Robert A. Mosbacher*	Rex E. Tarr*	Thomas S. Yancey*	Maynard W. Rafferty	Otis B. Trepagnier	Robert W. Armstrong
1968	Rex E. Tarr*	Thomas S. Yancey*	C. M. Van Zandt*	William C. Albright*	Arthur S. Brewster	M. Slayton Ermey
1969	Thomas S. Yancey*	John Herbert Hughes*	T. Verne Dwyer*	T. S. Cate	Glen Berger	James S. Young
1970	John Herbert Hughes*	E. N. Litman*	Tom Roberts	C. J. Caskey*	Charles S. Simpson	W. E. Golden
1971	E. N. Litman*	C. J. Caskey*	E. C. Lelouis	Warren F. Young	Richard D. Wagner	Jim W. Patterson*
1972	C. J. Caskey*	William C. Albright*	M. L. Posey, Jr.	Glen Burroughs	Charles E. Titus	Arnold D. Dethrow
1973	William C. Albright*	Allen Cook	Joe H. Cox	D. L. Simasko	Donald C. Apeland	Philip M. Keeley
1974	Allen Cook	Wayne A. Blankenship, Jr.*	Donald C. Apeland	E. J. Wentworth*	Bernard L. House*	Max H. Ernest, III*
1975	Wayne A. Blankenship, Jr.*	Bernard L. House*	J. F. Womack*	Jack R. Andrews	James M. White	Richard L. Sias
1976	Bernard L. House*	J. F. Womack*	William A. Cunningham	V. Ross Brown	Robert H. Northington	Dick Mason, III
1977	J. F. Womack*	Harold D. Carter	Franklin J. Bavendick*	Bobby L. Leach	D. Calvin Blue, Jr.*	Roland F. Champion*
1978	Harold D. Carter	D. L. Simasko	Gale C. Miller	Frank K. Young	Joe France*	Raymond S. Blunk
1979	D. L. Simasko	E. J. Wentworth*	James E. O'Byrne	B. J. Kilpatrick	Omer R. Humble*	Kenneth R. Good
1980	E. J. Wentworth*	D. Calvin Blue, Jr.*	T. B. Wilcox, III	Max H. Ernest, III*	George T. Warren	D. K. Galtney
1981	D. Calvin Blue, Jr.*	Roland F. Champion*	Jack R. Andrews	James E. Chaput	Charles C. Stanford	Edwin T. Stitt
1982	Roland F. Champion*	Harry Raney*	Joan Burk	H. E. Way	Horace E. Rowold*	Jacob I. Morrow
1983	Harry Raney*	Max H. Ernest, III*	Jim L. Hanna*	Don A. Nichols	Paul M. Thompson	C. Phil Fleming*
1984	Max H. Ernest, III*	Omer R. Humble*	James D. Collums	Charles M. Whitten	Thomas L. Hazen	John J. Prat, Jr.
1985	Omer R. Humble*	Jim L. Hanna*	Clifton Wilderspin	Maynard E. Robertson	Leon Hirsch	Lee J. Molesworth*
1986	Jim L. Hanna*	C. Phil Fleming*	Jack Brown	Nicola L. Carlson	Knute H. Lee, Jr.	Lowell W. Davis, Jr.
1987	C. Phil Fleming*	Frank J. Bavendick*	Lester J. Burkett	James C. Spradlin	Joseph A. Mayeaux	J. J. Sweeney
1988	Franklin J. Bavendick*	James Perkins, Jr.	Charles C. Stanford	Wilson H. Busby*	W. G. Van Bebber	H. James Whisnand
1989	James Perkins, Jr.	Horace E. Rowold*	James P. McGowen	John C. Krogmann, Jr.	Willard B. Simmons, Jr.	Martha Barnes
1990	Horace E. Rowold*	Lee J. Molesworth*	Tim R. Cumming	Beverly A. Cunningham	J. Fred Hambright*	Donald L. Clark
1991	Lee J. Molesworth*	J. J. Sweeney	Kenneth R. Good	G. Warren Thornell	Charles E. Still	Jerry K. Bramwell
1992	J. J. Sweeney	James P. McGowen	Russell W. Hawkins	Gary K. Montgomery	David L. Carnes	Allen T. Johnson
1993	James P. McGowen	Willard B. Simmons, Jr.	Knute H. Lee, Jr.*	Lynn V. Presley	David R. Cape	Paul D. Hall
1994	Willard B. Simmons, Jr.	Russell W. Hawkins	Jan T. Van Loon*	Bill H. Smith	Janin H. Jones	M. Don Key
1995	Russell W. Hawkins	Leon Hirsch	Alan H. Morgan	Robert N. Bergfeld	Owen Monty Barnhill	Carl A. Schellinger*
1996	Leon Hirsch	Donald L. Clark	Eric K. Hanson*	Kenneth R. Good	John Michael Richardson	Michael O. Conley
1997	Donald L. Clark	David R. Cape	Harold J. Anderson	Joe B. Thomas	Donna N. Keistler	Scott L. Stone
1998	David R. Cape	Carl A. Schellinger*	Pennye L. Conner	Jan T. Van Loon*	Jeanine Haller Piskurich	Robert J. Martin
1999	Carl A. Schellinger*	Eric K. Hanson*	Jane R. Crouch	Roger A. Soape	Georgia G. Kofoed	Peggy C. Kerr*
2000	Eric K. Hanson*	Michael O. Conley	S. Craig Young	Steven D. Wentworth	Roxanne Simpson	David N. Frye
2001	Michael O. Conley	Scott L. Stone	James K. Moore	William P. Moffitt	Lawrence J. Harrison, Jr.	Fred G. Seale, III
2002	Scott L. Stone	S. Craig Young	Richard R. Ryan	Stephen F. Pine	Gregory L. Jessup	M. Craig Clark
2003	S. Craig Young	Harold J. Anderson	James Couvillion	Pamela J. Reed	C. Rimmer Covington	Dale Douglas
2004	Harold J. Anderson	David N. Frye	Dora I. Soria	Douglas Black*	Michael M. Hinze	Jack C. Richards
2005	David N. Frye	Knute H. Lee, Jr.*	William F. Rex	James H. Warren	Arnold L. Schulberg	Marshall E. Lochausen
2006	Knute H. Lee, Jr.*	M. Craig Clark	J. E. Lefebvre	Lester A. Zitkus	Katherine S. Chalfant	David W. Miller
2007	M. Craig Clark	Marshall E. Lochausen	Richard A. Champion	Jim R. Dewbre	Gregory A. Zerkel	Curtis D. Horne
2008	Marshall E. Lochausen	G. Rimmer Covington	John E. Brown	Candace D. Robinson	Robert W. Hodge	Bryan E. Hennigan
2009	G. Rimmer Covington	Steven D. Wentworth	Rebecca S. Weber	Richard A. Hines	Marc Randal Strahn	Randall H. Nichols
2010	Steven D. Wentworth	Jack C. Richards	Eric D. Stinson	Todd Liebl	Gregory M. Riedl	J. Brooks Yates, Jr.
2011	Jack C. Richards	Jim R. Dewbre	Bernard J. Ulincy	Russell S. Shinevar	Pamela D. Feist	Houston J. Kauffman
2012	Jim R. Dewbre	M. Don Key	Owen Monty Barnhill	Mona D. Ables	Robert Browne	Matt W. Smith
2013	M. Don Key	Roger A. Soape	Michel E. Curry	Adam W. Robinson	James T. Devlin	Lester A. Zitkus
2014	Roger A. Soape	Marc Randal Strahn	Tom J. Havenstrite	William L. Porter	Mark B. Eppes	William C. Justice
2015	Marc Randal Strahn	Pamela Feist	Carl D. Campbell	Julie Woodard	Kevin Dickerson	Jay Beavers
2016	Pamela Feist	David W. Miller	Jeff Niemeyer	Trinidad M. Hernandez	W. Russell Shaw	James R. Bourbeau, Jr.
2017	David W. Miller	Michel E. Curry	Lindsey N. Miles	Nicholas D. Hess	Hamel B. Reinmiller	Glen Mauldin
2018	Michel E. Curry	Jay Beavers	Cranford D. Newell, Jr.	Aaron R. Yost	Charles D. Walton, Jr.	Michael A. Pisciotte
2019	Jay Beavers	Lester A. Zitkus	Wendy G. Dalton	Sean W. Marshall	Britney A. Crookshanks	Jason T. Maloy
2020	Lester A. Zitkus	James T. Devlin	Nancy McCaskell	Marc Tate	Andrew Cooper	Kyle B. Reynolds
2021	James T. Devlin	Carl D. Campbell	Gregory M. Riedl	William G. Boone	Sara A. Worsham	Cranford D. Newell, Jr.
2022	Carl D. Campbell	J. Brooks Yates, Jr.	Michelle L. Phillips	Michael A. Pisciotte	Kelly Kessler	Austin N. Frye
2023	J. Brooks Yates, Jr.	Nancy McCaskell	Rodney Black	Dick Vander Ploeg II	Brian Tolson	Jerris Johnson
2024	Nancy C. McCaskell	Kyle B. Reynolds	Mark H. Caponegro	William H. Hackett	Christine J. Touchstone	Amy L. Gwyn
2025	Kyle B. Reynolds	Julie Woodard	Travis Beavers	Lucy Wathen	Eli Huffman	Blaine Gamble

*deceased

THE EVOLUTION OF A LANDMAN

How has the land profession changed since the 1950s? In 2022, AAPL developed an outreach video titled The Path of the Landman — Powering the World to help tell the historical and hopeful story of the land professional and the opportunities that exist for land professionals in the energy industry. View a clip of the video below or watch the complete video on AAPL's YouTube channel.