Our Leadership
Officers
David M. Spyker
David Spyker was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2021. Since September 2020, Mr. Spyker has served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Spyker joined Rife Resources Ltd. in November 2016 as Vice President, Production and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in March 2019. Prior to, he held various roles at Anderson Exploration Ltd., Anderson Energy Ltd., and Anderson Energy Inc. Mr. Spyker has over 35 years of industry experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
David W. Hendry
Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer
David Hendry joined Rife Resources Ltd. in December 2019. Mr. Hendry is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 25 years of finance experience. Prior to joining Rife, Mr. Hendry served as the Chief Financial Officer of Obsidian Energy Ltd. Prior to joining Obsidian in 2015, Mr. Hendry served as a finance Vice President at Talisman Energy Inc. At Talisman, he also worked overseas in the Norway and U.K. North Sea offices. Mr. Hendry started his career working nine years in public accounting, largely at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Hendry has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary.
Lisa N. Farstad
Vice President, Corporate Services
Lisa Farstad was appointed Vice President, Corporate Services in March 2020. Ms. Farstad joined Freehold Royalties Ltd. in September of 2015 as Manager, Human Resources and Information Services. Prior to joining Freehold, Ms. Farstad spent fourteen years with Bonavista Energy Corporation in various human resources roles including Manager, Human Resources. Ms. Farstad has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta and a Human Resources Management Certificate from the University of Calgary.
Ian C. Hantke
Vice President, Diversified Royalties
Ian Hantke was appointed Vice President, Diversified Royalties in January 2022. Mr. Hantke joined Freehold Royalties Ltd. in February 2014, and held various roles within the Business Development group, most recently Director, Acquisitions. Prior to joining Freehold, Mr. Hantke spent two years working at Devon Energy as a Project Manager and seven years working at O’Rourke Engineering as a Facilities Engineer. He holds a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering degree from Carleton University and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientist of Alberta (APEGA).
Robert A. King
Chief Operating Officer
Robert (Rob) King, joined Freehold in January 2020. Prior to joining Freehold Royalties Ltd., Mr. King served as a Managing Director of RBC Capital Markets. He has over twenty years’ experience in investment banking where he has spent the entirety of his career progressing through roles of increasing accountability and responsibility. He possesses significant merger, acquisition and divestiture and capital markets experience with a focus on upstream oil and gas. Mr. King has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary.
Colin J. Strem
Vice President, Operations
Colin Strem, Vice President, Operations joined Rife Resources Ltd. in November 2022 as Manager of Business Development for Rife. He has over 25 years of industry experience in drilling & completions, production & reservoir development, and acquisitions & divestitures, while holding progressively more senior positions for Chevron, NAL Resources, and WesternZagros. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta, and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Michelle S. Cooze
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Michelle Cooze is a 25-year corporate commercial lawyer with 15 years of experience in the energy industry. Prior to joining Freehold Royalties Ltd. in June 2024, she served as counsel to several publicly traded companies including TransAlta, PHX Energy and Peridae Energy. Prior to, Ms. Cooze worked in private practice at Martin Whalen Hennebury & Stamp and Blake Cassels Grayden LLP. Ms. Cooze has a Bachelor of Science degree from Memorial University and a Juris Doctor from Dalhousie University. She is a member of the Law Society of Alberta.
Board of Directors
Mathieu M. Roy
Chair of the Board
Mathieu Roy serves as Chair of the Board and is Managing Director, Real Assets, of the CN Investment Division (Montreal), which manages one of the largest corporate pension funds in Canada. He has 20 years of experience in capital markets including more than 16 years at CN Investment Division. Mr. Roy has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in finance from the University of Sherbrooke and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Peter T. Harrison
Vice-Chair of the Board
Peter Harrison, Vice-Chair, recently retired from the position of Manager, Resource and Royalties, of the CN Investment Division (Montreal), which manages one of the largest corporate pension funds in Canada. Prior to joining the CN Investment Division in August 2009, he was Senior Vice-President of Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. He is a Director of Rife Resources Ltd., and Freehold Royalties Ltd. Mr. Harrison has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University, an MBA from the University of Western Ontario and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Carrie A. Chase
Director
Carrie Chase, GCB.D, Director, has over 25 years of experience in the energy and renewables sector. Ms. Chase has an exceptional commercial, trading and marketing track record with a wealth of experience in renewable energies and waste transformation, including biofuel and renewable feedstocks. Her diverse career includes holding key executive and trading positions in energy and renewables; and she holds advisory and executive positions in ESG, Hydrogen and the renewables sector. She is an existing Board member of Texadian Energy Canada Limited (wholly owned by Par Petroleum LLC) and a current board member on Aplastic Anemia and MDS Canada (AAMAC). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Calgary.
Carlo A. Paventi
Director
Carlo Paventi is a Senior Portfolio Manager, Global Equities, for the CN Investment Division (Montreal), which manages one of the largest corporate pension funds in Canada. He has 20 years of experience both in industry and in capital markets including more than 12 years at CN Investment Division. Mr. Paventi has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from McGill University as well as a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University. Mr. Paventi is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
William J. F. Roach
Director
William Roach is an experienced energy industry executive who has extensive experience of public and privately-owned companies in both Canada and the US. He is currently a director of Cavalier Energy Inc. and has been its President and Chief Executive Officer since 2012 and is a Director of Calera Corporation and was formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Roach is a Professional Engineer and holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Physical Metallurgy and a Bachelor of Science degree, both from the University College Swansea, Wales.
David M. Spyker
Director
David Spyker is President and Chief Executive Officer. He served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer from September 2020 to January 2021. Mr. Spyker joined Rife Resources Ltd. in November 2016 as Vice President, Production and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in March 2019. Prior to, he held various roles at Anderson Exploration Ltd., Anderson Energy Ltd., and Anderson Energy Inc. Mr. Spyker has over 35 years of industry experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).