Richard Coglon

Richard Coglon (B.Com/LL.B) is a philanthropist and successful businessman and investor who for the past ten years has helped raise more than $150 million in assets for both private and public early-stage companies. Despite all this success and experience in the business and investment sectors, Mr. Coglon’s ambitions and focus were originally directed toward a different field – namely, the practice of Law.

After graduating from the University of Alberta in 1982 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Mr. Coglon quickly transitioned to studying law at the University of Victoria. Beginning his studies here in 1983, Mr. Coglon graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the university in 1986. A year later, with degree in hand, Mr. Coglon was called to the Bar in British Columbia, Canada. Developing an expertise and specialization in the areas of corporate finance, resource and securities law, Mr. Coglon practiced law for almost seventeen years, acting as legal counsel for companies ranging in size from large public utilities and major automotive manufactures to mid-tier and early stage resource issuers. During this time, in addition to leading a fulfilling legal career, Mr. Coglon became increasingly active as a partner, founder, or financier to a handful of resource companies. In 1995, Mr. Coglon co-founded a start-up company called Velvet Exploration Ltd., which focused its business interests on oil exploration and production in Alberta, Canada. Velvet Exploration achieved success, eventually being listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. In August of 2001, the company was sold for $430 million to El Paso Energy, in a friendly buyout and “going private transaction”.

By 2001, Mr. Cogon’s involvement in the investment and business sector had greatly expanded. Beginning in August 1994, Mr. Coglon served as an Officer and then Director at TransGlobe Energy Corporation. During his tenure here, from 1994 to November 1996, Mr. Coglon saw opportunity for the company in Yemen and, as its President, put events and management in place to successfully help transform TransGlobe Energy Corp. from a junior mining company to that of an international oil exploration and production company. Additionally, from 2000 through 2006, Mr. Coglon served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Heartland Oil & Gas Corporation, taking it froma startup Coal Bed Methane (CBM) exploration company into production.

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