Trey Ricks
Founder & President
Trey Ricks is the Founder and President of Wapiti Petroleum, leading the company's strategy, acquisitions, and operational growth. With nearly two decades of experience across land, acquisitions, and upstream operations, he has built a career identifying opportunities, executing disciplined transactions, and creating long-term value throughout the energy industry.
Beginning his career near Spindletop, the birthplace of the Texas oil industry, Trey developed firsthand expertise in leasing, title, negotiations, drilling, and asset management. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles with EP Energy, Trinity Operating, NEC Operating, and founded Harvest Royalties, working across the Barnett, Permian, Bakken, Haynesville, Cotton Valley, and East Texas plays. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Lamar University and an MBA in Energy from the University of Oklahoma.
In 2025, Trey founded Wapiti Petroleum with a simple philosophy: disciplined operations, aligned interests, and responsible development create lasting value. Today, he leads Wapiti with a focus on operational excellence, thoughtful capital allocation, and building a company investors are proud to own alongside.
Austin Williams
Acting CFO
Austin Williams serves as Acting Chief Financial Officer for Wapiti Petroleum, helping guide the company's financial strategy with a practical, operational approach. He works closely with leadership to strengthen financial reporting, improve cash flow visibility, develop forecasting tools, and align financial planning with business execution.
Austin brings an operator's mindset to finance, viewing financial information as a strategic tool for better decision-making rather than simply a reporting function. His experience spans finance, operations, and business strategy, enabling leadership teams to better understand performance, allocate resources effectively, and plan confidently for future growth.
He earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Energy Commerce from Texas Tech University and an MBA in Management from the University of Texas Permian Basin. His educational background, combined with hands-on experience supporting growing businesses, allows him to translate complex financial information into practical, actionable guidance.
Known for his collaborative leadership style, Austin helps build financial systems that support accountability, informed decision-making, and sustainable growth. His focus is on creating a strong financial foundation that enables Wapiti Petroleum to execute its long-term strategy with confidence.
Extended Team
Wapiti Petroleum is intentionally built with a lean core team supported by a trusted network of experienced professionals. Rather than carrying unnecessary overhead, we assemble proven experts for each project, allowing us to remain agile while delivering institutional-quality execution.