Robert M. Nimocks, Chief Executive

Mr. Nimocks, a certified public accountant, brings experience and leadership in the management and organization of energy businesses along with a thorough understanding of supply-chain dynamics in a rapidly evolving, globalizing marketplace. Moreover, he provides consulting expertise to some of the world's leading participants in the energy sector. A partial list of client services includes:

• Strategy development and implementation
• Business segment strategy development
• Market analysis
  
• Organizational analysis
  
• Industry restructuring
  
• Asset valuation
  
• Value-chain analysis
  
• Strategic alliance/partnership development
  
• In-country risk assessment
  
• Due diligence review of strategy and plans
  
• Skills and competency assessment

Prior to founding Zeus in 1991, Mr. Nimocks was vice president of corporate development for Elders Resources North America, the North American division of Elders IXL, an international energy and natural resources company with substantial natural gas production. He earned an MBA from Harvard University (1987), served in the management consulting division of Accenture (1981-84) and obtained BS and BBA degrees from Mississippi State University (1981).

J. Patrick LaStrapes, President

A senior manager and global energy consultant, Mr. LaStrapes brings the leadership necessary to take complex energy deals to fruition. He has developed world-class integrated energy projects with investments/revenues in the $billions and has established new international business platforms in rapidly evolving energy markets. He brings experience in leading multi-disciplinary international development teams and in developing the (1) physical infrastructure, (2) operating businesses, policies and governance protocols, and (3) legal and regulatory frameworks required in structuring a national gas & power industry.

Mr. LaStrapes brings a deep background in gas & power project feasibility and development, project/structured finance, due-diligence, documentation, risk mitigation, contracts (EPC, supply/offtake, transportation, etc.), gas & electric operations, rate structuring/design, utility economics and cost of service, regulatory affairs, energy policy and strategic planning.

As a consultant, he has testified before state (provincial) and federal authorities and has prepared expert testimony in contested proceedings. A partial list of client services includes:

• global market research and broad-based value-chain analysis of the markets for natural gas via LNG (both world-class and downscaled applications), pipeline, CNG, GTL, gas-by-wire, etc.;
  
• technoeconomic feasibility studies for small- and medium-scale LNG supply chain development;
• identification, high-grading and ranking of mid-tier gas fields worldwide;
• economic studies of super-critical pulverized coal and integrated gasification combined-cycle power generation;
• CNG and LNG project development advisory services, including gas supply acquisition and negotiation support, transportation services, market assessment, benchmarking, feasibility analysis, project configuration, business plan development, project financing, due-diligence and documentation support;
• comparative economic studies of competing major gas pipeline projects with a focus on national-scale and cross-border grid expansion/development;
• studies to determine the fully allocated costs of service leading to design of multi-class rate structures for both major pipelines and local distribution companies;
• model construction for gas-utility planning purposes;
• electric generation expansion planning and integrated resource planning;
• power project development advice and counsel;
• reservoir simulation, estimation of proved hydrocarbon deposits and forecasting of field deliverabilities;
• economic studies of liquefaction, LNG peak-shaving and regasification; and
• due-diligence on behalf of lenders and developers in connection with non-recourse project financing.

Mr. LaStrapes holds an MBA degree from the University of Houston and a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Amy Nussmeier, Vice President and Principal Analyst

A member of the company’s senior management team, Amy Nussmeier guides and contributes to energy market research and analysis on behalf of Zeus Energy Consulting Group in the areas of supply-chain development and expansion of global markets for natural gas; market integration; commercialization; and marketing strategy. Ms. Nussmeier examines other principal monetization paths as well, including gas conversion. She also guides activities in the areas of coal, petcoke and biomass conversion to liquid products, substitute natural gas and electricity.

Furthermore, Ms. Nussmeier is responsible for assuring that Zeus’ information platform, the Virtual Energy LibraryTM, is not only adding significant value to Zeus’ consulting practice areas, but is, most importantly, serving the diverse information needs of clients, hungry for market intelligence and statistical analyses, including international and independent oil companies, state governments, word-class engineering and construction firms, technology licensors, equipment suppliers, equity funds and lenders.

She holds a BS degree in Management from Miami University, Oxford, OH.