OUR LEADERSHIP
MEET OUR PRESIDENT.
With thirty years of experience in the energy arena, Richard (Rick) W. Westerdale II is a highly entrepreneurial global C-Level executive with a proven track record of success in both the private sector and public service. Rick is currently President and CEO of Westerdale Holdings, LLC. Westerdale Holdings is project incubator and holding company, focused on business development and client relations for a wide range of investment, project development and business planning activities in the US and internationally. Affiliates of Westerdale Holdings include: Integrated Energy Partners (IEP) LLC where Rick is President & COO and Bloodtrust LLC where Rick is a Partner.
Previously, Rick served as Senior Vice President and on the Board of Directors for Jiangnan Environmental Protection Group Inc. (JNG), an environmental technology provider where Rick was responsible for the corporation’s oil & gas strategy. Before joining JNG, Rick was a Senior Advisor with the Department of State where he advised senior principals, including the Secretary, on the nexus of energy with U.S. national security and international energy policy priorities. Rick’s focus was on international energy affairs and their effect on U.S. business interests. He represented the Department in a variety of senior-level engagements, including bilateral and multilateral fora, and carries out official visits to advance international engagement, forge cooperation with partner-nations and establish agreements on a range of energy related initiatives. Rick also led engagement with other agencies within the U.S. government. Rick was the inaugural Director Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy and helped establish the Energy Resources Bureau.
During his nearly two-decade tenure with ExxonMobil, Rick last worked within a small staff group that reported directly to the Chairman & CEO. Prior to that, he lived overseas, in the Middle East and Australia, and held multiple senior level positions. He gained extensive commercial and marketing experience by working with host governments and stewarding multi-cultural engagements. While in Abu Dhabi, his duties included initiation of commercial strategies, coordination of internal resources, and development of proposals that included competitive tender submissions as well as direct negotiations. While in Australia, Rick was responsible for overseeing marketing efforts into the Asia and developed the company’s first equity marketing strategy for LNG. Rick also managed and stewarded non-operator interests within multiple JVs.
Additionally, Rick held a variety of positions in ExxonMobil’s downstream business which included Business Unit Manager, Support & Controls Manager, Operations Manager and Engineering Supervisor. These assignments provided both managerial and leadership experience including P/L responsibility, staff development and managerial oversight. Rick's early assignments were primarily engineering related with construction, maintenance and environmental emphasis. Subsequent sales assignments broadened his knowledge of the industry and marketing, including retail sales.
A native of Winchester, Kentucky, Westerdale received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky. Rick is a US Army veteran, honorably discharged, and served during the first Gulf War. He was awarded the honorary title of "Kentucky Colonel" for service to his state and community. Rick earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Averett University. He is also a registered Professional Engineer. Rick is married and lives in Northern Virginia where he and his family are active in the community.
