Ray N. Walker Jr., senior vice president — chief operating officer, Range Resources

Ray N. Walker Jr., senior vice president — chief operating officer, Range Resources, is a Registered Petroleum Engineer with more than 30 years of oil and gas operations and management experience. Walker previously served as senior vice president — environment, safety, and regulatory compliance, as well as senior vice president — Marcellus Shale Division of Range Resources. Walker began rough necking on a drilling rig in 1975 to earn an engineering degree. He worked for more than 12 years at Halliburton in various technical and management roles, including his work on the very first shale well completion in 1982. In addition, he served nine years with Union Pacific Resources. Walker is considered an industry expert in operational management, well design, completion technology, fracture diagnostics, horizontal drilling and completions, along with the operations and management of large and complicated development programs. Walker has been published and referenced throughout the industry for his involvement with several breakthrough technologies. He graduated with honors from Texas A&M University in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering.