The Foundation of Latshaw Drilling.
Diversity and common sense solutions are core characteristics of Latshaw employees. From the rig, field and support positions, our talent comes full circle to provide exceptional customer service in the drilling industry.
New growth has increased Latshaw’s pool of talented professionals, but it is the continued growth and time-tested knowledge of our industry veterans that propel Latshaw Drilling into the future. At the rig, field and office, our professional staff pledges commitment to personal safety, equipment maintenance and fulfilling customer needs.
Latshaw Drilling depends on all employees to accomplish our goals, but we would like to highlight some of our diverse management team.
Trent Latshaw Founder & President
Trent set a goal for himself in 1971 when he was 18 of having his own drilling contracting business one day. He got his first roughnecking job in 1973 on an offshore platform rig in Cook Inlet, Alaska. After graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in Petroleum Engineering he went back to Alaska with Parker Drilling and went back out on the rigs working floors, motors, derricks and relief drilled, both on the North Slope and offshore in Cook Inlet. He then did a stint with ARCO Alaska as both a Drilling Engineer and Drilling Foreman in their offshore district. Trent founded Latshaw Drilling in 1981 at the age of 27.
Mark Cochran Chief Financial Officer & Senior Vice President
Mark joined Latshaw in 2006 with over 25 years of finance experience. He was well prepared, with the majority of that time spent at Firestone & Williams Companies. Utilizing his two degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State University, plus an extensive financial background, he has used his abilities to help others achieve their potential. Mark’s leadership skills have become cornerstones of Latshaw Drilling’s foundation, aligning the company goals between the field and office.
Joey Stockton Vice President of Operations
Joey joined Latshaw Drilling’s team in 2012, bringing his expansive knowledge gained through hands-on experience at Nabors Industries and Keen Energy. Joey’s focus on the technical and engineering aspects of the business, while also focusing on superior customer service are crucial components of Latshaw’s success. His diligent leadership of rig and field operations brings true value to the company. Trent and Joey take a team approach to problem-solving and getting the job done right.
Joseph Hudson Senior Vice President Marketing/Sales
Joseph joined Latshaw Drilling in 2017, he brings our company a solid and experienced drilling industry background covering a wide range of marketing and direct operations experience. Joseph graduated from Texas Tech University in 2002, with a BA in Business Management. His prior career encompassed over 12 years at Nabors Drilling USA where he advanced from field operations in the Ark-La-Tex region, established the Nabors DFW area marketing office, then promoted to District Manager for Nabors Ark-La-Tex operations and subsequently served in Nabors Corporate offices in contract mgmt.. His experience strengthens our Latshaw Team of dedicated men and women.
Leroy Peterson Vice President of Contracts
Leroy Peterson joined Latshaw Drilling Company in 2019 as VP of Contracts. Leroy comes from Patriot Drilling, a company he cofounded in 2002. Prior to that, he worked with his brother and father at Peterson Drilling and later Patterson UTI. He attended New Mexico State University and has extensive experience in the drilling industry.
Jonathan Leininger Vice President, Business Development
Jonathan Leininger joined Latshaw Drilling in January 2024 as Vice President of Business Development. Jonathan comes from a fourteen-year career with National Oilwell Varco. His time with NOV started in the field, leading to operations management in Texas. Jonathan moved back to Oklahoma City in 2017 as NOV Sales Account Manager. He attended the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, prior to starting his Oil & Gas career.
Sarah Wass HR Director
Sarah joined Latshaw Drilling’s team in 2012 after graduating with her Bachelors in Psychology and Masters of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Tulsa in 2011. Her first position was as a Recruiter and subsequently earned the position of Workforce Manager in November of 2013. Her dependability and focus on attracting and maintaining Latshaw career based employees is a valued asset.
Cody Ashley HSE Director
Cody joined the Latshaw Management Team as Health, Safety, and Environment Director in 2010. During the previous seven years with another drilling contractor, he cultivated a strong reputation in the industry as an effective HSE professional and culture coach. His practical and pragmatic approach to building a strong, sustainable culture made Cody the perfect fit for the evolution of Latshaw Drilling. He was an early adopter of Human and Organizational Performance and has used those principles to sculpt a world-class HSE culture. Latshaw Drilling’s culture has thrived with many great success stories during Cody's tenure. Cody has also been very active with several industry organizations and workgroups, impacting the oil and gas energy industry for over twenty years. He is always available to collaborate, learn, and share ideas for a safer workplace.
Travis Hickey Maintenance Manager
Travis joined the Latshaw team in 2009, allowing our company to gain vital, real-world mechanical talent developed over a 20-year oil field career. He has earned wisdom from direct involvement in the 24/7/365 requirements of the drilling environment, from actually twisting wrenches and supervising mechanical services required to keep rigs operational. With the guidance and mentoring from some of the industry’s best, Travis has gained vital knowledge on drilling rig equipment. Those lessons now guide his leadership of our electrical, mechanical, and top drive departments. His team of professionals deals with all aspects of today's more sophisticated AC systems, dependable SCR systems, and legacy drilling equipment.
Don Caffey Training Manager
Don Caffey has thirty-two years of service in safety and training, both in the public and private sectors. He joined the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 1992 as a State Trooper, providing public safety and executive security protection for Governor Frank Keating and Governor Brad Henry. In 2007, Don retired early from the Highway Patrol to continue his safety and training efforts full-time in the oil and gas industry. He has been the Training and Development Manager for Latshaw Drilling in Tulsa, Oklahoma, since 2012. He is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Debbie Holloway Director Shared Services
Debbie joined Latshaw Drilling in 2006, and brought a wealth of knowledge from SGS-Consumer Products Testing Company. Debbie leads our team responsible for vendor management, logistics and general office administration. Her dependable skills, leadership capabilities and multi-tasking abilities are valued greatly by our support and operations teams.
David Herman Asset Manager
David joined our Latshaw Drilling team in 2011. His prior experiences as a roustabout with Falcon Drilling, a contract Environmental, Safety & Compliance representative at DCI International, and the knowledge he gained at Saxon Drilling as Rig Safety Training Coordinator have provided a valued experience base. As Latshaw Drilling Company's Asset Manager, David’s dedication, excellent work ethic, and vital rig equipment knowledge provide reliable and dependable asset management. We value the talents he brings to our company.
Jack Hutchings Supply Chain Manager
Jack joined Latshaw in November of 2012, bringing many years of knowledge in oilfield-related supply purchasing and equipment. After graduating from South Eastern High School in Oklahoma City, he joined the US Army and served three years, which included an overseas assignment in Germany. Upon his return to the States, his oilfield career began with Sovereign Supply in 1976; then, later, he worked for Green-Head Supply. Subsequent years were spent with Tyler-Dawson in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Like many, the 1980’s upheavals of the oil & gas business redirected his focus. Jack’s new enterprises picked back up during the first Gulf War, and he was instrumental in securing and shipping fire-fighting equipment to Kuwait for Able Engineering. Later, he managed both Howard Supply in Atoka, OK, and Bell Supply in Killdeer, ND. We value his many years of supply chain knowledge.
Jason Fox IT Director
Jason's Latshaw career started in 2011 as a dependable Floorhand on Latshaw Rig 13. As his experience and performance advanced, he earned a promotion to Field Safety Representative. Subsequent advancement in October 2014 provided a new role in Latshaw's training department as our Training & Development Instructor. This latest advancement to IT Director was a direct recognition of his forward thinking and problem solving abilities combined with IT and communications training at the prestigious Horseshoe Bay Resorts in Texas. We value the talents he brings to our company.