John graduated in 1987 from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering and began work with Mobil Oil in Dayton, Texas. After working downhole engineering assignments in a wide variety of reservoirs, John was moved to a cherished development position as a Production Foreman. After 5 years with Mobil, John worked high profile projects for Meridian Oil / Burlington Resources as a Facilities Engineer, Reservoir Engineer, and then promoted to a New Ventures assignment seeking growth opportunities in the lower 48 states. John’s final assignment at Burlington was in Midland as Planning Supervisor.
In 1997, John followed a dream to build an operating company and did just that via a private company in Dallas, Texas. John started at CD Exploration as VP and then served as President of CDX Gas (the operating entity). CDX Gas was very successful in the coalbed methane business in Alabama and West Virginia where it drilled vertical and horizontal CBM wells and even secured US Patents on unique drilling and completion techniques. John sold his position in the CDX companies in late 2001.
For 10 years (2002 – 2012) John worked with his wife and family in the registered cattle business where he quickly rose to leadership positions in Red Angus Breed Associations at the state and national level.
Love for the oil industry and its people brought John back in 2012. He started with Legacy Reserves in the Business Development (Acquisitions) group and then served as the Business Unit Leader for the Rockies in Cody, Wyoming. In 2016, John moved to Midland and became the Permian Business Unit Leader and later promoted to VP Operations – Permian.
As noted above, John is an Aggie, married an Aggie and they have two children….yes, both Aggies! Season football ticket holders and avid tailgaters, the family spends many weekends in College Station with friends and provide lots of meals for Aggie students needing some home cooking. Love of God, Country and Family largely completes the Eklund story and the entire family spends as much time as possible at the ranch on the Sabinal River. John is one of the Co-Founders of Crossroads Oil and Gas that was established in late 2019.