Board of Directors

Mr. Borgen is a co-founder of USDG and its predecessor companies and has served as Chairman, CEO and President of USDG since its inception. Additionally, Mr. Borgen served as President of U.S. Right-of-Way Corporation, a private company, since 1993. Prior to USDG, Mr. Borgen worked for 11 years in investment banking in mergers and acquisitions, portfolio management and strategic planning. He began his career with a private investment firm focused on the oil and gas industry. Mr. Borgen has served on the board of directors of several corporations and currently serves on the board of Vertex Energy Inc., an environmental services company that recycles industrial waste streams and off-specification commercial chemical products. Active in several community organizations, he is chair of the USD Foundation and a trustee of Boys and Girls Club of America. Mr. Borgen received a degree in petroleum management and finance from the University of Oklahoma. He was recognized by Goldman Sachs as one of 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2013 and was a finalist for Ernst and Young’s 2014 Gulf Coast Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mr. Sanders joined USDG as Executive Vice President, Head of Market Strategy for USDG in May 2014 and became Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer in October 2014. Mr. Sanders’ main focus at USDG is working with the leadership team to identify, develop and execute strategic commercial and market opportunities. Prior to USDG, Mr. Sanders spent 32 years at Koch Industries where he was primarily responsible for building and managing several of Koch’s global trading businesses, including businesses in the crude oil, NGLs, distillates, gasoline and gasoline components, and plastics value chains. He is a 1979 graduate of University of Kansas with a degree in business. He is a current Trustee for KU Endowment and a current member for the KU Endowment Investment Committee.

Mr. Ruple joined USDG in June 2014 and became Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in January 2017. Mr. Ruple is responsible for all operations and project development activities in support of USDG’s commercial development vision, mission and tactical growth strategies. Previously, he served as Vice President, Project Development. Prior to joining USDG, Mr. Ruple held various executive management positions in the commercial and industrial construction industry, with engineering and environmental consultancies, as well as with the BNSF Railway. Throughout his professional career, he has acquired vast practical leadership experience and holds many management and technical certifications. Mr. Ruple received a BS in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Utah and is an active member of both professional and public community organizations.

Patrick Ortiz is the Chief Investment Officer at Cockrell Interests. Previously, Mr. Ortiz was a Portfolio Manager at Freeman Group, a Dallas-based family office, where he managed a cross-asset book of public and private investments. Mr. Ortiz began his career on the interest rate derivatives trading desk at BNP Paribas in New York City before moving to help manage the investment team at PennWell Corp.  Mr. Ortiz received his Master of Science in Mathematical Finance from New York University and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of New Mexico where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.  He is married and has four daughters.

John Sommers is Principal of Cockrell Interests LLC. Previously, Mr. Sommers led corporate strategy and finance for Sentinel Peak Resources, a portfolio company of Quantum Energy Partners.  Prior to his role at Sentinel Peak, he evaluated and managed investments across the energy space at Quantum Energy Partners. Mr. Sommers began his career in investment banking at Nomura Securities and RBC Capital Markets.  
 
Mr. Sommers graduated from Baylor University with degrees in Business, Finance and Economics.  He is married with two children.

Ernie D. Cockrell is Executive Managing Director of Pinto Realty Partners. Prior to joining Pinto Realty Mr. Cockrell was a founder and Principal with Texas Equity Partners, where he was responsible for the identification and acquisition of office buildings and urban land in the greater Houston area. Prior to joining Texas Equity Partners, Mr. Cockrell spent two years with Transwestern Commercial Services where he was responsible for financial analysis of Tranwestern’s and third party dispositions. He was involved on over $250 million of dispositions. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Houston Baptist University. Mr. Cockrell currently sits on the boards of the Houston Community Foundation, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Amegy Bank, Cockrell Interest Inc., Cockrell Foundation, and the Cockrell Family Fund.