Christian Kendall
RANGE RESOURCESAbout Christian S. Kendall
Christian (“Chris”) Kendall, age 58, joined Range Resources’ Board in February 2025 and is an independent director serving on the ESG & Safety and Governance & Nominating Committees. He has 30+ years in oil and gas, most recently as CEO of Denbury Inc., guiding it through bankruptcy and subsequent emergence until its acquisition by ExxonMobil in November 2023. Kendall holds a B.S. in Engineering (Civil Specialty) from Colorado School of Mines and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School; he is also a member of the National Petroleum Council .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denbury Inc. | President & CEO; Director | CEO/Director from July 2017 to Nov 2023; joined as COO Sep 2015; President Oct 2016 | Guided company through bankruptcy and emergence; company acquired by ExxonMobil Nov 2023 |
| Noble Energy | SVP, Global Operations Services; various international/domestic leadership roles | 14-year tenure prior to 2015 | Led operations across Eastern Mediterranean, Latin America, Gulf of Mexico |
| Mobil Oil Corporation | Engineer | Began career in 1989 | Early technical foundation in upstream operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOV Inc. | Director | Current | Public company directorship |
| California Resources Corporation | Director | Current | Public company directorship |
| National Petroleum Council | Member | Current | Industry policy advisory body membership |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Independence | Independent director | Board determined Kendall independent under NYSE rules |
| Committees | ESG & Safety; Governance & Nominating (member) | Board Nominees & Committee Memberships show Kendall as member of ES and GN |
| Attendance | Board met 4 times in 2024; directors attended 98% on average; Kendall not yet a director in 2024 | 2024 attendance and note that Kendall was not yet a director |
| Engagement | Independent directors meet in executive session; stockholder outreach regularly (65%+ shares) | Executive sessions and outreach highlighted |
| Governance practices | Independent Chair; majority voting; proxy access; clawback policy; non-hedging/pledging | Corporate governance highlights |
Fixed Compensation
| Type of Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $80,000 | Applies to non-employee directors |
| Additional Retainer for Chairman | $75,000 | Not applicable to Kendall (not Chair) |
| Audit Committee Chair | $25,000 | Chair-only fee |
| Compensation Committee Chair | $15,000 | Chair-only fee |
| Governance & Nominating Chair | $15,000 | Chair-only fee |
| ESG & Safety Chair | $15,000 | Chair-only fee |
| Meeting Fees | None | No per-meeting fees |
- Deferred Compensation: Directors may defer cash and/or equity into the Deferred Compensation Plan; directors can defer but do not receive company match; unvested restricted stock vests upon change in control; no tax reimbursement or special retirement awards .
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Restricted Stock Award (standard for non-employee directors, 2024) | May 8, 2024 | 5,410 shares | $200,000 aggregate fair value per director | Fully vested one year from grant (prorated as applicable) |
| Chairman additional restricted stock (2024) | May 8, 2024 | 7,438 shares | $75,000 additional | Fully vested one year from grant |
| Kendall initial restricted stock (as of Mar 17, 2025) | — | 1,106 unvested shares | — | Vests May 8, 2025 (listed in beneficial ownership table) |
- Stock ownership guideline for directors: 5x annual cash retainer; if not in compliance, required to retain 50% of shares from equity awards until compliant. As of the proxy date, all directors except Griffie and Kendall met guidelines; Kendall is subject to 50% retention .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Potential Interlock Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| NOV Inc. | Oilfield equipment/services | Range has a robust related-party review policy; no related person transactions disclosed for Kendall |
| California Resources Corporation | E&P (California) | No disclosed conflicts or related party transactions involving Kendall |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CEO/Senior Officer experience; Industry expertise; Financial reporting; Banking/Finance; Engineering/Geoscience; Technology; Risk Management; Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability (as highlighted in Board skills matrix) .
- Education: B.S. Engineering (Civil) – Colorado School of Mines; Advanced Management Program – Harvard Business School .
- Led Denbury through restructuring and strategic outcomes (emergence, eventual sale to ExxonMobil) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Directly Owned | Vested vs Unvested | Percent of Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian S. Kendall | 1,106 | Includes 1,106 unvested restricted shares vesting May 8, 2025 | <1% (asterisk indicates less than one percent) |
- Hedging/Pledging: Directors/officers prohibited from derivatives, short sales, or pledging new credit; no pledges reported as of proxy date .
- Ownership Guidelines: Director guideline 5x cash retainer; Kendall not yet compliant due to new appointment; must retain 50% of vesting shares until compliant .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent status and placement on ESG & Safety and Governance & Nominating aligns expertise with Range’s risk oversight and sustainability focus .
- Board governance framework is robust (independent Chair, majority voting, proxy access, clawback, non-hedging/pledging), supporting investor confidence .
- High board/committee attendance (98% in 2024) and regular executive sessions; strong stockholder engagement (65%+ outreach) and high say-on-pay support (98% in 2024), indicating a healthy governance culture .
- Director pay structure is modest and equity-linked (annual $200k RSA; 5x ownership guideline), promoting alignment; Kendall subject to retention policy until compliant .
-
Watch items and potential conflicts
- Ownership guideline shortfall: Kendall is not yet compliant due to recent appointment; retention requirement mitigates misalignment risk (monitor progress to guideline) .
- External boards: NOV Inc. (industry supplier) and CRC (E&P) — while no related person transactions are disclosed, ongoing monitoring of any business dealings or overlapping relationships is prudent under Range’s related-party review framework .
-
Red Flags
- None disclosed for Kendall: no related party transactions, no hedging/pledging, and independence affirmed .
-
Implications for investors
- Kendall’s deep operational background and restructuring leadership (Denbury) add crisis-management and technical rigor to ESG and governance oversight. His current ownership shortfall is typical for a new director and is addressed via mandatory share retention. Overall governance signals are supportive of board effectiveness and investor alignment .