NCME Leadership

Officers and Directors

Jerry V. Curry, Chair

Mr. Curry is the current Chairman of the National Council of Minorities in Energy, a non-profit association dedicated to the establishment of the nation's premier non-profit business trade association promoting the development and utilization of minority-owned businesses in the energy related sector and energy related industries across the United States and international markets.

Mr. Curry is the founder of Victoria International LTD. (VIL) and since 1985 has served as its President and Chief Executive Officer. He's responsible for all activities relating to VIL's marketing and sales of energy products to public and private industry and international markets. VIL sells, distributes and provides management support of natural gas, heating oil to state/local governments and corporate accounts. In addition, Mr. Curry is the President and CEO of Coyanosa Gas Services Corporation, which since 1995 has provided financial services to small oil and gas exploration and production companies, and occasionally takes equity positions in the companies it provides investments.

Affiliations: Department of Energy, Natural Gas Minority Business Development Program Roundtable; George Mason University, Minority Advisory Board; Board of Director, Northern Virginia Urban League; American Association of Blacks in Energy; The Amos Tuck School of Business, (MBEP) Alumni Association.

Education: Cleveland College, Case Western Reserve University; M.B.E.P., The Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College.

Ezekiel Patten, Jr., Vice Chair


Patten Energy Enterprises was founded by Ezekiel Patten, Jr., who holds an MBA degree. Mr. Patten has an extensive background in the field of Petroleum Products Marketing. He began his career in Los Angeles in 1971, serving as a marketing trainee with the UNOCAL Corporation. He held numerous management positions during his 20 year career. He served as Vice President for the Sunbelt Oil Corporation from 1986 to 1990.

In 1990, Mr. Patten founded Patten Energy Enterprises, Inc, a diversified Energy Marketing and Consulting Firm specializing in marketing of petroleum products, natural gas products and alternative vehicle fuels consulting in the public and private sector.

Spencer D. Jordan (Sec'y)
Quantum Energy Resources, Inc.

Frank L. Torbert, Jr. (Treas.)
FLT Trading, Inc


William Bill Bethune, General Counsel
Pepper Hamilton LLP

William J. Bethune is of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Pepper Hamilton LLP.  He concentrates in commercial litigation and transactions, including entity formation and governance, strategic alliances, intellectual property, business torts and employment.  Bill is the pro bono coordinator of Pepper’s D.C. office and is actively involved in many non profits and public charities.

Board of Directors

Ms. Carmen L. Herrera, Director, Diverse Business Enterprises
San Diego Gas & Electric Co./ The Southern Gas Company

Ms. Suyen E. Pell, President
Anahau Energy

Mr. Ezekiel Patten, Jr., President
Patten Energy Enterprises, Inc.

Mr. Frank L. Torbert, Jr., President
FLT Trading,  Inc.

Mr. Joe Alderete, Manager, Supplier Diversity
Southern California Edison

Mr. Spencer D. Jordan, President
Quantum Energy Resources, Inc.

Mr. Frank S. Geary, President
Geary Energy, LLC

Mr. Jerry V. Curry, President
Coyanosa Gas Services Corporation

Policy Advisers

Ms. Vicky A. Bailey, President, Anderson Stratton International

Formerly President George W. Bush nominated Ms. Bailey to serve as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy and International Affairs, Department of Energy. In this position Ms. Bailey brought over 15 years of public and private sector experience in energy issues to the position. Ms. Bailey served as primary advisor to Secretary Spencer Abraham and senior Departmental management on issues related to the development and implementation of the nation’s energy policy.

Mr. C. Kyle Simpson, Senior Policy Advisor, Brownstein Hyatt & Farber P.C.

Mr. Simpson is Policy Director in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s, Washington, D.C. office. He specializes in helping client’s identify and take advantage of new market opportunities, manage difficult business and government relations issues, identify sources of capital, eliminate market barriers, and capture economic benefits. Previously Mr. Simpson served as the Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy on domestic and international energy matters. He was Founder and President and CEO of Morgan Meguire and has held numerous public and private positions within the energy industry.

Mr. Bert C. Ubamadu, an attorney and Managing Director, Fairmont Capital Strategy Group LLC

In this capacity, Mr. Ubamadu directs Fairmont and CSG a strategic advisory consulting practice in Africa and other emerging markets. Mr. Ubamadu comes to Fairmont CSG from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) where he developed, structured and documented multimillion dollar project finance, structured finance and trade finance transactions in Africa and other emerging markets over the last seven years. Mr. Ubamadu was a key member of Ex-Im Bank’s internal Africa Task Force and a strong advocate of the Bank’s efforts to increase financing support for the export of goods and services into Africa.

Juan Ramón Zarco,  Managing Director, Magellan International, Washington, D.C.

As Managing Director of Magellan International, located in Washington, D.C., with distinguished legal, finance and marketing training, Mr. Juan Ramon Zarco is focused on creating deals that draw on his impressive range of contacts and experience.

Barry K. Worthington, Executive Director, United States Energy Association.

Barry K. Worthington servers as the Executive Director of the United States Energy Association (USEA) where he directs the Association's domestic and international activities.  He as served in this capacity since September 1988.  Previously, he served as a Vice President of the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation and prior to that served in the several capacities with the Houston Lighting & Power Company, now known as Center Point.


Andrew Levetown, Managing Director, FTI Forensic and Consulting.

Andrew Levetown is a managing director in the FTI Forensic and Litigation Consulting practice and is based in Washington, DC. Mr. Levetown specializes in conducting complex investigations for senior management, boards of directors, and in-house and outside legal counsel. He has over 17 years of experience performing complex domestic and international investigations. Mr. Levetown has been retained to investigate issues pertaining to corporate combinations and business expansion, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution, intellectual property protection, frauds, defamation and the destruction of evidence.