EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Rob gerhard, chief executive officer
Rob is a Chartered Accountant (SA), CFA charterholder, and holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering. He founded Riverside Energy in 2010 to pursue U.S. oil and gas investments. A major milestone was the 2016 acquisition of Chevron’s Michigan assets, backed by White Deer Energy. Since that acquisition, Riverside has completed eleven acquisitions of upstream properties and associated midstream infrastructure. Under Rob’s leadership, Riverside has become Michigan’s largest natural gas producer and a CCS leader with a sustained, long-term commitment to carbon capture and storage, employing more than 250 people across Michigan, Indiana, and Texas and sequestering approximately 450,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Prior to Riverside, Rob held roles at KPMG, Monitor-Deloitte, and founded Umbono Capital, which built a strong investment portfolio in mining ventures during the 2000s.
Rob symons, chief financial officer
Rob Symons is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and has served as Chief Financial Officer of Riverside Energy Group since 2012. With more than two decades of experience, Rob has played a key role in guiding Riverside Energy through multiple mergers and acquisitions, providing financial leadership and overseeing integration strategies to support long-term growth. His background spans corporate finance, risk management, and operational efficiency, complemented by early career experience directing economic development programs in emerging markets through an international aid organization.
Helen Speek, VP of Corporate Business Development
Helen serves as VP of Corporate Business Development, leading strategic initiatives and major transactions such as acquisitions, mergers, and joint ventures to support Riverside’s growth and long-term value creation. She is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Valuation Analyst and holds an MBA from the University of Delaware. Her experience includes senior roles at KPMG and Deloitte, management advisory work with McKinsey, and CFO leadership positions across the energy and industrial sectors. She brings deep expertise in M&A, valuation, and operational finance.
JIM SCHRAMSKI, chief operating officer
Jim leads Riverside Energy Group’s operations with a focus on safety, reliability, and innovation. With expertise in upstream, midstream, CCUS, and renewable natural gas (RNG), he oversees design, permitting, construction, and compliance activities that support the company’s growth and sustainability goals. Jim began his energy career in 2008 with Atlas Energy, developing natural gas fields in the New Albany Shale, and later advanced through engineering roles at Chevron North America E&P before joining Riverside in 2016. Since then, he has led major CCS and RNG initiatives that position the company at the forefront of the energy transition. He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, graduating summa cum laude, and is a licensed Professional Engineer.