Wayne L Laufer

Laufer is the retired co-founder and CEO of Bois d’Arc Energy Inc., an NYSE Houston-based company that specialized in offshore oil and natural gas exploration and production. Laufer retired from Bois d’Arc executive management in November 2007 but remained active on the board of directors until the company was sold to Stone Energy Corp. for $1.4 billion in August 2008. Since earning his civil engineering degree from the Rolla campus, Laufer’s career has been in the energy industry. His first job out of college was as a production engineer for Shell Oil Co. He worked in various capacities for Shell from 1967-1977, then co-founded an independent energy consulting company in 1977. He served as vice president of operations and production for two independent companies from 1980-1983. In 1984, he co-founded Bois d’Arc Resources and Bois d’Arc Operating Corp. and served as managing partner and president until all company assets were sold in December 1997. Continuing the Bois d’Arc tradition, Bois d’Arc Offshore was formed in 1998 and was active in Gulf of Mexico exploration until it was folded into the Bois d’Arc Energy Inc. initial public offering in 2005. Formerly a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas, Laufer is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. The Laufers now live in Sanibel, Fla., and spend their summers on San Juan Island, Wash.