BELFIELD, N.D., Feb. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meridian Energy Group, Inc., the leading developer of innovative and environmentally-compliant oil refining facilities, is pleased to announce that its Founder, and Member of the Board of Directors, Tom Williams, has decided to step down from his day-to-day management role in the Company to devote his efforts to promoting the Davis Refinery story and Company progress to the Shareholder Relations team and to the Davis Family Partners.
Mr. Williams has been heading up Permitting and Regulatory Affairs for Meridian since its founding in 2013, which includes the land use and air quality permitting activities in support of the Davis Refinery, which will be built just west of Belfield, in Billings County, North Dakota. Davis received its conditional use permit and rezoning approvals for siting the facility near Belfield from Billings County in July, 2016. On January 26, 2018, the public comment period for the draft air quality Permit to Construct from the North Dakota Department of Health ended, and award of the final Permit to Construct is expected within a few months.
Meridian was founded by Davis Family Partners, a partnership headed up by Mr. Williams which was formed to purchase and manage North Dakota agricultural and mineral assets that are derived from the Family’s original roots in North Dakota. The members of Partners are all descendants of people who left North Dakota to find employment during the early 1900s, a recurring theme in North Dakota. When Mr. Williams and other members of the Partners group saw the oil-related activity in the Bakken, they decided to form Meridian as a venture that would create long-term employment opportunity for a new generation of North Dakotans.
Said Mr. Williams, “Now that the Permit to Construct has emerged from the public comment period, the focus will shift on responding to those comments that are relevant to the Permit to Construct and then to finalizing that document. The period during which I can make the greatest contribution to Meridian and the Davis Project is nearing a successful completion, and I would like to focus more of my time on promoting the Davis Refinery throughout North Dakota and within our shareholder community. I will continue to represent the Davis Family Partners on the Meridian Board, and I will continue to do whatever I can to ensure the success of the Davis Refinery. The Davis Family Partners continues to fully support Mr. William Prentice and his Meridian Executive team in the execution of this and future projects.”
William Prentice, Chairman and CEO of Meridian, added that, “Tom and I have worked closely since he first brought me in to head up the Meridian team. It was Mr. Williams who set the objectives of focusing on employment opportunity for local North Dakota residents and in making the Davis Refinery the cleanest refinery on the planet. When completed, Davis will create nearly 2,400 direct, indirect and induced jobs, and by setting a new bar for environmental compliance with the refinery industry, Davis will change the industry forever. I believe that this is an incredible legacy for Mr. Williams and the Davis Family Partners.”
About Meridian Energy Group, Inc.
The Mission of Meridian Energy Group, Inc. is to provide long-term shareholder value through the development and operation of the cleanest, most efficient and environmentally-compliant crude oil refineries in the world, benefiting the communities and their investors. Established in 2013, Meridian is led by industry experts with a combined 500 years of world-class expertise in energy & hydrocarbon processing, project development, finance, and large capital project management. Meridian Energy Group, Inc.’s current headquarters is in Belfield, ND.
For more information, visit: http://www.meridianenergygroupinc.com
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