Mr. Slocum is a consultant to international industries and investors on environmental, social and sustainable development risk management.  He has 25 years of experience in executing and leading environmental and social assessment and performance improvement programs, particularly for oil and gas industry activities.  This experience includes working both at the corporate level and supporting capital development programs in developing countries worldwide.  Among his distinctions are appointment as Chairman of a committee to publish a volume of best practices in environmental, health, safety and sustainability (EHSS) management for the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Dean is the founder and Principal of Acorn International, LLC and a former director of EHSS and Energy practices at two international management/technology consulting companies.

Professional Experience

Specific Experience in EHS/Sustainable Development Strategy and Organizational Change
Specific work experience includes directing teams of professionals in designing, assessing and implementing EHSS management systems and strategies for global energy companies.  In 2002-2005 he led a team of 20+ experts in performing assessments and developing organizational and management system improvements for PEMEX pipeline business and operations throughout Mexico under contract to executive management.  In 2000-present, he has led more than 10 similar assignments to design, assess and implement improvements in EHSS programs for Petrobras.  He has led similar assignments for BP, Exxon, Chevron, Anadarko, Kerr McKee, and several other national oil companies, independents and service companies.  He has also provided expert witness testimony and spoken to industry meetings regarding best practices in EHSS management systems.

Dean routinely works with senior management of companies interested in breakthrough performance improvement by implementing world class management practices and meeting international performance standards.  Specific examples of recent experience include:

• Diagnostic, benchmarking, organizational alignment, and development of management systems and guidelines for a major national energy company’s corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety program
• Diagnostic, benchmarking, management systems and strategy evaluation, and organizational restructuring for one of the world’s largest oil and gas company’s pipeline business, in response to multiple accidents and safety concerns
• Benchmarking and guidance for an industry consortium to define EHSS performance reporting practices, trends, and recommendations
• Strategy development and implementation support for corporate sustainable development program initiatives at four major energy companies.
• EHS management system assessments for multiple energy and service companies, in Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, and the US
• Post-merger integration of EHS function for one of the supermajor oil and gas companies
• Evaluation of industry sustainability performance reporting protocols to help define common industry reporting practices, working with multi-company task forces under 2 contracts to industry advocacy groups

Dean has developed methods for diagnosing EHSS strategy, understanding EHSS performance measurement and reporting, structuring EHSS functions, and managing corporate reputations within energy companies worldwide.

Specific Experience in Environmental and Socioeconomic Impact Assessment:
Mr. Slocum has led and performed more than 80 environmental and socioeconomic impact assessments worldwide, including over 60 for international oil and gas activities.  This experience includes performing EIA/SIA for various development programs, as well as developing guidelines and conducting training sessions in this area.  His experience includes performing NEPA studies for major US government-sponsored activities throughout the US, developing NEPA guidance documents for USEPA, developing and teaching a World Bank-sponsored EIA/SIA training course for national oil companies, and performing EIA/SIA for oil and gas development programs around the world.  Examples of EIA/SIA performed for oil and gas activities include: 

• LNG plant and pipeline in Trinidad and Tobago
• Transnational pipeline in West Africa
• Gas field development, processing facilities and pipeline in Kazakhstan
• Gas to liquids and natural gas liquids plants including pipelines and power transmission lines in Nigeria
• Refinery and road development in Angola
• Terminals and pipelines  in Argentina
• Drilling and production programs in Bolivia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Libya, Nigeria, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela
• Seismic and exploration drilling programs in Angola, Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Egypt, Nigeria, Russia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Dean has worked side by side with industry engineers and managers, financiers, regulators, and third party stakeholders/NGOs in performing these assessments.  He is recognized by Chevron as one of its external “Qualified ESHIA Facilitators” and has worked with Chevron to train other ESHIA Facilitators in southern Asia.

Mr. Slocum developed a protocol and a set of tools for guiding environmental and socioeconomic impact assessment in a complete and consistent manner worldwide.  The tool includes guidance to help host-country consultants and experts develop responsive execution plans, collect the data required, evaluate impacts, and document results in a world-class manner. He can apply these same tools to future assessments.

Specific Experience in EHSS Risk Assessment:
Mr. Slocum has facilitated environmental and social/reputational risk assessments for industrial operations and new developments worldwide.  Examples of recent experience include:

• Offshore oil and gas development in the US Gulf of Mexico
• Power Plant in Thailand
• Onshore oil exploration and production field in Colorado
• Onshore and offshore oil and gas production facilities throughout Texas, the Rocky Mountain states and Alaska
• Rare earth metals mine in California
• Offshore pipeline in Angola
• Onshore and offshore oil and gas production operations in Nigeria

Dean helped an international industry enhance and test an early EHSS risk identification tool, and co-authored a presentation to an international conference on best practices in early EHSS risk identification in 2007.  He has been certified by Chevron to be one of their Qualified EH/S risk management facilitators.

• National steel and aluminum industry in Venezuela
• Chemical plants in Korea, Spain, Canada and the US
• Oil fields and refineries in the former Soviet Republics, Africa and Latin America
• Agrifood plants worldwide
• LNG terminal site in US
• Largest steel industry in the US
• Numerous commercial and industrial facilities throughout the US

Dean has worked side by side with investors, attorneys, corporate executives and operations managers in performing these assessments. 

Mr. Slocum helped develop a protocol for guiding environmental due diligence in a complete and consistent manner, and also helped improve and test a method for quantitatively evaluating liabilities defined in environmental due diligence assessments. He can apply these same tools to future assessments.

Prior Professional Experience

Battelle Memorial Institute - Vice President, International Oil and Gas Market Manager
Developed and directed start up of $19million program to design and build a new pipeline/transportation business for PEMEX.  Directed worldwide Oil and Gas Market for Battelle’s $50million Energy and Environment Division.

Arthur D. Little, Inc. – Director
Worked with senior management of leading international corporations to solve high-profile environmental, social, reputation, and strategic issues.  Led global strategy assignments for energy industry ventures worldwide. Built and managed account relationships to anticipate, understand, and meet client needs. Managed teams of senior professionals and established new practices/offices in emerging markets.  Examples of results delivered include:

• Built foundation and strategy needed to help BP manage its reputation in the face of international allegations of environmental and social abuses in Colombia, represented BP in globally-telecast public forums and advised top BP executives and government leaders.
• Developed world-class risk management programs for Petrobras through re-organization, strategic planning, and implementation of performance metrics following a series of major spills and explosions.

Fugro International, Inc. - Senior Supervising Consultant
Led teams of scientists and engineers on environmental and feasibility assessments for international energy exploration programs and domestic ventures for private industries.  Cleared path for industrial developments to proceed equitably through expert witness testimony and negotiated agreements with NGOs. 

Maguire Group – Environmental Planner
Led facilities planning and coordinated public engagement programs for wastewater infrastructure improvements in US Caribbean territories and New York City.Built community consensus for new wastewater facilities on the remote island of Culebra, Puerto Rico by leading a bilingual, island-wide survey and public engagement program.

 Education

University of Hartford – MPA, Public Administration/Public Health, 1987 (MPA Award)

Bates College – BA, Sociology, 1983
Additional courses at Rice University and Ohio State University

Languages

Proficient Spanish; Intermediate Portuguese, Basic French and Greek