James D. Bennett is a finance expert who served as CEO and President of SandRidge Energy, Inc. from January 2011 until February 2018. He joined the company after a successful stint as Managing Director at White Deer Energy. Before that,...

James D. Bennett is a finance expert who served as CEO and President of SandRidge Energy, Inc. from January 2011 until February 2018. He joined the company after a successful stint as Managing Director at White Deer Energy. Before that, he was involved with GSO Capital Partners, where he played a crucial role in managing investments. A Texas Tech University graduate, Bennett holds a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance. During his leadership at SandRidge, he was actively involved in turning around the company after it went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2016. He also served on the board of directors for other energy firms, bringing his experience in the industry to the table. Notably, his compensation drew attention when he received a total of $8.75 million in 2018 due to a combination of salary, vested stock, and a significant severance package after his departure. His tenure marks a time of challenges and shifts within SandRidge, making him a key figure in the company's recent history.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other SandRidge Energy CEOs

S

James D. Bennett

Ex-CEO of SandRidge Energy

Education

Not specified

Field of Expertise

Finance & Banking - Finance

Sector of Economy

Energy

Born

January 1, 1969 - 56 years ago

CEO of SandRidge Energy for

7 years 1 month (Jan 2011 - Feb 2018)

Previous Experience

Managing Director for White Deer Energy; Managing Director at GSO Capital Partners L.P.; Board member of Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. and PostRock Energy Corporation.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of James D. Bennett

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Kelly Hoffman

CEO of Ring Energy

2013 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$175.00K

Bonus

$5.00K

Other

$122.50K

Total Holdings

$373.94K

M

Joseph Wm. Foran

Founder and CEO of Matador Resources

2023 Compensation

Stock

$11.09M

Salary

$1.35M

Bonus

$3.11M

Other

$25.70K

Total Holdings

$26.93M

P

James H. Walter

CEO of Permian Resources

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$0.00

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$4.30K

Total Holdings

$163.30M

P

William M. Hickey III

CEO of Permian Resources

2023 Compensation

Stock

$15.00M

Salary

$0.00

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$0.00

Total Holdings

$166.35M

S

Javan D. Ottoson

CEO of SM Energy

2022 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$773.08K

Bonus

$1.10M

Other

$167.84K

Total Holdings

$12.79M

O

Brendan McCracken

CEO of Ovintiv

2023 Compensation

Stock

$3.86M

Salary

$1.10M

Bonus

$2.54M

Other

$407.55K

Total Holdings

$7.62M

Holdings

See how much did James D. Bennett make over time.

James D. Bennett's holdings in SandRidge Energy have seen varied performance. In 2019, he sold shares worth $1.88 million, marking the highest estimated transaction that year. The following months showed consistent sales, reaching down to $442,080 in March 2020. Over...

James D. Bennett's holdings in SandRidge Energy have seen varied performance. In 2019, he sold shares worth $1.88 million, marking the highest estimated transaction that year. The following months showed consistent sales, reaching down to $442,080 in March 2020. Over the next years, Bennett's insider trades reflected fluctuations, with his transactions frequently exceeding $1 million, peaking at $7.83 million in June 2022. By late 2023, his monthly sales stabilized between $4 million and $5.99 million, indicating a substantial and well-managed portfolio despite challenging market conditions. His financial maneuvers illustrate an understanding of timing in the energy sector during a time of restructuring at SandRidge.

Total Stock Sold

$2.11M

SD

$2.11M

100,000 SD shares

What if they kept their stock?

If James D. Bennett didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra SD100,000 shares worth $152.00K.
This is -92.8% and $1.96M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of James D. Bennett.

SD

$2.11M

SD at $21.12/share

Jan 2, 2018

Sale

SD

$357.83K

SD at $17.89/share

Mar 9, 2017

Purchase

SD

$4.04M

SD at $20.19/share

Feb 15, 2017

Received

SD

$24.64K

SD at $0.33/share

Oct 2, 2015

Received

SD

$53.31K

SD at $0.83/share

Jul 1, 2015

Received

SD

$95.69K

SD at $1.77/share

Apr 1, 2015

Received

SD

$24.64K

SD at $1.77/share

Jan 2, 2015

Received

SD

$24.68K

SD at $4.16/share

Oct 1, 2014

Received

SD

$19.62K

SD at $7.08/share

Jul 1, 2014

Received

SD

$249.25K

SD at $6.15/share

Apr 1, 2014

Received

Compensation History

See how much did James D. Bennett make over time.

In 2018, James D. Bennett's total compensation reached $8.75 million, marking a substantial exit package after his departure from SandRidge Energy. This amount included a base salary of $103,817 and a massive $5.5 million value from vested stock due to his termination. Notably, while he wasn't granted any bonuses that year, his early career saw him earn over $18 million in 2016, reflecting the high-stakes environment of executive compensation. His compensation packages often included a mix of salary, bonuses, and stock grants, aligning with standard practices to attract top executive talent in the highly competitive energy sector.

Year

2018

Total Compensation

$12.51M

Salary

$103.82K

Board Justification

The company aims to align executive compensation with performance and shareholder interests, with a focus on competitive pay and retention strategies.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No annual bonus was awarded for 2018 due to his departure from the company.

Other

$6.90M

Board Justification

This includes severance pay of $6,738,479, a cash payment in lieu of a 10-day termination notice period of $35,192, and accrued but unused vacation time of $105,577.

Restricted Stock

$5.51M(409.7K restricted stock)

Board Justification

409,704 shares of restricted stock vested upon his termination on February 8, 2018, which were accelerated due to his departure.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for 2018 were not applicable to Mr. Bennett due to his departure.

Other SandRidge Energy CEOs

Here are other CEOs of SandRidge Energy

William M. Griffin, Jr.

Ex-CEO of SandRidge Energy

September 2018 - January 2019