The 2005 Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show Centennial Anniversary Luncheon will honour not only the 100-year founding of the province, but also its people and products and the contributions they've made to the oil and gas industry in the province and beyond.

"The oil and gas industry is absolutely full of highly successful oil and gas executives at all levels that were Saskatchewan born and bred and educated," said Sask. Oil and Gas Show co-director and organizer Ron Jeffery. "The 'who's who' of the Canadian oil industry - a big majority of them come from a Saskatchewan background."

Such as Centennial luncheon guest speaker Hank Swartout, CEO of Precision Drilling Corporation, Jeffery says. Swartout is the perfect example of an individual from Saskatchewan who went on to do great things in the industry, he says, and represents the perfect choice as speaker for the Centennial reunion theme of the luncheon.

As chairman, president, and CEO of Precision Drilling Corporation, Swartout has lead the company's growth as a small Canadian drilling firm in 1985 to a major international oilfield services company with revenues of $1.9 billion in 2003.

A 1977 petroleum engineering honours graduate from the University of Wyoming, Swartout has also served as manager of Bawden Western Oceanic Offshore in Canada, spent four years as vice-president of rig design and construction for Dreco, and was vice-president of construction for Nabors Drilling Canada from 1978-80.

As Jeffery and the Oil and Gas Show committee have billed the luncheon as a reunion of sorts, they hope as many past and present Saskatchewan oil and gas people will attend as possible.

"The theme is it's Saskatchewan's 100th anniversary and we're really celebrating the contribution the oil and gas industry has made to the province, and the contribution citizens of the province have made to the industry," he said.

Premier Lorne Calvert and Eric Cline, minister of Industry and Resources, will speak at the luncheon to acknowledge these contributions.

The Board of Governors, a group of oil industry executives based largely in Calgary, will present the Saskatchewan Oilpatch Awards and name the province's 2005 Oilman of the Year. Jeffery said the Board of Governors make their decisions in Calgary and use the Weyburn Oil and Gas show as the venue through which to present their awards.