Richard “Rick” Fritz, a past AAPG president with decades of leadership experience at all levels of Association governance, has been named executive director of the AAPG Foundation.
The AAPG Foundation Trustees, during the group’s May meeting, selected Fritz to fill the position previously held by David Curtiss, who stepped down from that position for both the Foundation and AAPG in December 2024.
Curtiss continues with the Foundation in a consulting and advisory role.
“We’re very happy to announce Rick to this important position for the Foundation, because he has always been a valuable and visionary talent in helping us to be better in all we do – and we’re on the cusp of some very important chapters in our story,” said Trustees Chair Jim McGhay.
In selecting Fritz for the executive director position, the Foundation is turning to a person familiar with the job. Fritz, an AAPG member since 1975, served as executive director of both AAPG and the AAPG Foundation from 1999-2011, when he resigned to take a position as an exploration geologist with SM Energy Co.
“(This time) it’s different,” Fritz said, “not only because the Foundation is three times bigger than before but also because I’m not sharing my time as I did when I was also the Association executive director.
“Although I will work closely with the Association,” he added, “now I can focus entirely on the needs of the Foundation with the guidance of the Trustees, staff and other Trustee Associates.”
The timing of this move, McGhay said, is important,
“We have some very exciting things planned in the coming months, and those changes and innovations are going to be very challenging,” McGhay said. “We think that, in having Rick as our executive director, we’ll have access to our own focused leadership for these next chapters, which will be crucial for both the Foundation as well as the Association.
“We will continue to work very closely with AAPG and its new executive director, Tom Wilker, to develop and support the future of the geosciences,” he said.
McGhay also applauded the Trustees’ long, strong working relationship with Fritz.
“Rick has demonstrated again and again to us his excellence in leadership and his valuable experience in helping to guide us toward what we believe is an amazing tomorrow for the Foundation,” he added.
“We’re eager to get started and roll out some new opportunities for our donors, grantees and programs we support.”
Familiarity
Fritz, currently GEO-CEO of Xplora Energy in Tulsa, has been continually and passionately active in both AAPG as well as the Foundation since stepping away from the staff position in 2011.
Included in that engagement, he was chair of the Foundation Trustee Associates from 2015-16, and he was elected president of AAPG in 2019.
More recently, in June 2023 Fritz started a new role as chair of AAPG Foundation Advancement, a position designed to develop and maintain a structure of comradery among the Foundation supporters.
That position has allowed him to contact and interact with nearly all members of the Trustee Associates on a personal basis – helping both the individuals and the Foundation to become more effective in reaching their goals.
“One thing the Trustees have worked on for the last several years is improved communications with the Trustee Associates, members, students, other professionals and the general public,” Fritz said. “This is the second year I will try to call each Trustee Associate to see how they are doing. I picked up a lot of information and stories on my first calls and look forward to working with other Trustee Associates to build a stronger more engaged community.”
For Fritz, working for and on behalf of the Foundation is as natural as drinking cold water on a hot day.
“The AAPG Foundation is really the backbone of the Association and provides support for many of its programs, especially those that support students,” Fritz said. “In addition, the AAPG Foundation works with other societies such as Earth Science Week with AGI and Geoscientists Without Borders with SEG. We also work with smaller groups to help with programs that meet the Foundation’s mission such as ‘Rockd.’
“The overarching goal set by the Trustees is to change the focus of the Foundation from reactive to proactive,” he continued. “We are looking to better define the Foundation’s mission not only to our members but also the general public.”
Today, the stated mission is “Maintain and grow a permanent non-profit foundation supporting educational and scientific activities in the field of geology.”
“Growth and support, along with outreach and education are keys for the evolution of the Foundation,” he said, “as we look for new opportunities to serve.”
Fritz, in addition to serving on and often leading a plethora of AAPG and Foundation committees throughout the past decade plus – including president of the Division of Professional Affairs – he was not only active but successful in leading previous Foundation financial campaigns. In addition to his role as a TA, Fritz is a Member of the Corporation.
In 2022 he received the Foundation Chairman’s Award, given for “extraordinary contributions – monetary or service – to the Foundation.”
A native Oklahoman, Fritz received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from Oklahoma State University. He started his career with Exxon, and before joining AAPG he was president of Masera Corp., in Tulsa.
He has received several awards, including DPA Life Membership and Distinguished Service; an AAPG Certificate of Merit; the AAPG Harrison Schmitt Award; the AAPG Distinguished Service Award; and, most recently, he was named a 2026 AAPG Honorary Member.
“The Foundation is one of AAPG’s greatest success stories,” Fritz said. “Since it started out with Michel Halbouty in 1968, AAPG members and non-members have given generously to many good causes for students, professionals and the general public.
“I’m looking forward to helping us find new ways to support the geosciences of tomorrow.”