Wade Pursell is currently the executive vice president and chief financial officer of SM Energy Company. Mr. Pursell joined SM Energy in September 2008. Prior to joining SM Energy, Mr. Pursell was recruited to Helix Energy Solutions in 1997 (formerly Cal Dive International), as vice president and treasurer to understudy and eventually succeed Mr. Jim Nelson, the incumbent chief financial officer. In addition to his transitioning activities, his primary duty was to lead Cal Dive’s IPOs.

In November of 2000, he was promoted to chief financial officer, reporting to the chief executive officer. During his tenure, he built and supervised a staff of 120 from the vice presidents of Finance, Accounting (CAO), Tax, Internal Audit, and IT (CIO).

During his time with Helix, the company rose from $100 million in revenues and $200 million in EV with two locations to its current status of revenues of more than $2 billion and EV of $5 billion and nine locations and 2,000 employees around the world. To accomplish this, the company needed to execute several complex transactions, which Mr. Pursell orchestrated. Mr. Pursell spent his first ten years following graduation in Arthur Andersen’s Energy Audit Practice.

He rose from the position of accountant to senior accountant manager, and eventually to senior manager in the Oilfield Services Industry. Mr. Pursell graduated from the University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas, with a bachelor of arts in 1987.