Mr. Swanson is the chairman and CEO of Ridgewood Energy. He founded the firm in 1982 with an innovative approach of capitalizing US oil and gas exploration through private equity fund capital. After four years of investing in onshore US energy, Ridgewood Energy began investing in the offshore Gulf of Mexico in 1986, initially in the shallow waters. Since 2008, Ridgewood’s investment focus has been on deepwater Gulf of Mexico oil assets. Under Mr. Swanson’s leadership, Ridgewood Energy has raised over $6.5 billion in capital and commitments for US oil and gas investments since its inception. Prior to forming Ridgewood Energy, Mr. Swanson was a tax partner at the former New York and Los Angeles law firm of Fulop & Hardee, and an officer in the Trust and Investment Division of Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. His specialty was in personal tax and financial planning including income, estate, and gift tax. Mr. Swanson earned his AB from Amherst College and received his JD from Fordham University Law School. He and his wife, Barbara, wrote Tax Shelters: A Guide for Investors and Their Advisors, which was published by Dow Jones.