Prairie Operating Co. Names Gregory Patton CEO, Michael Shelly CFO
PROP•Prairie Operating Co. has promoted Gregory S. Patton to Chief Executive Officer and board member effective immediately and appointed Michael J. Shelly as Chief Financial Officer. Patton spearheaded the company’s financial expansion since April 2025 while Shelly brings over 20 years of natural resources investment banking experience.
1. Executive Appointments
Prairie Operating Co. announced the immediate promotion of Gregory S. Patton to Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, alongside the appointment of Michael J. Shelly as Chief Financial Officer. Rich Frommer will transition from Interim CEO back to a board director role.
2. Leadership Backgrounds
Patton, aged 40, has served as Prairie’s Executive Vice President and CFO since April 2025 and drove significant operational and financial expansion. Shelly joins from Citigroup’s Natural Resources Group, where he spent over two decades advising on M&A and capital markets transactions.
3. Strategic Focus
Under the new leadership, Prairie plans to optimize its capital structure, pursue disciplined growth in the DJ Basin, and enhance long-term shareholder value through operational execution, disciplined capital allocation, and balance sheet improvement.
