Our Team
Connie Love, Owner & CEO
Connie Love serves as CEO of John Henry Oil and Innovative Energy Services. She was born and raised in South Central Kentucky and grew up in the Appalachian oilfields observing the work of her father, John Henry Love, Jr. Connie studied economics at Tulane University and liberal arts at Smith College. Connie directs all corporate and financial aspects of JHO and Innovative Energy, but her passion is “the rocks” and she is typically in the field and heavily involved in operations. With more than 30 years of direct field, operations and oil and gas management experience, Connie learned the business “from the mud up”. Connie and her team intend to utilize their localized field knowledge and key area relationships to significantly enhance the Company’s success and build value.
Sarah Goedert, CFO
Sarah Goedert has been with John Henry Oil/Innovative Energy Services for over eight years and works directly with the CEO on the corporation's accounting, financial and operational reports. She also performs accounting functions for the partnerships that JHO manages. Sarah graduated cum laude with a B.A. from the University of Alabama, where she received a full academic scholarship and held multiple leadership positions. She attained her M.B.A. from Brenau University and completed graduate level coursework in finance, investments, and accounting.
Frank J. DiGnazio, PG, Chief Geologist
Frank DiGnazio is a Licensed Professional Geologist in the States of Tennessee and Pennsylvania who joined JHO/Innovative in 2022 as their Chief Geologist and has had a working relationship with JHO/Innovative that dates to 2015, during which time he served as a Consulting Geologist to the companies. With over 27 years of managing complex geologic investigations, Frank has worked as a contractor for various major oil, natural gas, and electric energy suppliers throughout the United States, and as a petroleum developmental geologist on geologic plays in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Frank has previously held the role of Vice President of Geology for a privately held petroleum exploration and production company based in northwestern Pennsylvania. Frank specializes in carbonate (Limestone and Dolomite) bedrock geology, particularly in the understanding of the development of secondary porosity features in these rock types, which is directly relevant to the petroleum reservoirs of interest to JHO/Innovative. Frank is responsible for using this knowledge to help identify viable prospects for drilling in the JHO programs. Frank holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science degree in Geology from Indiana University at Bloomington. Both degreed programs involved original research focused on Ordovician and Mississippian carbonate rocks analogous to the rocks comprising the plays being developed by JHO/Innovative. He is currently a member of the Association of American Petroleum Geologists.
Marvin Jessie, Director of Field Operations
Marvin serves as Director of Field Operations for John Henry Oil and Innovative Energy Services. He has been involved in day to day field operations with the Love family since 1982. While he has extensive field experience, more importantly, he is a person who does what it takes to get the job done. He not only excels at operations management, he has a knack for developing and maintaining good working relations with the landowners and the folks in the rural communities where drilling operations often take place.
Bobby Spriggs, Master Rig Operator
Bobby has over 39 years of rig experience in the oil fields of West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. He started as a rig hand in 1982 and was promoted to master rig operator in 1994. While much of his 39-year career in the oil field has been spent safely running service rigs, he also has a broad experience base with well completions. This knowledge base includes frac flow backs, top hole completions, well equipment set up and heavy equipment operation. He has worked for companies such as Equitable and Columbia Natural Resources and joined the team at John Henry Oil/Innovative Energy Services as Master Rig Operator in 2017.
Dwight Jessie, Field Geologist, Rig Operator Apprentice & Clay County Operations Manager
Dwight represents the fourth generation of the Love Family in the oil field and has been in and around the industry for much of his life. Prior to joining John Henry Oil/Innovative Energy Services, Dwight graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from Denison University. During his time at Denison, Dwight spent a semester abroad studying geology in Wellington, New Zealand and went to field camp in the Basin and Range Province of the United States with the University of Nevada, Reno. Dwight spends his time studying the local geology of our region and plays a large role in the production and exploration aspect of the industry. He is responsible for the production of all wells in Clay County and works as an apprentice on our Walker-Neer service rig.
Hannah Kress, Administrative & Marketing Assistant
Hannah has worked on the administrative side of John Henry Oil and Innovative Energy Services for over five years. She has extensive experience in writing, as well as minor experience in marketing, public relations and graphic design. Hannah assists in marketing functions and performs daily administrative duties for both John Henry Oil and Innovative Energy Services. Hannah graduated from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, and minor in English-Literature.