Chief Executive Officer & President

Charles Goodson began his career in the oil and gas industry in 1977 with Mobil Oil Corporation in New Orleans, Louisiana as a Landman. In 1980, he joined Callon Petroleum Company in Natchez, Mississippi and was promoted to Regional Land Manager in 1983 and Land Manager in 1984.

In 1985, Mr. Goodson became a co-founder, owner and President of American Explorer, Inc., an exploration and production company located in Lafayette, Louisiana. In 1995, he co-founded and became a partner of American Explorer, LLC. The main focus of the company was exploration in the Gulf Coast Region of the Southern United States and the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico. In 1998, American Explorer, LLC merged with PetroQuest Energy, Inc., and Mr. Goodson became its President and Chief Executive Officer. He served as Chairman of the Board from May 2000 to January 2019.  Currently, he serves as Chief Executive Officer and President.

Mr. Goodson is a member of the Lafayette Association of Petroleum Landmen and the American Association of Petroleum Landmen.  He is also a member of IberiaBank’s Lafayette Advisory Board, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Energy Advisory Council and a past member of the Board of Directors of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, the Governor’s Energy Policy Advisory Commission and the Young President’s Organization (YPO). His civic organization memberships include the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Acadiana. Mr. Goodson is past Regional Governor – Louisiana (Southwest) for the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and past Chairman of the Louisiana Independent Oil and Gas Association (LIOGA).