James W. Christmas '70CBA began his professional career by
securing an internship at the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen
when he was still an undergraduate at St. John’s University.
His internship led to a paid position at the firm, which he
immediately started on a day between his last final examination and
commencement. During his career at Arthur Andersen, Christmas
worked with a variety of clients, primarily in the energy areas of
oil, gas and electric utilities.
Christmas left Arthur Andersen as Senior Manager in March, 1978 to
accept the position of Corporate Controller at National Utilities
and Industries, a diversified gas utility company with a variety of
ancillary energy businesses. While at National Utilities and
Industries his responsibilities included troubleshooting problems
at a number of subsidiary companies, and his success led him to
also serve as President and/or Vice President at several of these
subsidiaries.
Christmas had been serving as Vice President of Planning and
Development when he orchestrated the spinoff of National Utilities
and Industries’ non regulated businesses in 1988 and became
President and CEO of KCS Group, a newly created company which later
became KCS Energy. Under his leadership, KCS grew from a tiny
startup to a nearly $2 billion enterprise. In 2006 KCS Energy
merged with Petrohawk Energy Corporation, an independent energy
company engaged in the acquisition, production, exploration and
development of oil and gas, with properties concentrated in North
Louisiana, Arkansas, East Texas, South Texas and Oklahoma.
Petrohawk became one of the premier oil and gas companies involved
in the new shale gas technology which is adding significantly to
the nation’s gas supplies. In 2011 Petrohawk was acquired by
BHP Billiton for $15 billion.
Christmas is retired and currently serves as a Director of
Petrohawk Energy Corporation and as Chairman of its Financial
Reporting Committee. In addition, he is a Director of Halcon
Resources, Inc. and serves as Chairman of its Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee and a member of its Audit Committee.
He is also a Senior Financial Advisor to a private oil and gas
company and a member of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business
Advisory Board.
Eileen Christmas also shares a commitment to the mission and
students of St. John’s University.
Growing up in a devout family that stressed the importance of
religion, she attended her parish elementary school, followed by
high school at The Mary Louis Academy and college at Niagara
University. It was at Niagara that she met her husband, and they
married at the completion of her Sophomore year.
The couple relocated to Queens and Jim transferred to St. John’s
University to complete his degree while Eileen began teaching at a
local Catholic elementary school. She put her career on hold to
raise her family, and over the years has put her Vincentian ideals
into action by devoting herself to countless volunteer activities
within the Catholic Church.
She has taught Pre-Kindergarten and Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine (C.C.D.) classes in her parish school, served as a member
of the Religious Education Committee and shared her faith with
those in need as both a Eucharistic Minister and a Consolation
Minister.
Both James and Eileen Christmas are committed to providing
opportunities for hardworking students to secure a quality
education by taking advantage of all that St. John’s has to
offer