Helmerich & Payne Inc. appointed Thomas A. Petrie to the company's board of directors. He is chairman of Strategic Energy Advisors, a Denver-based investment banking firm that offers financial advisory services to the oil and gas industry.

Petrie served as a vice chairman of Bank of America until April of 2012. He was also a vice chairman of Merrill Lynch until its acquisition by Bank of America in 2009.

Petrie is also a former managing director and senior oil analyst of First Boston Corp. and, throughout his career, he has been an active advisor on more than $200 billion of energy related mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.