SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
__________________________
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) May 14, 2004
Berry Petroleum Company
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 1-9735 77-0079387
(State or other (Commission IRS Employer
jurisdiction of File Number) Identification No.
incorporation)
5201 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 300 Bakersfield, CA 93309
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (661) 616-3900
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure
(c) Exhibits
The following Exhibits are hereby filed as part of this Current
Report on Form 8-K:
Exhibit 99 - Press Release dated May 14, 2004 regarding the
Registrant's announcing the designation of interim governance
procedures and the formation of a search committee for a
permanent president and chief executive officer.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
BERRY PETROLEUM COMPANY
By /s/ Kenneth A. Olson
Name: Kenneth A. Olson
Title: Corporate Secretary
and Treasurer
May 14, 2004
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News Release
Berry Petroleum Company Phone (661) 616-3900
5201 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 300 E-mail: ir@bry.com
Bakersfield, California 93309-0640 Internet: www.bry.com
Contacts:
Robert F. Heinemann, Chairman, Interim President and Interim CEO
Ralph J. Goehring, Senior Vice President and CFO
BERRY PETROLEUM COMPANY DESIGNATES INTERIM GOVERNANCE
PROCEDURES AND NAMES SEARCH COMMITTEE
BAKERSFIELD, CA - May 14, 2004 - Berry Petroleum Company (NYSE:BRY)
announced that the board of directors has formed a Search Committee
to direct the process leading to the naming of a permanent president
and chief executive officer. The Search Committee consists of Mr.
Martin H. Young, Chairman, Mr. Ralph B. Busch, III, and Mr. John A.
Hagg.
During this period, while Mr. Robert Heinemann serves as interim
president and chief executive officer as well as chairman of the
board, the executive sessions of the board will be chaired in his
absence on a rotating basis by the respective Chairmen of the Audit
Committee, Mr. Martin H. Young; the Corporate Governance and
Nominating Committee, Mr. J. Herbert Gaul; and the Compensation
Committee, Mr. Thomas J. Jamieson. Further, during this period, Mr.
Heinemann will not be deemed an ex-officio member of any of the board
committees. Although persons designated as ex-officio members
neither have a right to attend meetings, nor to vote, nevertheless
the ex-officio designation of the chairman of the board as to the
committees is suspended and all members of the board committees are
independent.
Mr. Heinemann stated, "The board is proceeding expeditiously in the
search and while a specific timetable can not be predicted, the
board's goal is to complete the process over the next three to four
months. In the meantime, the board is very appreciative of all of
the efforts of the Berry employees, particularly the management team,
as we continue to enjoy outstanding operating and financial results."
Berry Petroleum Company is a publicly traded independent oil and gas
production and exploitation company with its headquarters in
Bakersfield, California.
This release may contain descriptions of the Company's expectations
regarding future business activities. These forward-looking
statements are made in reliance upon safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Accordingly, actual
results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-
looking statements.
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