PGE Recognizes 2010 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

The award is given annually to UT PGE alumni who are leaders in the oil and gas industry — educators, executives, innovators and entrepreneurs with unmatched industry expertise.

Meet the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Honorees:

Ernest Cockrell, Jr.

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1936
M.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1936

Ernest Cockrell Jr.’s substantial support of his alma mater and his service on its councils were prompted by a strong sense of gratitude he felt for the education he received at The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in petroleum engineering in 1936. He was a member of one of the first petroleum engineering classes at UT Austin and would help launch the petroleum industry as we know it today.

Ernie served on the UT Development Board from 1959 until his death in 1972 at the age of 57. He was also a founding member of the Chancellor’s Council, charter member of the UT Engineering Foundation, and chairman and charter member of the advisory board of the Department of Petroleum Engineering. Named a Distinguished Graduate of the College of Engineering in 1962, he was a life member of the UT Ex-Students’ Association and an honorary member of the “T” Association.

Ernie devoted most of his energies to the exploration for and the development of oil and gas, but he also had interests in ranching, banking, real estate and investments. A product of the depression, he was a self-made man, as was his father before him. After working a short time for Texaco, Ernie formed both an oil company, Producer’s Oil, and a drilling workover company. He would go on to serve as president of Production Maintenance Company and Oil Production Maintenance, Inc. (1942-1955), president of Texas Production Company (1948-1972) and chairman of the board of the Cockrell Corporation (1966-1972). He was also a director of Bank of the Southwest, Southwest Bancshares, Inc., Pennzoil Company and Duval Corporation.

Ernie’s legacy of giving has continued even four decades after his death. Over time, the Cockrell Foundation has funded 29 endowed chairs and each year awards 331 undergraduate scholarships and 34 graduate student fellowships. More than that, the impact of The Cockrell Foundation can be felt through the support of the friends and companies who have been inspired by Ernie’s vision of philanthropy. In July 2007, the Board of Regents of The University of Texas at Austin renamed the College of Engineering the Cockrell School of Engineering in honor of Ernest D. Cockrell and his wife, Virginia. Their estate gifts have developed the equivalent of a $220 million endowment for the school, which continues to grow to this day.

Lois Folger

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1984
M.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1995

Lois graduated in 1984 with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Lois was a member of the UT Freshman Engineering Honor Society, where she benefited from the smaller class size and engaging professors. Under the tutelage of the legendary mathematics professor Dr. William Guy, Lois won first place at the Albert A. Bennett Calculus contest. Lois thoroughly enjoyed her time at UT and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She received her degree after three years of study.

Originally from Houston, Lois started her career as a Field Engineer with Texaco in Notrees, Texas and later worked in the Odessa and Midland offices. After thirteen years with Texaco, she joined the start-up company of Concho Resources until the sale of the company in 2004. She is now president of Folger Energy LLC, an independent oil and gas company. A registered professional engineer in the State of Texas, Lois also received an MBA from UT Permian Basin and an M.S. in Petroleum Engineering in 1995 from UT Austin.

Lois has received the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Young Engineer of the Year Award and the Society of Petroleum Engineers Young Member Outstanding Service Award. In 1996, the UT College of Engineering honored her with the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. She served on the External Advisory Council for the Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering from 2002-2004, and is currently a member of the Cockrell School’s External Advisory Board. In addition to being a long-time Friend of Alec, Lois endowed the Lois K. Folger Endowed Scholarship in Petroleum Engineering and the Lois K. and Richard D. Folger Leadership Chair in Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering.

Lois met her husband Richard when they were undergraduate students in Austin. Richard had already earned a BBA in finance and petroleum land management when he returned to UT to earn his B.S. in Petroleum Engineering. Lois and Richard have been married for 25 years and have two daughters; Katharine is a junior at the University of Notre Dame, and Christine is a sophomore at Georgetown University. Lois stays involved in the petroleum industry and the Midland community, having served in leadership positions for a number of organizations, including the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Texas Society of Professional Engineers, Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, Petroleum Museum, United Way, Junior Achievement, Leadership Midland, the Junior League of Midland, Midland Symphony Guild and the Texas Lyceum. She is a lifetime member of the UT Ex-Students’ Association.

W.A. “Tex” Moncrief, Jr.

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1942

Determined that both of his sons receive the finest educations available, W.A. “Monty” Moncrief, Sr., sent both Dick and Tex to Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, where Tex graduated cum laude. W.A. “Tex” Moncrief, Jr. then went on to graduate from The University of Texas at Austin in 1942, with a B.S. degree in Petroleum Engineering. He was one of the first graduates of the new department and became a pioneer in the oil and gas industry.

Tex immediately went to work for Consolidated Vultee, which had a huge bomber (B-24) plant in Fort Worth, but soon landed a job with Stanolind Oil and moved to Greggton, Texas, where he worked as a field engineer in East Texas.

When the U.S. entered WWII, Tex, just like his father, went to serve. He received a commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was trained at Harvard as a communications officer. Serving in the Pacific, Tex’s flotilla had received orders to invade Japan when the Japanese surrendered. Tex returned to Fort Worth and joined his father in the oil business.

The Moncriefs were blessed with being a part of many great oil discoveries, which included Conroe and Hastings on the Texas Gulf Coast, the Moncrief Smackover Gas unit in East Texas, the Moncrief Field in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, and the Kelly Snyder Field and Cedar Lake Unit of West Texas. More discoveries came in New Mexico and Oklahoma, then Wyoming in the very early seventies, when Hartzog Draw, Powell, Pine Tree and North Buck Draw in the Powder River Basin were discovered. The most significant discoveries, though, were the Long Butte and Madden Deep units in the Wind River Basin, as well as Tepee Flats and Cave Gulch.

Tex and his father worked well together, and Tex carried on the family traditions. Tex serves as president of the William A. and Elizabeth B. Moncrief Foundation, which contributes to educational, health, civic and cultural organizations, including The University of Texas, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Culver Military Academy and the Campbell Memorial Hospital in Weatherford, Texas, where the Moncrief Ranch is located. Tex was named to the Texas Philanthropy Hall of Fame in 2001.

Tex’s contributions to the University of Texas at Austin are substantial and everlasting. From 1987-1993, he served on the Board of Regents for the University of Texas System. In 2009, Moncrief gave a donation to create the W. A. “Tex” Moncrief, Jr. Endowment in Simulation-Based Engineering Sciences, which will continue to help young students chase after their dreams just like he did. The Texas Exes presented Tex with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2008 for his success in the oil business and his longtime support of the University. The Moncrief- Neuhaus Athletic Center stands as the football headquarters and was dedicated to the devout Longhorn in 1997, in recognition of Tex’s many contributions to UT and UT Athletics. And just recently on Sept. 10, 2010, a statue of Tex was unveiled at the stadium in the Red McCombs Red Zone.

Robert L. Parker, Sr.

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1944

Robert L. Parker, Sr. graduated in 1944 with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He became very involved in the life of the Cockrell School of Engineering about 10 years after his graduation. In 1957, he was a founder of the Engineering Advisory Board (then called Engineering Foundation Advisory Council) under the leadership of Dean John McKetta and has served on the board ever since, under Deans Earnest Gloyna, Herb Woodson, Ben Streetman and now Greg Fenves. Bob is also a Distinguished Alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin (1979) and a Distinguished Engineering Graduate of the Cockrell School (1969).

After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army in Germany, Bob joined Parker Drilling in 1947 and, 10 years later, purchased the company from the founder and his father, Gifford C. Parker. Serving as president since 1954, Bob took the company public in 1969 and was elected chairman and CEO. Since 2006, he has retained the position of chairman emeritus. During his distinguished 63-year career, Bob’s leadership and vision played a major role in transforming the company from a small U.S. land drilling contractor to one that has operated in 52 countries.

In the mid-1960s, Parker Drilling was one of the first contractors to build deep-drilling rigs in the U.S. and was a pioneer in the construction of helicopter rigs capable of operating in remote, jungle locations and the development of Arctic drilling techniques on the North Slope of Alaska.

Parker Drilling’s reach into international markets expanded rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, and the company became the first Western drilling contractor to be awarded contracts in China (1980), Russia (1991) and Kazakhstan (1993).

Bob has been the recipient of numerous industry recognitions and awards throughout his career, including the U.S. Secretary of Energy’s Distinguished Service Medal (1981), Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement from the American Petroleum Institute (1999), the Waggener-Griffin Award from Spindletop International (2001), and induction into the Petroleum Hall of Fame (2007). He serves on the board of directors of Clayton Williams Energy, is an advisory director of Bank of Oklahoma, Tulsa, and is the chairman of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Business Association.

Bob is involved with numerous civic and philanthropic organizations. He has served as chairman of the board for The University of Tulsa, Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, First United Methodist Church in Tulsa, and the Thomas Gilcrease Museum Association. He received the God & Service Award from the National Boy Scouts of America (2001). He is also a member of the National Skeet Shooting Hall of Fame after winning the World Open Skeet Championship
in 1940.

Bob has one son, Bobby Parker, Jr., who is now Chairman of Parker Drilling, two daughters, Carol and Debra, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Russell E. Parker

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 2000

Russell E. Parker was born and raised in Midland, TX. Growing up during the bust of the mid ’80’s, he initially decided to stay out of the oil business and follow his interest in atmospheric flight. But after two years in Aerospace Engineering, his roommate convinced him to switch majors to Petroleum Engineering. He quickly discovered a newfound interest in Reservoir Engineering and Geology.

After his first year in the department, Russell began an internship working with the 13 UT engineers at Platt, Sparks and Associates in Austin. He worked there until graduation and for nine months afterward. Then, he met UT PGE alumnus Richard Alexander ’83 B.S.P.E., ’85 M.S.P.E., and in three short days was convinced to join Hilcorp Energy Company. Immediately after accepting his job, he met another fellow Longhorn and Hilcorp’s founder, president and CEO, Jeff Hildebrand ’81 B.S. Geology, ’85 M.S.P.E. Jeff’s first six words were truly foretelling of the future that lay ahead – “I hope you ate your Wheaties!”

The whirlwind pace that started during the interview process at Hilcorp has yet to slow down. Over the last ten years, Russell has held four positions within the company. As Reserves Engineer, Russell was responsible for moving Hilcorp’s corporate Reserve Report from its previous auditor to Ryder Scott. Subsequently, Russell worked as a Reservoir Engineer on Hilcorp’s properties in Texas, onshore Louisiana and Terrebonne Bay. After three years in Reservoir Engineering, Russell joined the A&D team at Hilcorp as an Evaluations Engineer. After two years in this role, Russell became an Asset Team Manager. Originally responsible for the Tom O’Connor asset, he currently manages the South Texas region, one of eight within Hilcorp. The asset is made up of fourteen fields, 700 active wells, 300,000 gross acres and 83 company employees, including 10 engineers and geologists. Russell thoroughly enjoys the challenges of discovering, developing and producing oil and gas. He feels fortunate to wake up every day excited to work.

Russell also attends career fairs and expos in Houston-area high schools to encourage students to consider Petroleum Engineering as a career and UT as the school of choice. Russell routinely volunteers to judge the SPE Student Paper Contest at UT. (He is also a former participant and winner of the 2000 Gulf Coast contest.) In addition, Russell volunteers with Breakthrough Austin, an organization dedicated to building a path to secondary education for students who will be first-generation college graduates. Another volunteer passion for Russell and his wife, Heather, is serving on the board of directors for the Old West Melodramas Theatre in Old Town Spring.

Russell and Heather are the proud parents of two boys, John Russell and William. Heather’s support during college and over the past ten years has been integral to Russell’s success. They both thoroughly enjoy trips back to Austin, especially now that they can share a love for The University of Texas with their children – UT class of 2028 and 2032!

Dan C. Williams, Jr.

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1935

Dan C. Williams, Jr. was a distinguished engineer, a successful insurance executive, a respected educator, an active civic leader and a corporate builder.

Born in Brenham, Texas, Dan earned a B.S. in petroleum engineering in 1935 from The University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Dan met Carolyn Carpenter, who earned a B.A. in English in 1935, while both were there, and they married in 1936.

He started his career in the oil fields working for Magnolia Petroleum Co. and was promoted to assistant chief petroleum engineer before he left the Dallas oil company to become an independent oilman in 1947. He learned every facet of the industry, including the construction needs for a successful operation, as well as the engineering and geological needs.

In 1944, Dan began his long association with Southland Life Insurance, becoming President and Chairman of the Board (1953-1984). He also served as Southland Financial Corporation’s Chairman of the Board from 1971 to 1986. In the insurance industry, he served as President of the Life Insurers Conference, American Life Convention and the Texas Life Convention.

Dan’s voluntarism ran the gamut, serving as President of Dallas Central Business District Assn, Community Arts Fund, Dallas County United Fund, Dallas Zoological Society, Greater Dallas Planning Council, and Greater Dallas Council of Churches. He was awarded two of Dallas’ highest volunteer honors: the Linz Award in 1961 and the J. Erik Jonsson Award in 1986. He was Elder for both Highland Park and Park Cities Presbyterian Churches. On the Organizing Committee of the Cotton Bowl Council, he was also President and Chairman of the Board. He served as National Fund Chairman, National Board of Governors for The American Red Cross. He was Chairman of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Presbyterian Medical Center, Dallas, and Presbyterian Healthcare System, serving for 28 years.

Dan was also committed to education. He served on The University of Texas Board of Regents from 1969-1981, and served as chair from 1979- 1981. He was a founding member of The Chancellor’s Council, serving as its first President. He was a long-time member of the University Development Board and the Board of Visitors of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, chairing both boards. He served on the Texas Commission on Higher Education, the advisory council for the Association of Graduate Education and Research in North Texas, and as trustee of the Schreiner Institute. He was named a Distinguished Graduate of the College of Engineering in 1962. In 1993, he was named Distinguished Alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin.

Dan shared his devotion to community service with his wife, Carolyn, who recently passed away at the age of 96. Dan passed away in 2001, just before his 88th birthday. Dan and Carolyn’s legacy includes three Longhorn daughters, Carolyn Marks of Dallas (B.S. Home Economics ’60), Harriet Peavy of San Antonio (B.A. Mathematics ’63) and Suzanne Nash of Dallas (B.A. Mathematics ’67), seven grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.