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Tomas Boone PickensOwners of Mesa Petroleum
Date of Birth: 22.05.1928
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of T. Boone Pickens
T. Boone Pickens is an American businessman and renowned billionaire. His personal fortune is estimated to be around three billion dollars, according to Forbes magazine, which has listed Pickens as one of the richest individuals on the planet. Currently, Pickens is the chairman of the private firm BP Capital Management.
Early Life and Career
Thomas Boone Pickens was born on May 22, 1928, in Oklahoma. His father worked in the oil industry, while his mother was employed in an administrative role during World War II, distributing fuel and other products across four neighboring counties. Despite the challenging times, Pickens' family never went hungry, as every member, including himself, worked tirelessly.
In the late 1930s, the oil boom came to an end, prompting Pickens' father to relocate the family to Texas. The 1950s were tough for the oil industry and oil workers, and Pickens found himself unemployed for a period of time. However, he soon landed a position at Phillips Petroleum, where he worked until 1954. In 1956, he founded his own company, Mesa Petroleum.
Expansion and Success
Pickens was one of the first oilmen to expand his production through acquisitions. Before reaching the age of forty, he acquired the major company Hugoton Production Company, which was thirty times larger than Mesa Petroleum. By 1981, Pickens' company had become one of the largest independent oil companies in the world. Throughout the 1980s, Pickens continued to acquire other companies and expand his empire, including Cities Service, Gulf Oil, Phillips Petroleum, and Unocal.
Philanthropy
T. Boone Pickens is well-known for his significant financial contributions to various organizations and institutions. For instance, he donated 165 million dollars to the University of Oklahoma as a New Year's gift on the eve of 2005. The support was intended for the modernization of the university's football stadium and the construction of a sports village. Pickens has also made substantial donations to fund political operations, totaling more than five million dollars. Additionally, he provided substantial assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, donating seven million dollars.
Pickens' active philanthropic efforts led to his recognition as one of the most active and generous philanthropists in the world between 2005 and 2006.
