Charities and champions: the year in review 2008

Mikaila Adams
Associate Editor – OGFJ

My, how time flies. It is time, once again, to put the finishing touches on another successful year at Oil & Gas Financial Journal. This year I was given the opportunity to speak with even more energy players giving of themselves to help those in need.

The year started off with the contributions of Jonathan Gregory, an executive vice president with Texas Capital Bank. He co–founded Bread of Life Inc., a non–profit organization dedicated to improving the life of Houston’s homeless population.

PricewaterhouseCoopers sought to help the underserved through its firm wide ‘Month of Community.’ This year the Houston office participated in the beautification of the Julia C. Hester House, a United Way agency community center that provides a safe-haven for children, families, and senior citizens.

Sten Gustafson, the managing director of the global energy group and global head of oilfield services at UBS, talked to OGFJ about his service with the Houston Grand Opera and Family Services of Greater Houston - an agency providing individual and family counseling, substance abuse prevention and education, parent resources and marriage education, school-based services, family and senior care management services, and HIV/AIDS care management.

Many others championed for healthcare and for those battling illness. Christopher J. Simon, managing director at Tristone Capital, spoke of the efforts of The Periwinkle Foundation in developing and providing camping, recreational, and artistic programs for Texas Children’s Hospital patients challenged by cancer and other life threatening diseases.

Eileen Campbell, Marathon Oil Corp.’s VP of Human Resources, herself a breast cancer survivor, detailed the company’s continued efforts as a presenting partner of the Komen Houston Race for the Cure.

In another personal profile, those close to the late Newfield Exploration Co. president, COO, and director David Schaible, spoke of the $60,000 donated by company employees - and the subsequent matching by the company - to a special MD Anderson Melanoma Research Fund after his passing. The company dedicated its foundation to Schaible’s memory.

In early 2008, the foundation allocated nearly $500,000 to a variety of philanthropic organizations, with the largest donation of $50,000 going to Houston Hospice.

Additionally, the company established an endowment at Marietta College in Ohio with a $250,000 gift in his memory.

Others looking to help in the education arena were Timothy Marquez, founder, CEO and chairman of Venoco Inc., and his wife, Bernadette. The couple, through the company and their foundation, donated roughly $1.4 million to educational, medical, and other charitable organizations in the Santa Barbara, Calif., and Denver areas.

Then there was KPMG LLP, who collaborated with nonprofit First Book. The company contributed $250,000 and sponsored the distribution of more than 200,000 brand new books to children from low-income families nationwide. Tax services partner Matt Pellows led the way for the effort in Houston.

The drive to help children is also the passion of Randy Burton, a partner at Burleson Cooke LLP. He continues his child advocacy work with Justice for Children, a national child advocacy organization he founded.

Comprised of volunteers primarily from the oil and gas industry, Oilfield Helping Hands devoted themselves to providing financial assistance to oilfield workers in crisis.

Black Elk Energy also provided assistance to those in need. The company partnered with the Louisiana Association of Community Action Partnerships to aid those recovering from the 2005 hurricane disasters by providing money for utility bills.

I’m encouraged that the column has proven to be successful throughout the year. It is a testament to the good that is being done by folks in our industry and I thank you all for your participation and look forward to speaking with your colleagues for columns in 2009.