The Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneers
History & General Information
“The year was 1959 and a good year it was. It was in the hustle and bustle of activities of that time, generated by the rapid growth of the oil and gas business in Midland that the Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneers was born. …
It was also the Centennial year of the oil industry in the United States, and Midland residents were desirous of arranging and staging something special to show their appreciation for what the industry had meant to Midland. … [T]he very first celebration honoring Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneers was held on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1959, with headquarters at Hotel Scharbauer. … The celebration was such a huge success from every standpoint that its sponsors and others decided to make it a biennial event.
The association was organized for the sole purpose of recognizing, honoring and entertaining Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneers, and it has met the challenge in grand style. From the beginning, the reunions have been among Midland’s most delightful and enjoyable social functions. Long may they continue.”
— Bill Collyns, 1991
Following the first meeting of the Petroleum Pioneers in 1959, the Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneers was duly chartered as a non-profit corporation in the State of Texas.
Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneers was founded for the purpose of gathering and preserving historical data and materials relating to the early day development of the oil, gas and mineral industry in the area defined as the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico.
| Top Pioneers | |
| John P. Butler | 1995 |
| William H. “Bill” Collyns | 1997 |
| Maurice R. Bullock | 1999 |
| Harvey Herd | 2001 |
| Robert M. Leibrock | 2003 |
| L. Decker Dawson | 2005 |
| Myra Robinson | 2007 |
| T. B. O’Brien | 2009 |
| Delmon Hodges | 2011 |
| Edwin H. Magruder, Jr. | 2013 |
| Herb Blankinship | 2015 |
| Ernest Angelo, Jr. | 2017 |
| Jim Henry | 2019 |
| Engineering & Technology Awards | |
| Jim Henry | 2011 |
| Dave Feavel | 2011 |
| Dennis Johnson | 2011 |
| Dennis Phelps | 2011 |
| Van Temple | 2011 |
| Dennis Johnson | 2011 |
| Dr. Sam G. Gibbs | 2013 |
| Charlie McCoy | 2015 |
| Fred Newman | 2017 |
| Steve Melzer | 2019 |
| Bob Trentham | 2019 |
| Board of Trustees |
*Members of Executive Committee |
| *Nita Bedford – Secretary |
| *Bruce Brady |
| Steve Castle |
| Arlen L. Edgar |
| *Mark Edgar |
| Hans Hansen |
| *Dexter Harmon |
| Jim Henry |
| W.R. “Bro” Hill |
| Delmon Hodges |
| John Kennedy |
| *Chris Morphew – Chairman |
| Joseph I. O’Neill, III |
| Mike Robinson |
| *Pete Schrenkel – Vice Chairman |
| *Jeff Sparks |
| *Jerry Tochterman |
| *Bill Watson – Treasurer |
Membership
Membership is welcome to anyone who has worked for twenty or more years prior to October 1st of the year in which application for membership is made in the exploration, development, production, transportation or processing activities of the oil and gas business within the Permian Basin. There are no initiation fees or dues; reunions are funded by sponsors and/or registration fees.
To be eligible, a person need only meet the above requirements and register with the Executive Committee by submitting information on the Membership Form. It is not necessary for a person to have lived continuously in the Permian Basin, nor is it necessary for the person to have continued actively in the oil industry.
Persons termed “Vested Member” are those widows/widowers who lived with their Pioneer spouses in the Permian Basin for twenty or more years prior to membership and were married to them at the time of the Pioneer’s death and who have not since remarried.
Current membership includes over 750 Pioneers who are located in over 100 towns and cities.
Click here for the Membership Form. (PDF file)
Click here for the Pioneers Brochure (PDF file)
For more information, please contact the Museum at 432-683-4403.
