Jack S. Blanton
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Jack S. Blanton (born 1929, in Shreveport, Louisiana), but raised in Houston, Texas, is a philanthropist who earned his wealth in the oil industry.
Blanton graduated from the University of Texas in 1947 with a double major in government and history, and from UT Law School in 1950. That year, he went to work for the Scurlock Oil company in the Division Order Department. He rose through the company ranks to become its president in 1958, and eventually CEO and chairman in 1983. [1]. He retired from his position in 1988 to become the president of the Eddy refining company, his current job. [2]
Blanton has been a civic leader in Houston, where he served as the chairman of the board of Houston Endowment Inc. He has also served on the boards of The Methodist Healthcare System, the Texas Medical Center, the Houston Zoo, and the Jesse H. Jones School of Management at Rice University, amongst many others. In 1987, he began two years service as chairman of the UT System Board of Regents. During this time, Blanton had a hand in influencing the Texas legislature to more fully support the University of Texas system.
During the oil and real estate crises of the 1980s, Blanton served as Chairman of the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce, where he notably helped resolve conflict via effective communication and good working relationships.
The University of Texas at Austin recently named the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art in his honor after receiving a $12 million donation from Houston Endowment Inc.
