Harry Trueblood Foundation Scholarship in Petroleum Engineering

Aug 14, 1981 | Scholarships

Harry was born in Wichita Falls, TX on August 28,1925 to Harry A Trueblood, Sr. and Marguerite Barnhart Trueblood, but spent most of his childhood years in Childress, TX where he was educated in the Public School System in Grades one through eleven (no 12th or kindergarten existed) graduating with honors on June 1, 1942. During his high school years, he was editor of the annual, sports editor of the paper, member of the debate team, tennis team, band and was also elected to Who’s Who in Texas High Schools. He worked at after-school jobs for all four years in high school.

Harry helped found Boy Scout Troop 63 in Childress so that he could become a Boy Scout in February, 1938 after that troop received an official charter. Thereafter, in a period of 27 months, he received his Eagle Scout badge on June 7, 1940, only the second individual in Childress County to have achieved that distinction. He was awarded his Bronze Palm on 12/28/40 and his Gold Palm on 6/19/41 and was pursuing his Silver Palm when the U.S. entered World War II on December 7, 1941. While an active Boy Scout, he was elected to the Order of the Arrow, served as Patrol Leader, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and helped to found as well as lead the first Explorer Scout group in Childress in 1941. In 2007, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout award from the BSA after nomination by the Denver Area Council.

After high school graduation, he worked three months for an engineering firm on a construction job before enrolling for one semester at Texas A & M College in Petroleum Engineering. He transfered to the University of Texas in Austin in January 1943. Harry joined a social fraternity, Kappa Alpha Order (VP), was elected to the prestigious honorary organization, Texas Cowboys (Camp Cook), and was active in many facets of campus activities before departing for naval service in August 1944.

He was on active duty from September 1, 1944 to June, 1946, primarily serving in the Pacific theater aboard a minesweeper, the USS Concise AM 163, and rose to the rank of Yeoman 2C. Following receipt of an honorable discharge from the USNR on June 3rd, 1946, Harry returned to Austin to resume his Petroleum Engineering studies. He was able to live at home with his parents who had moved to Austin after the war ended and, with the aid of the GI Bill plus his wartime savings, he avoided having to work a job. As a result, Harry completed almost three years of his remaining required engineering classes between June, 1946 and August, 1948.

He received his BS in Petroleum Engineering diploma by mail to facilitate immediately reporting to his junior petroleum engineering job in New Orleans with The California Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Oil of California. His first assignment was with the Mississippi/North Louisiana division in Natchez, MS and then transferred to the Gulf Coast division in Harvey, Louisiana where he initially worked offshore in the Grand Isle area. After offshore operations were shut down in December 1950, he was assigned as an exploration drilling engineer onshore in south Louisiana before he resigned and returned to Texas to seek employment with an independent operator.

The Harry Trueblood Foundation Scholarship in Petroleum Engineering was established by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System on August 14, 1981, for the benefit of the Cockrell School of Engineering. Gift funds were provided by The Harry Trueblood Foundation of Denver, Colorado.

Harry A. Trueblood, Jr.
Career Highlights
1948 – 1951
Petroleum Engineer, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Gulf of Mexico – The California Company.

1951–1952
Chief Pet Eng, McDermott & Barnhart Joint Venture – Colorado and West Texas (Midland).

1952–1955 Consulting Petroleum and Geological Engineer – DJ Basin of CO/NEB—solely owned business.
1955–1958 President, Colorado Western Exploration-privately owned-DJ Basin and San Juan Basin Property.
1958–1988 President, CEO and Chairman of Consolidated Oil & Gas Inc – operations in TX, OK, NM, LA.
Rocky Mt states; Canada and England—publicly owned company listed on Amex and PSE
1979–1988 Chairman and CEO, Princeville Development Corporation (NMS-NASDAQ); Princeville Airways.
from 1981-88 which furnished air transportation from Princeville to four other islands.
1972–1998 President, CEO and/or Chairman CEC Resources, Ltd (Amex); Canadian operations.
1985–1991 President, Consolidated Energy Partners LP (Amex); an MLP with SJB and So TX gas wells.
1983–2000 President, CEO, and Chairman, Columbus Energy Corp. (Amex) TX , MT, Canada.
2001–Present President and Managing Member, HAT Resources, LLC (family-owned energy company).

In addition to the aforementioned companies, Harry also served as Chairman and/or CEO of several additional companies which were either originated by him or acquired by Consolidated. These included R L Burns Corp. (NYSE) from 1979-81 which had coal mines and oil and natural gas properties; Worldwide Energy Corp (formerly known as Cold Lake Pipeline) (TSE) from 1964-71; Holiday Airlines Inc (aka Holiday Resources) (OTC) from 1969-78; and as principal founder/owner of Eagle County Development Corp in 1961-64 when the Vail ski area commenced initial operations and again in 1969-76 (during which time it also became known as Princeville Corp (OTC), a subsidiary of Consolidated), as developer of the eastern portion of Vail valley and the famous Princeville golf resort community on the north shore of Kauai, HI.–a career total of eight separate public companies where he served as CEO.

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS and CLUB MEMBERSHIPS, AWARDS, AND OFFICES HELD

Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA)—VP, Director, and Executive Committee; Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS)–-one of its Founding Members in the 1970s, in 2006 received its Wildcatter of the Year “Lifetime Achievement Award” which award recognizes a longtime distinguished career in the Rocky Mountain oil and natural gas industry along with service in industry associations and community activities; Natural Gas Supply Association–-Executive Committee for five years in 1980s; American Petroleum Institute – 25 Year Club; Society of Petroleum Engineers (Legion of Honor)—currently a member for over 60 years. In 2004, Harry was honored by being elected to the inaugural class of the Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Hall of Fame which was made up of some 60 honorees (many of whom who were deceased at the time of the induction ceremony). Harry was elected to the Young Presidents Organization in 1961, helped organize the Rocky Mountain Chapter and was twice its Chapter Chairman 1962-64; in 1974 joined the Chief Executive Organization (Director 1978-80) and the World Presidents Organization; was first elected to Who’s Who in America in 1966 at age 41 and was elected to Who’s Who in the World in 2005 at age 80. He is a founding member of both the One Hundred Club of Denver and the Flatirons Club at the University of Colorado. Also, he is presently or has been a member of the Cherry Hills Country Club; Denver Petroleum Club; University Club; Denver Club; and Denver Athletic Club; a Trustee of Denver Country Day School; Director of Central Bank & Trust Co.; and served as a Director or Trustee of several other not for profit organizations. In 2007, Harry was named a Distinguished Engineering Graduate by the Cockrell School of Engineering of University of TX –Austin.

OTHER VITAE

Following up on a suggestion by a UT acquaintance to contact her friend, Miss Lucile Bernard of New Orleans, who was in her senior year in Sophie Newcomb College, whenever in that city, he was able to do so during the spring of 1949. Later that year, he was transferred to New Orleans area at which time he began dating her as frequently as was possible considering his very limited number of days off while working offshore in the GOM.

However, she left for a job in New York and a few months later he resigned from Calco and obtained employment with a joint venture of two Houston independents with operations in Colorado and west Texas. Harry began his own consulting business in 1952 in Sterling, CO. and he reestablished contact with Lucile back in N.O. Despite long distance courtship, he was eventually able to convince her that they should be married and she could withstand the culture shock of living in the boom town of Sterling. After a formal Catholic marriage ceremony in New Orleans on January 22, 1953, followed by a brief Mexican honeymoon, Harry drove his bride to northeast CO, arriving in a howling blizzard in February, 1953. He still claims this was by far the greatest deal he ever promoted which claim has been further substantiated by their upcoming 59th anniversary. They have two children, John B Trueblood (54) and Katherine Trueblood Astin (56), and two grandchildren Jack Trueblood, age 15, who lives in Denver and Erin T. Astin, age 17, who lives in Santa Cruz, CA with her parents.

Update: Harry Trueblood passed away in September of 2017.

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