Tom Hunt
Encyclopedia
Thomas Myers "Tom" Hunt was an American
petroleum industry executive who was chairman of Hunt Petroleum
and an advisor to his uncle H. L. Hunt
, the founder of the family dynasty.
Hunt was born in Pana, Illinois
. He served during World War II
in the Pacific with the 380th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Corps
in the Pacific Theater
. Hunt flew on the first bomber from the 380th to land in Japan, and flew on a B-24 Liberator
representing the 380th during a flyover of Tokyo Bay
to mark the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri
.
Hunt attended the University of Arkansas
, where he studied chemical engineering
, but at his uncle Herbert's suggestion, he worked for the family oil interests in Wyoming
, North Dakota
and in Montana
's Williston Basin
. He was ultimately assigned to manage the Hunt family operations in Louisiana
.
Hunt played a major role in the negotiations of the June 2008 acquisition of Hunt Petroleum by Fort Worth, Texas
-based XTO Energy
for $4.186 billion. Tom Hunt served as the trustee for the family trusts of Margaret Hunt Hill and Hassie Hunt which each owned half of Hunt Petroleum. Al Hill III, grandson of Margaret Hunt Hill, sued his father and other family members to block the sale, including demands that Tom Hunt be removed as trustee.
Hunt spoke at the October 2008 unveiling of plans the Tom Hunt Energy Hall to be located at the Museum of Nature & Science
's new location in the Victory Park development. The name recognizes a contribution of $10 million made to the museum by Hunt Petroleum in 2005.
Part of a clan that The New York Times
described as "a family of great egos", Tom Hunt was a plain-living bachelor, who worked out of a sparse office and answered his own phone. He lived in a modest townhouse in University Park, Texas
and enjoyed gardening and making nut candy. He never amassed the huge personal fortune of many of his relatives.
Hunt died at age 85 on November 11, 2008 in Dallas at the Baylor University Medical Center
. The cause of death was leukemia
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
petroleum industry executive who was chairman of Hunt Petroleum
Hunt Petroleum
Hunt Petroleum Corporation was an oil and gas exploration and production company formed in 1950. The company was originally called Petrol Production Co. and was later renamed Hunt Petroleum Corporation. The company was a Delaware corporation owned 52.84% by the Margaret Hunt Trust Estate and...
and an advisor to his uncle H. L. Hunt
H. L. Hunt
Haroldson Lafayette Hunt, Jr. , known throughout his life as "H. L. Hunt," was a Texas oil tycoon and conservative activist. He built one of the world's largest fortunes by trading poker winnings for oil rights, ultimately securing title to much of the East Texas Oil Field, one of the world's very...
, the founder of the family dynasty.
Hunt was born in Pana, Illinois
Pana, Illinois
Pana is a city in Christian County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,847 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Pana is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. He served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the Pacific with the 380th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in the Pacific Theater
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
. Hunt flew on the first bomber from the 380th to land in Japan, and flew on a B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
representing the 380th during a flyover of Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
to mark the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
.
Hunt attended the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, where he studied chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, but at his uncle Herbert's suggestion, he worked for the family oil interests in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
's Williston Basin
Williston Basin
The Williston Basin is a large intracratonic sedimentary basin in eastern Montana, western North and South Dakota, and southern Saskatchewan known for its rich deposits of petroleum and potash. The basin is a geologic structural basin but not a topographic depression; it is transected by the...
. He was ultimately assigned to manage the Hunt family operations in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Hunt played a major role in the negotiations of the June 2008 acquisition of Hunt Petroleum by Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
-based XTO Energy
XTO Energy
XTO Energy is an American Fortune 500 energy producing company. Its primary products are oil and natural gas. It is based in Downtown Fort Worth, Texas. Its current CEO is Keith Hutton.-History:The company was founded in 1985 as Cross Timbers Oil Company...
for $4.186 billion. Tom Hunt served as the trustee for the family trusts of Margaret Hunt Hill and Hassie Hunt which each owned half of Hunt Petroleum. Al Hill III, grandson of Margaret Hunt Hill, sued his father and other family members to block the sale, including demands that Tom Hunt be removed as trustee.
Hunt spoke at the October 2008 unveiling of plans the Tom Hunt Energy Hall to be located at the Museum of Nature & Science
Museum of Nature & Science
The Museum of Nature & Science, located in Dallas, Texas, is the result of the 2006 mergers of the Dallas Museum of Natural History , The Science Place and the Dallas Children's Museum . It is currently located in Fair Park, where its three buildings are currently located...
's new location in the Victory Park development. The name recognizes a contribution of $10 million made to the museum by Hunt Petroleum in 2005.
Part of a clan that The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described as "a family of great egos", Tom Hunt was a plain-living bachelor, who worked out of a sparse office and answered his own phone. He lived in a modest townhouse in University Park, Texas
University Park, Texas
University Park is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States, and a inner suburb of Dallas. The population was 23,324 at the 2000 census. The city is home to Southern Methodist University. Like its neighbor, Highland Park, it is a city partially surrounded by the municipality of Dallas...
and enjoyed gardening and making nut candy. He never amassed the huge personal fortune of many of his relatives.
Hunt died at age 85 on November 11, 2008 in Dallas at the Baylor University Medical Center
Baylor University Medical Center
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas is a faith-based, not-for-profit hospital. In 1903, the hospital opened with 25 beds; today it is a patient care, teaching and research center for the Southwest. Baylor Dallas has 1025 licensed beds and serves as the flagship hospital of Baylor Health...
. The cause of death was leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.