Lester Smith, Houston oilman and well-known philanthropist, died March 14. He was 76.
Smith, who was CEO of Smith Energy Company, died peacefully in his sleep, according according to a statement from the Lester and Sue Smith Foundation.
He started the company in 1986 at the age of 44. He was also a partner in oil and gs investment firm SG Interests.
Smith was a two-time cancer survivor. He battled prostate and bladder cancers. He received a double-lung transplant recipient.
The Smith foundation has reportedly donated $100 million to the various institutions that make up the Texas Medical Center.
Last June, the Smiths donated $15 million to Holocaust Museum Houston to help with expansion plans. In honor of their gift, the new building will be named Holocaust Museum Houston, Lester and Sue Smith Campus.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Smith, two children and seven grandchildren.
Recommended Reading
Mach Prices Common Units, Closes Flycatcher Deal
2025-02-06 - Mach Natural Resources priced a public offering of common units following the close of $29.8 million of assets near its current holdings in the Ardmore Basin on Jan. 31.
Rising Phoenix Capital Launches $20MM Mineral Fund
2025-02-05 - Rising Phoenix Capital said the La Plata Peak Income Fund focuses on acquiring producing royalty interests that provide consistent cash flow without drilling risk.
Alliance Resource Partners Adds More Mineral Interests in 4Q
2025-02-05 - Alliance Resource Partners closed on $9.6 million in acquisitions in the fourth quarter, adding to a portfolio of nearly 70,000 net royalty acres that are majority centered in the Midland and Delaware basins.
Diamondback Energy Appoints Industry Veteran Holderness to Board
2025-02-04 - Diamondback Energy has named Darin G. Holderness, who founded and served as CFO at P&A Exchange LLC and CFO at ProPetro Holding Corp. as a board of directors at the Permian Basin E&P.
Executive Compensations Rising in Sync with Shareholder Payoffs
2025-02-04 - Compensation for oil and gas executives, up an average 8% to 10%, is increasingly tied to stock metrics, rewarding performance instead of growth, according to an Alvarez & Marsal report.