87R17821 JRI-D
By: Craddick H.C.R. No. 80
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Frederic M. Newman is being inducted into the
Petroleum Hall of Fame on April 29, 2021; and
WHEREAS, The Petroleum Hall of Fame, established in 1967 by
the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, recognizes
individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the
development of the petroleum industry; and
WHEREAS, A native of Louisiana, Fred Newman earned a football
scholarship to Northwestern State University, where he graduated
with a bachelor's degree in physics and math; early in his career,
he worked as a field engineer for Schlumberger Well Services in
Magnolia, Arkansas, before transferring to Shreveport, Louisiana,
and later Saskatchewan, Canada, where he served as the youngest
district manager in the history of the company; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Newman relocated to Midland in 1974, and he
decided to strike out on his own, acquiring a few shallow oil and
gas wells in New Mexico; he formed Aztec Drilling with his business
partner, Jim Pruett, and later established Fred M. Newman, Inc., a
shallow vertical drilling contractor; following the 1982 downturn,
he formed Total Abandonment Plugging Service, and in 1986, he and
three of his children started Triple N Services, which became one of
the leading plugging and abandonment contractors in the Permian
Basin; moreover, he has successfully patented more than 80
innovations, helping to improve the safety and efficiency of the
petroleum industry; and
WHEREAS, A leader in his community, Mr. Newman was president
and served on the board of MARC Empowering Lives; he also helped
form Gifts of Hope, a nonprofit organization that provides living
space for cancer patients receiving treatment; in addition, his
family was voted the 2010 Philanthropic Family of the Year in
Midland, and he received an honorary doctorate degree from Husson
University in 2016; and
WHEREAS, Through his hard work and commitment to innovation,
Fred Newman has distinguished himself as a successful and
influential figure in an industry that is a vital part of the Texas
economy, and it is truly fitting that he should receive this
prestigious honor; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby congratulate Frederic M. Newman on his induction into the
Petroleum Hall of Fame and extend to him sincere best wishes for the
future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Newman as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives and Senate.