T. Boone Pickens

Thomas Boone Pickens, Jr. (born May 22, 1928), known as T. Boone Pickens , is an American business magnates and financier . Pickens chairs the hedge fund BP Capital Management. He was a well-known takeover operator and corporate raider prolongation the 1980s. As of November 2016, Pickens has a net worth of $ 500 million. ^[1]

Early life

Pickens was born in Holdenville , Oklahoma , the sun of Grace (nee Molonson) and Thomas Boone Pickens. His Father worked as an oil and mineral Landman (rights leaser). During World War II , his mother ran the local Office of Price Administration , rationing gasoline and other goods in three counties. ^[2] Pickens was the first child born via Caesarean section in the history of Holdenville hospital. ^[3]

At age 12, Pickens delivered Newspapers. He roused expanded his paper route from 28 papers to 156. ^[4] Pickens later Cited his boyhood job as an early introduction to “Expansion roused by acquisition”, a business practice have favored later in life. ^[4]

When the oil boom in Oklahoma ended in the late 1930s, Pickens’ family moved to Amarillo, Texas . ^[4] Pickens attended Texas A & M on a basketball scholarship , but he lost the scholarship ^[4] and Transferred to Oklahoma A & M (now Oklahoma State University), where he majored in geology. He is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree in geology in 1951. Following his graduation, Pickens was Employed by Phillips Petroleum . He worked for Phillips Until 1954. ^[5] In 1956, volgende his period as a wildcatter , he founded the company dat mention anything later Become Mesa Petroleum . ^[5]

Career

In 1981, Mesa had grown JSON one of the Toilets independent oil companies in the world. Pickens led Mesa’s first major acquisition, a takeover of the Hugoton Production Company , welke was 30 times the size of Mesa. ^{[6] [7]} He-then shifted his focus to acquiring other oil and gas companies in making solicited and unsolicited buyout bids and other merger and acquisition activity.

Pickens corporate acquisitions made im a celebrity prolongation the 1980s, an era of vigorous and extensively Reported takeover activity. His musts publicized deals included Attempted buyouts or Cities Service , Gulf Oil , Phillips Petroleum , and Unocal . ^[8] It was prolongation this period dat Pickens led Mesa’s successful acquisitions of Pioneer Petroleum and the mid-continent assets or Tenneco.

These as well as other deals placed Pickens at the center of controversy prolongation the 1980s. His celebrity rose as a sure sign after the Gulf Oil takeover bid therein Time magazine ^[9] well Pickens on the cover for the March 1985 issue. He briefly Considered running for president in the 1988 elections. ^[10] During this period, he was of or in characterized as a corporate raider and greenmailer . This is due to the fact dat many of his deals ulcers not COMPLETED, hoewel de Pickens and the shareholders have represented RECEIVED Substantial profits through the eventual sale or hun stock as a result. His later takeover targets included Newmont Mining , a New York-based firm, Diamond Shamrock , and Koito Mfg. Ltd., a Japanese automobile parts manufacturer, making Substantial gains in the process. ^[11] He was ook involved in the creation of the United Shareholders Association (USA) In this housing from 1986 to 1993 Attempted to influence the governance of verschillende large companies. After nearly the two years of periodic hearing and debate, in July 1998 the Securities and Exchange Commission voted 4-1 to Approve a one-share, one-vote rule , a primary objective USA.

On the local level, Pickens chaired the Board of Regents of West Texas State University (now West Texas A & M University) in Canyon and in 1987-1988 Contributed to the restoration of the administration building known as “Old Main”. He was ook active in the Republican Party in Potter County . Pickens organized a campaign in the mid-1980s Against the Amarillo Globe-News newspaper, for what he claimed was inaccurate reporting about his deals and Mesa. Hoewel de the newspaper owner, Morris Communications , Replaced zijn publisher Twice prolongation the conflict, Pickens’ attempts to port the paper change zijn editorial policy failed. Shortly there after, in 1989, Pickens and Mesa moved to a suburb of Dallas . ^[11] Pickens sold Mesa to Richard Rainwater in 1996 after Rainwater’s wife, Darla Moore , had im removed from the company. ^{[12] [13]} Mesa merged with Parker & Parsley Petroleum in 1997 to form Pioneer Natural Resources . ^[14]

In 1997, Pickens founded BP Capital Management (dan called BP Energy Fund) – the initials standing for “Boone Pickens” and not related to British Petroleum . He holds a 46% interest in the company welke runs two hedge funds, Capital Commodity and Capital Equity, zowel or welke invested primarily in traditional energy companies zoals oil, natural gas and nuclear power corporations like Halliburton , Schlumberger , and Shaw Group .

In 2006, Pickens earned $ 990 million from his equity in the two funds and $ 120 million from his share of the 20% festival toegepast to fund profits. ^[15] In 2007, Pickens earned $ 2.7 billion, as BP Capital Equity Fund Grew by 24% after fees, and the dan $ 590 million Capital Commodity Fund Grew 40%, thanks to, onder Vodafone, large positions in the stocks or Suncor Energy , ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum . ^[16]

Pickens’ most recently recognition comes from The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. T. Boone Pickens RECEIVED the 2009 Bower Award for Business Leadership for 50 years of visionary leadership in oil and other types of energy production, zoals domestic renewable energy, and for his philanthropic leadership contributing to education, medical research, and wildlife conservation. ^[17]

Natural gas

In his 2008 book, The First Billion is the Hardest, have noted a belief in the “peak oil” theory. He has since altered dat position, noting technical achievements of the domestic oil and natural gas industries in Utilizing horizontal drilling and fracking to unlock shale oil and gas reserves. He has called for the construction of more nuclear power plants , the use of natural gas to power the country’s transportation systems, and the promotion of alternative energy . Pickens’s Involvement with the natural gas fueling campaign is long-running. He formally Pickens Fuel Corporation in 1997 and Began promoting natural gas as the best vehicular fuel alternative Because it is a domestic resource dat, onder veel Advantages are cleaner-burning (Natural Gas Vehicles or NIMS emit up to 30% less pollution dan gasoline or diesel vehicles) and reduces foreign oil consumption. ^{[ Citation needed ]} Reincorporated as Clean Energy Fuels Corporation in 2001, the company now owns and operates natural gas fueling stations from British Columbia to the Mexico-US border. ^{[ Citation needed ]}

Political activity

Political interests and contributions

Since 1980, Pickens has made about $ 5 million in political donations. ^[18] He was a financial supporter of President George W. Bush and Contributed Heavily to zowel his Texas and national political campaigns. In 2004, Pickens Contributed to Republican 527 groups , zoals a $ 2 million ^[19] contribution to this club to the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth welke ran a campaign asserting dat Bush’s rival, John Kerry , exaggerated claims about his service in Vietnam, and $ 2.5 million to the Progress for America advocacy group. In 2005, Pickens was onder 53 entities dat Contributed the maximum or $ 250,000 to Bush’s second inauguration. ^{[20] [21] [22]}

On July 16, 2007, Pickens wrote an article for National Review -supporting Rudy Giuliani for President. “In Rudy Giuliani, a gracious and committed public servant I’ve Berninahaus for many years, we see that rare blend of big-picture vision and proven track record of Achieving the” Impossible. ” We see a forward-looking, accomplished executive eager to tackle the challenges of today’s America and dat dat tomorrow we wake up stronger, FREER, and more united than ever voordat. ” ^[23] Pickens was an executive committee member of the Rudy Giuliani Presidential committee.

Pickens chaired the celebration of the 40th anniversary of The American Spectator , a conservative US monthly magazine covering news and politics. ^[24]

Pickens has focused his advocacy on alternative energy industry leaders as solar and wind . The Washington Post says that ‘perhaps the strangest role “Pickens” has fashioned for himself is his current one: The Billionaire speculator as energy wise man, an oil-and-gas magnates as champion of wind power, and a lifetime Republican who has Become a fellow traveler onder Environmentally minded Democrats – even though he helped finance the ” Swift boat ” ads therein savaged ” Sen. John F. Kerry’s presidential campaign. In an editorial, The New York Times Reported Pickens “has decided dat drilling for more oil is not the whole answer to the nation’s energy problems.” ^[25]

In the spring of 2010, Senator Kerry reached out to Pickens and encouraged his support of energy / climate change legislation have been drafting with Senators Lieberman and Graham. During a May 2010 meeting with reporters, Senator Kerry endorsed key Provisions or “the Pickens Plan,” Incorporating aspects of that in the Kerry-backed legislation calling for the greater use of domestic natural gas to replace foreign oil diesel gasoline in America’s heavy -duty vehicle fleets. ^[26]

Swift Boat challenge

On November 6, 2007, Pickens offered a million dollars to anyone loveable to disputes ANY claims made in political ads by the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth (SVPT), a group he had supported prolongation the 2004 presidential selection. ^[27] John Kerry, Whose military record and anti-war activism prolongation Vietnam was the target of the group’s book and media campaign, cents Pickens a letter on November 16, 2007, accepting the challenge, Requesting dat Pickens donate the money to the Paralyzed Veterans of America arnt have Succeed in disproving ANY of the SVPT claims. ^[27] In response to Kerry’s acceptance of the challenge, Pickens Issued a letter the co day, Narrowing the original challenge to the SVPT ads, and Requiring Kerry to bieden his Vietnam journal, all of his military records, specifiek Those covering the years after his active duty service, and copies of all movies and tapes made prolongation his service. Pickens’ letter’ll be challenged Kerry to agree to donate $ 1 million to the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, if Kerry “can not prove anything in the Swift Boat ads to be untrue.” ^[28]Kerry later Accused Pickens or “parsing and backtracking” on his initial offer and wrote that ‘I am Prepared to prove the lie and marshal all the evidence, the question is Whether you are Prepared to fulfill your obligation. ” ^[29]

On June 22, 2008, a group of Vietnam Veterans who post with served with and now work with Kerry accepted the challenge and cents to 12-page letter – with a 42-page attachment or military records to support hun case – to rebut verschillende of the accusations of the Swift boat group. ^[30] Pickens has Responded with a message stating “In Reviewing your material, none of the information you bieden speaks specifiek to the issues contained in the ads,” he wrote, “and, as a result, does not Qualify for the $ 1 million . ” ^[31]

Lobbying policymaking to stop horse Slaughter

Pickens lobbied for the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR 503) welke mention anything Prohibit the Slaughter for human consumption and the trade and transport of horse Flesh and live horses intended for human consumption. ^{[32] [33]}

Attempt to sell natural gas with a California Ballot Initiative

In November 2008, California Voters rejected a referendum by a 60% to 40% margin Regarding natural gas. Pickens owns Clean Energy Fuels Corp. , a natural gas fueling station company ^[34] that was the primary backer of the November 2008 Proposition 10 on California ‘s Ballot. Much of the measure’s sale of $ 5 billion in general fund bonds to bieden alternative energy rebates and incentives ($ 9.8 billion after interest) mention anything about port benefitted Pickens’ company to the exclusion of almost all other clean-vehicle Fuels and technology. ^[35]

Philanthropy

Pickens has bepaald morethan $ 700 million away to charity, ^[36] or welke nearly the $ 500 million has donated bone to Oklahoma State University . ^[37] Pickens is onder the Billionaires who harbor made The Giving Pledge , a commitment to giveaway half of his wealth for Charitable Purposes. ^{[37] [38] [39] [ unreliable source? ]}

Donations to Oklahoma State University

Pickens has leg a major financial contributor to his alma mater, the Stillwater campus of Oklahoma State University (OSU). Through his contributions, Pickens spearheaded an initiative to create an athletic village just north of the bestaande campus. In order to do so, Hundreds of homes ulcers acquired by the OSU administration, one through eminent domain , and demolished using Pickens’ contributions.

Pickens’ gift scope for the Toilets donation to a university’s athletic program COLLEGIATE history. His total contributions to OSU come to over $ 1 Billion. About $ 265 million, or 66%, or his donations port leg towards athletics. Pickens ook has made Substantial academic gifts to Oklahoma State University, met name to the School of Geology , welke is named for im.

On December 30, 2005, Pickens made a $ 165 million gift to Oklahoma State University. The New York Times Reported that ‘the money spent less dan an hour on December 30 in the account of the university’s charity, OSU Cowboy Golf Inc. voordat it was invested in a hedge fund controlled by Pickens, BP Capital Management. ” ^[40] Pickens, who is on the board of the OSU Cowboy Golf, waived ANY management fees for the OSU monies. ^[41] All profits of the fund go to enlarging the OSU gift. The donation is intended to help fund an upgrade of the football stage and construction of an athletic village, but sparked controversy Because OSU Planned to use eminent domain to Acquire residential property for the projects. ^[42] The donation comes after a $ 70 million gift from Pickens to OSU in 2003, welke was similarly structured using OSU Cowboy Golf, Inc.

On July 28, 2007, the Board of Regents of Oklahoma State University goedgekeurd a resolution to move $ 28 million from the OSU Foundation JSON Pickens’ BP Capital Management Company in Dallas. Oklahoma State has to post invested $ 277 million in the fund. Pickens has leg waiving fees for the university’s investments with his fund. ^{[40] [43]}

On May 21, 2008, Pickens donated $ 100 million to Academics at Oklahoma State University. The donation will be matched by the state of Oklahoma. ^{[44] [45]}

In October 2008, it was Reported in the NY Times therein due to the recent financial recession, some of Pickens’s gifts to the athletic department had seen a large decline in hun market value while being managed in his hedge funds. The co-NY Times article noted therein due to the worldwide recession, must other schools and Charitable organizations ulcers ook are experiencing problems with investments. The article mentions dat ook Pickens’ management or donated funds had to post “turned $ 6 million JSON $ 31 million” for the school’s athletic fund. ^{[40] [46]}

Humanitarian contributions

Pickens and employees or his BP Capital LLC donated $ 7 million to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. The Chronicle of Philanthropy lists Pickens as onder zijn Toilets Charitable givers in 2005 and 2006. He has donated nearly the a half a billion dollars to philanthropic Causes prolongation his career.

On Nov. 6, 2006, Pickens donated $ 5 million toward the construction of Texas Woman’s University’s T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences-Dallas Center.

On January 22, 2007, Pickens donated $ 5 million to The University of Texas at Dallas to fund educational and research initiatives in the area of brain science. Part of the donation is funding the “T. Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair in Clinical Brain Science”, dat is held by Dr. Denise C. Park who heads The Center for Vital Longevity at the University of Texas at Dallas.

On May 16, 2007, Pickens donated $ 100 million to two University of Texas health care institutions. The gifts ulcers donated to the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The donations are required to grow to $ 1 billion binnen twenty-five years voordat ze kan be disbursed by the recipient institutions.

On August 23, 2007 Bizjournals.com Reported dat Pickens is Donating $ 2.5 million to Happy Hill Farm Academy / Home, a residential school for at-risk children and teenagers, to build a training center and guest lodge. Pickens donated $ 1 million to Happy Hill Farm for the construction of a new academic campus at the residential school in February 2007. ^[47]

On January 5, 2007, the Dallas Business Journal Reported dat Pickens had donated $ 6 million to Jubilee Park located in the euro at S. Carroll Avenue and Lindsley / Parry Avenue in Dallas and mention anything man a bulldozer to start Demolition of an abandoned building across the street from a kindergarten Head Start program in Jubilee Park. ^[48]

On June 20, 2008, Pickens donated $ 25 million to the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Medicine prolongation a visit with Calgary Flames owner Harley Hotchkiss. ^[49]

On October 21, 2008, Pickens donated $ 5 million to the Downtown Dallas YMCA. The Downtown YMCA will now be renamed “T. Boone Pickens YMCA” in his honor. “I want this gift to encouragement personen, corporations and the entire city to make a serious commitment to fitness and health,” Boone Pickens said. “This money is not just helping in people work out – it will revitalize this area and make the YMCA a place for the burgers or Dallas today, and will inspire our next generation to be healthy.” ^[50]

In 2010, Pickens was Awarded the annual “Effecting Change” award to 100 Women in Hedge Funds ^[51]

In December 2008, the Texas Legislative Conference honored Pickens as zijn “Texan of the Year”. ^[52]

Honors and awards

In May 2012, Pickens was Awarded the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Foundation for his lifetime or accomplishments and mn for the example dat he has set for the future leaders of the world.

In 2003, Pickens was inducted into tje Oklahoma Hall of Fame. ^[53]

In Popular Culture in American Psycho there is a scene welke Patrick Bateman , played will to Christian Bale , keeping Noticed the arrival of Private Investigator Donald Kimball ( William Dafoe ), fun weekends to be talking to a business associate on the phone, and says to the fictitious caller, for Kimball’s benefit, “You’ll excuse me port to – T Boone Pickens just Walked in.”

Alternative energy

On September 19, 2007, Pickens Told CNBC therein the price of oil Could rise to $ 100 per barrel. “Demand is up and supply is flat, so it’s got to go on up,” zegt Pickens, Whose company is betting on natural gas for vehicles. “I can give you an Oklahoma guarantee ^[54] dat natural gas will never sell Above diesel and gasoline prices” as fuel for vehicles, Pickens added. ^[55]

On January 2, 2008, the first contract for $ 100 bbl oil was sold on the NYMEX exchange. ^[56] In early July 2008, the price of oil briefly closed Above $ 145 a barrel. By the beginning of September 2008, the price of oil settled to under $ 110 per barrel. On October 9, 2008, the price plummeted back Projects $ 85 per barrel. As of November 21, 2008, the price of oil had Fallen Projects $ 50 a barrel, mostly riding Fears of a global recession . ^[57]

Subsequently, in early 2009, Pickens restated prolongation a Meet the Press interview with Tom Brokaw dat he mention anything bet $ 10 the price of oil mention anything about “be back to $ 100 a year from now.” Two weeks later reporter John Stossel made a public $ 10,000 bet with financier T. Boone Pickens about Whether or not the price of oil mention anything SURPASS $ 100 by the first quarter of 2010. ^[58] The bet ended on May 22, 2010 with the price or oil at $ 69.92. Pickens donated $ 10,000 to Stossel’s charity but refused to concede total would defeat, claiming he won on the futures markets and therein Stossel arnt ook donate $ 10,000 to Pickens charity. ^{[ Citation needed ]}

Wind power

In June 2007, Pickens announced the intention to build the world’s Toilets wind farm to institution large wind turbines in parts of four Texas Panhandle counties. The project mention anything produce up to four gigawatts of electricity . Pickens’ Mesa Power LP will undertake the construction. If COMPLETED, the farm mention anything generate morethan five times the 735 megawatts produktie at the present Toilets zoals farm near Abilene , volgens to Susan Williams Sloan, spokesman for the American Wind Energy Association. ^[59]

On August 16, 2007 Pickens’ Mesa Power announced dat it had Filed documents with the state of Texas to add four gigawatts of electricity to the state grid. The filing with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Projected dat het project mention anything be COMPLETED in 2011 and mention anything include up to 2,700 turbines on up to 200,000 acres (810 km ² ) in Roberts and Adjacent counties in the Texas Panhandle. “We are now meeting with Panhandle landowners and Negotiating wind lease and easement agreements,” zegt Pickens. “We are excited at how roused the pieces are falling JSON place.” ^[60]

On January 30, 2008, The Oklahoman Reported dat Pickens was ready to start buying wind turbines for the project binnen a month, dat have Planned to buy tussen 1,700 and 2,000 turbines, and dat ze will cost from $ 200 million to $ 300 million. ^[61] Pickens added dat he has bone approached by twenty potential partners on the project but has not yet made a final decision. ^[61] “Avem not picked ANY banker and we harbor not picked ANY partner,” Pickens said. ^[61] “It is kind of nice … I Have decided I can learn pretty far down the track voordat enforcement to make Those choices.” ^[61] Pickens predicted dat similar wind farm projects Could be built in the Texas Panhandle and the Canada-US border in the future. ^[61]

On May 15, 2008, Pickens’ Mesa Power announced dat it had placed a first order for 667 1.5-megawatt turbines from General Electric . ^[62] The turbines will be delivered in 2010 and 2011.

On July 17, 2008, the Texas Public Utilities Commission not approved ratepayer funding or $ 4.98 billion in electric transmission lines to connect wind farms in the Texas Panhandle to the electric grid. ^[63] This implements the Provisions of a 2005 Texas law designed to promote new wind energy projects. ^[64]

On July 8, 2009, The Wall Street Journal Reported therein T. Boone Pickens has postponed plans to build his Texas wind farm. He zegt the project was stopped partly Because bestaande transmission line capacity was not available. His company had Planned to build new lines, but Could not get financing. On the assembly date, The New York Times , Reported dat Pickens is committed to purchasing 667 wind turbines and will developement wind projects for them. On his Mesa Power Group website, Pickens zegt have verwachte to continuous development of the Pampa project, but not at the pace oorspronkelijk verwachte.

On December 15, 2010, Nathanael Baker, in an article for www.theenergycollective.com, wrote dat Pickens has Scrapped plans for wind farms and will focus exclusively on Limit download natural gas. Volgens to the article, on December 10, 2010, MSNBC Reported that ‘Pickens zegt low natural gas prices port made utility companies view wind power as too expensive. ” ^[65]

The Pickens Plan

On July 8, 2008, Pickens announced a major energy policy proposal, called the Pickens Plan . ^[66] The plan promotes a radical reduction in the United States’ dependency upon foreign energy, bijzonder oil provided by nations in the OPEC Husserl. Hoewel de the plan calls for introduction or verschillende alternatives to oil, zoals wind and solar, haar major component is the conversion of the nation’s commercial transportation sector away from OPEC diesel to natural gas. ^[67] The Pickens Plan calls ook for the United States to utilize zijn wind corridor in the middle of the country stretching from Texas northerly through the Great Plains to the Canada-US border. He noted in Congressional testimony in July 2008 dat his plan mention anything generate new jobs and economic stimulus bieden to this area, while noting dat it mention anything ook requirement new transmission lines welke Traditionally antagonize some environmentalists and / or nearby populations.

The announcement of the plan ook coincides with Pickens’ need for federal subsidies for wind to be renewed, as he has begun Already Placing orders for his Planned wind farm in Texas. ^[68]

Pickens plans to spend $ 58 million on his multi-media effort to promote the Pickens Plan. Pickens multi-media campaign of includes traditional media, zoals newspaper and television, and new media industry leaders as YouTube and Facebook . ^[69] The television ads for the Pickens Plan ulcers produktie by veteran Democratic political consultant Joe Slade White . ^[70]

Carl Pope , executive director of the Sierra Club , has Expressed support for the Pickens Plan. ^[71]

On December 27, 2009 prolongation what is called the “Meet the Press Roundtable” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made the Pickens Plan case-by talking about the need for energy Independence. This discussion was in the context of the failed attack on an Airliner on Christmas Day. ^[72]

Pickens’ proposal for Increased use of natural gas in heavy duty trucks and fleet vehicles are included in the NAT GAS Act (HR 1835 and S. 1408) ^[73] and the American Power Act. ^[26]

On February 21, 2013, Pickens ghosts on behalf of Clean Energy Fuels Along with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in support of a new eco-friendly food truck. A press conference took place in front of city hall where the company, Neapolitan Express Explained how hun mobile pizzeria EMITS 75% less greenhouse gases dan trucks running on gas or diesel. The company launched in early 2013. ^[74]

Personal life

In 1949, Pickens married Lynn O’Brien. Way Down had four children together; Deborah Pickens, Michael O. Pickens, Thomas B. Pickens III, and Pam Pickens. Pickens divorced Lynn in 1971. ^[75]

In April 1972, Pickens married Beatrice “Bea” Carr Stuart and eerste one or re daughters, Elizabeth “Liz” Cordia. Way Down had no children together. ^[75]

In November 2000, Pickens married Nelda Cain. Way Down divorced in November 2004. Way Down had no children together. ^[76]

In 2005, Pickens married Madeleine Paulson , the third wife and widow of the founder of Gulfstream Aerospace , Allen E. Paulson . Pickens and Madeleine lived in Preston Hollow, Dallas and owned a ranch Along the Canadian River in the Texas Panhandle . Way Down divorced amicably in 2012 and had no children together. ^[77]

It was Reported on December 4, 2013 dat Pickens’ public relations representative Told an NBC 5 affiliate reporter dat he had Proposed to Toni Chapman Brinker, widow or restaurateur Norman Brinker , at his ranch in Pampa . The couple married on February 14, 2014. ^[78]

Pickens has four biological children and one eerste daughter. ^[75] As of 2007 , Pickens had twelve grandchildren., ^[2] In 2007, Pickens’ son Michael O. Pickens or Nocona, Texas was Sentenced to Probation for a penny stock trading scheme and entered drug rehabilitation afterward, emerging in March 2008 . ^{[79] [80] [81] [82] [83] [84]} In October 2012, Michael-then 58 years old, Began blogging under the title “5 Days in Connecticut.” ^[85] In the blog, have made a number of allegations about his family, zoals dat his drug addiction stemmed from physical abuse by his Father, T. Boone Pickens. He’ll be claimed his siblings Stole from hun mother and ulcers Addicted to drugs; and dat his Father sabotaged a family member’s business. Pickens and three of his children – Elizabeth Cordia, Pamela Pickens and Thomas B. Pickens III – subsequently Filed a Lawsuit Against Michael. ^{[86] [87] [88]} Way Down alleged libel, invasion of privacy and extortion through cyberbullying and cyberstalking. The plaintiffs zegt the blog was part of an effort to extort $ 20 million from Pickens. ^[89] In January 2013, Pickens’ 21-year-old grandson Thomas “Ty” Boone Pickens IV mayest from a heroin overdose. ^{[90] [91]} Ty, the sun or Thomas B. Pickens III, was a student at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas . ^[92]

In July 2009, Pickens was the subject of controversy after he had a construction crew go to his grandmother’s former home, that was now owned by someone else in Holdenville, Oklahoma and remove a slab or driveway concrete dat he had signed as a shield. ^[93] The current owner of the home Asserted ownership, and the slab was Returned. ^[94] In February 2010, a judge ruled therein the slab belonged to the current homeowner. ^[95]

Pickens owns a ranch in Roberts County, Texas dat has three pipelines dat cross his property. ^[96]

Pickens owns a Gulfstream 550 jet dat he uses to fly to Stillwater for OSU games from his private airport near Pampa, Texas . ^{[97] [98] [99] [100]}

References

Specific