Our Best Times Memories, Interviews and Recollections Across the Years

Chester A, BairdHGS President 1980-81During my term, I remember mostly the people I met and worked with, especially the strong support I received from the HGS Executive Board and membership. During my term, the constitution and bylaws were changed to establish the office of president-elect instead of two vice presidents and the emeritus class of membership. These changes were approved following recommendations from a study committee composed of Tony Reso, Dean Grafton, and Jack Cofle-all HGS past presidents
1980-81 was part of those times recalled as the good old days in our industry. Many companies began bringing their staffs to Houston as a base for work in other parts of the country and throughout the world. Companies encouraged their geologists to join and participate in the HGS. Field trips were well attended and numerous.
HGS Guest Night at Hacienda D'Los Morales was an evening of high drama for me and Second Vice President Peggy Rice. While more than 600 guests proceeded through the evening's activities of the cocktafl hour and dinner buffet, we anxiously awaited our speaker, Allen Fiksdal from the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources. He was flying in from Seattle, but was yet to arrive. However, like the U.S. Cavalry, he made it just in time, while dessert was being served. We slapped a Tex-Mex plate down in front of him, he wolfed it down while we loaded his slide carousel, and Peggy and I relaxed and sat back with the rest of the guests to listen to a splendid talk on the hot topic of last year's eruption of Mt. St. Helens. My only regret from the evening is that we didin' keep the bar open during dinner.
William BishopHGS President 1981-82Bulletin ImprovesProblems with meeting attendance were addressed during my term, as policies were established for taking reservations by name and billing the no-shows. We also tried meeting with the same speaker at different locations. The formation of an international group began, with the HGS International Group co-founded by Carolyn Ross and me the next year. The group existed as a moderated group for two years. I gave three papers on Tunisia, Iraq and Malta, which set a record for the group.
The Research and Study committee was reactivated under Chairman Claude Rust and they began work on a field studies volume. Despite my rosy prediction that "it should be in print next year," the book, which contains 93 field studies, was not actually published until September 1987.
The election of Dick Bishop as Bulletin editor was probably HGS's best appointment. He took what Tony Reso had improved on from little more than a newsletter and established the forerunner of the Bulletin's current format. In addition to the increased technical content and features that improved member communications, the Bulletin was issued on schedule!
Peggy RiceHGS President 1982-83Good Times in the Oil IndustryDuring my term as president of HGS, we were still enjoying good times in the oil industry, although consequences of the downturn were beginning to be felt. Even so, membership grew from 4,100 to 4,400 during that year. Meeting attendance was good, and member participation through committees was high.
Looking back, I believe the most significant aspect of my term was the diversity of interests that was developing. The International Explorationists group was founded, and the Environmental Committee became much more active. Now these groups and two others have their own monthly meetings, in addition to the dinner and luncheon meetings of the entire society.
Also during this period, an ad hoc committee was appointed to study the need for an undergraduate scholarship fund. The fund was later approved, and coupled with the existing Calvert Memorial Scholarship Fund, it has provided much needed assistance to many deserving students.
During all the ups and downs in the industry, the society's strength has been its many members who donate countless hours to carry out the work required to make HGS the best of the local societies.
Matthew W. DauraHGS President 1983-84Computer Applications Committee,Scholarship Fund CreatedDuring the 1983-84 HGS year, the Executive Board approved the formation of the Computer Applications Committee, as proposed by Chuck Iglehart. Wayne Wiese was appointed chairman of this committee. The board also approved Bill Peeble's suggestion to publish a cross-index of expired company names. Some company names had been lost in the recent rash of buyouts and mergers, which made tracking down well records difficult.
This was also the year that the HGS turned over management of its publication sales to Earth Enterprises in Austin. Up to this time, the society had dealt with the storage of the publications as well as keeping track of inventory and sales, which was a time-consuming task.
The last major piece of business during my administration was approval by the board for the formation of the Undergraduate Scholarship Fund, as proposed by Don Scherer.
HGS dinner meetings were at several Galleria-area hotels and cost $18. Luncheon meetings were at the Meridian Hotel downtown (now the Doubletree) and cost $14. One luncheon meeting was at the Sheraton-Lincoln Hotel on Polk Street downtown, but the hotel closed soon after that.
The bylaws were changed in 1981 to create the office of president-elect, which I held during Peggy Rice's presidential term. This change was made to give the incoming president more time to prepare. In effect, Peggy Rice and I were elected president at the same time.
Gerald A. "Jerry" CooleyHGS President 1984-85Membership Hits 5000, T Boone Pickens SpeaksMembership climbed to 5,000 members during my term, so it was critical to modernize the HGS office under the guidance of the Computer Applications Committee. Records previously kept by hand in the bedroom-size office at Four Star Printing were now managed using a state-of-the-art IBM PC-AT. Other HGS activities of note were the establishment of 25- and 50-year membership awards and a $5000 donation made to the Museum of Natural Science to help it acquire the spectacular Sams mineral collection. HGS published the company name cross index, and work began on Oilfields of Southeast Texas and Building Stones of Houston.
I caught a lot of flak over the speaking invitation to T. Boone Pickens, then of Mesa Petroleum. Despite the controversery, his speach "Shareholders: Key to the Petroleum Industry's Future" drew a large turnout of more than 500, which overflowed the Galleria-area venue.
I was the first geophysicist elected HGS president: "Geophysicists get the blame for the dry holes; Geologists get the credit for the finds." In addition to computerizing HGS record management, during my presidency I tried to increase the participation of the newer, younger members in the society. Attending meetings is not just to learn about the topic, but to meet one's fellow geologists, to support career development, and to establish mentoring relationships.
Chuck NollHGS President 1986-87During my year, being HGS president was one of the best jobs in the world in the worst of times. During this period of low oil and gas prices, a near depression in the geological job market, and the lack of investment dollars for independents, HGS geologists offered their time and service to our organization in record numbers. My vision was that the society would respond to the needs of our members, and be only a "phone call away" for our "society of geological friends." Unlike the AAPG during that year, the HGS membership declined only 7%.
My proudest of