The 2020 Jesse H. Jones Award
The 2020 Jesse H. Jones Award Luncheon will be held on August 13th at The Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas. The World Affairs Council is pleased to honor Noble Energy’s David Stover as its 2020 International Citizen of the Year. Click here to read more about Mr. Stover’s contributions to the international community.
The 2019 Jesse H. Jones Award
The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston recognized Jeff Shellebarger, Former President of Chevron North America Exploration and Production Co., as its 2019 International Citizen of the Year. Mr. Shellebarger was presented this award at the 21st Annual Jesse H. Jones Award Luncheon on April 17th, 2019 at The Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas. The keynote address was delivered by Ambassador Thomas Pickering, Former U.S. Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations in New York. The event also featured Mayor Sylvester Turner, Former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer and renowned Photographer Bob Gomel.
Past Honorees and Speakers
2019
A CONVERSATION WITH AMBASSADOR THOMAS PICKERING
Honoree: Jeff Shellebarger, Chevron
Speaker: Ambassador Thomas Pickering, Former U.S. Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations in New York
2018
A CONVERSATION WITH JIM CRANE
Honoree: Jeff Miller, Halliburton
Speaker: Jim Crane, Crane Capital Operations and Owner of the Houston Astros
2017
A CONVERSATION ON GLOBALIZATION & BUSINESS
Honoree & Speaker: Jeffrey R. Immelt, GE
2016
TECHNICAL COLLABORATION IN MEDICINE
Honoree: Dr. Robert C. Robbins, Texas Medical Center
Speaker: Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Johnson Space Center
2015
A CONVERSATION ON ENERGY & NATIONAL SECURITY
Honoree: Ryan M. Lance, ConocoPhillips
Speaker: Richard L. Armitage, Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State
2014
ENERGY AND OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
Honoree: John B. Walker, EnerVest Ltd.
Co-Honoree: Phil DeLozier, EnerVest Ltd.
Speaker: Mary Landrieu, U.S. Senator, Louisiana
2013
AMERICAN DIPLOMACY AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD
Honoree: James A. Baker III, 61st Secretary of State
Speaker: Christopher Hill, Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and U.S. Ambassador
2012
THREE SHOCKS
Honoree: Chad C. Deaton, Baker Hughes Incorporated
Speaker: Dr. Condoleezza Rice
2011
TROUBLES AHEAD: THE MIDDLE EAST AND SOUTH ASIA
Honoree: Mark Papa, EOG Resources, Inc.
Speaker: Frank G. Wisner, Former Ambassador of the United States to Zambia, India, Egypt, and the Philippines
2010
THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
Honoree & Speaker: Rex W. Tillerson, Exxon Mobil Corporation
2009
AMERICAN POWER-SOFT, SMART, EFFECTIVE
Honoree: Doug Foshee, El Paso Corporation
Speaker: Richard Armitage
2008
MY LIFE IN GOVERNMENT
Honoree: Forrest Hoglund, EOG Resources
Speaker: Robert Dole, Former United States Senator
2007
AMERICA’S INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLE
Honoree: James C. Day, Noble Corporation
Speaker: David Boren, University of Oklahoma President
2006
LESSONS FROM AMERICA’S PRESIDENTS
Honoree: Joe B. Foster, Newfield Exploration Company
Speaker: Robert Gates, Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
2005
AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN AN INTERDEPENDENT WORLD
Honoree: Clarence Cazalot, Jr., Marathon Oil Corporation
Speaker: Mack McLarty, Former White House Chief of Staff
2004
FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES IN AN AGE OF TERRORISM
Honoree: Ambassador Roy Huffington
Speaker: William Cohen, Former Secretary of Defence
2003
ENERGY, THE ECONOMY, AND THE GLOBAL TRADING SYSTEM
Honoree & Speaker: Don Evans, Secretary of Commerce
2002
NAVIGATING THROUGH TURBULENCE-THE PROCESS TOWARD PEACE
Honoree: Bill White, former Mayor of Houston, former Deputy Secretary of Energy
Speaker: Former Senator George Mitchell
2001
DEFENSE CHALLENGES OF THE NEXT CENTURY
Honoree: Archie Dunham, Conoco
Speaker: William Cohen, Former Secretary of Defense
2000
THE NEW GEOPOLITICS OF ENERGY
Honoree: Kenneth Lay, Enron
Speaker: Daniel Yergin, Cambridge Energy Research Associates
1999
FOREIGN POLICY IN THE NEW MILLENIUM
Honoree: Don Jordan, Houston Lighting and Power
Speaker: James A. Baker III, 61st Secretary of State
1998
N/A
Honoree: Alan Crain, Baker Hughes
Speaker: N/A
History
Each year, at the Jones Awards’ Benefit, the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston honors an individual who – in the spirit of Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones – has contributed to the international life of our city.
The late Jesse H. Jones (1874-1956) and his wife, Mary Gibbs Jones (1872-1962), two of the most prominent philanthropists in Houston’s history, had a pivotal influence on the Greater Houston community. Among their numerous accomplishments, in 1937, they established Houston Endowment Inc., which eventually became the largest private foundation in Texas.
Jesse Jones was a visionary in his recognition that the city’s future depended on our international engagement. He was also largely responsible for securing the funding for the Houston Ship Channel. He practically built Houston—including hotels, newspapers, banks, and office buildings—and accomplished a great deal in public service. In addition to being personally invited by President Woodrow Wilson to serve as director general of the American Red Cross in World War I, Mr. Jones served as chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in 1932 and as Secretary of Commerce in 1940. His astounding service at that time ensured that no banks failed in Houston during the Great Depression.
After Mr. Jones’s death, his wife, Mary Jones, carried on their joint efforts to invest in Houston’s education. By 1956, the scholarships they established helped more than 4,000 students attend some 57 colleges and universities. Mary Jones was also a great supporter of the performing arts; in her desire to enrich the cultural life of the city, she brought opera to Houston’s radio for the public to enjoy. Among Mrs. Jones’s other accomplishments are her efforts towards helping First Lady Mamie Eisenhower support military widows and her contributions as a member of the Houston Endowment Board. Those contributions led to the establishment of the Mary Gibbs Jones College at Rice University, which allowed women to live on campus for the first time.
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