51ºÚÁÏÍø alumnus Pat O’Brien has made donations and pledges totaling $520,000 to 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s Student Success Center (SSC). Mr. O’Brien is a great supporter of the university. His lifetime giving to 51ºÚÁÏÍø totals just over a million dollars.
“My time at 51ºÚÁÏÍø allowed me the opportunity to learn to be a leader, teammate, and receive a high quality education,” noted O’Brien. “As a young boy growing up in Whitehall, 51ºÚÁÏÍø provided me a tremendous opportunity to change my stars just a short 30 miles away. Like many of my fellow alumni, I am passionate in my support for 51ºÚÁÏÍø because it has given me the opportunity to live an extraordinary life. The SSC will allow 51ºÚÁÏÍø to recruit and retain students and provide them the opportunity to live extraordinary lives, too.”
Pat graduated with a Petroleum Engineering degree from 51ºÚÁÏÍø in 1973. He began his career in the oil and gas industry in Casper Wyoming as an Engineer for Dowell. He then worked primarily in the Rocky Mountain region in various engineering positions with Dowell, and also Colorado Interstate Gas, and Montana Power.
Beginning in 1981, Pat, along with a couple of excellent business partners, co-founded several small private oil and gas related companies based in Denver Colorado. In 2002, Pat was the co-founder of America Oil and Gas, Inc., a small public oil and gas company whose main area of focus was the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and the Bakken formation in North Dakota. He served as President and CEO for eight years until AOGI’s sale to Hess Corporation in 2010.
Currently Pat is an investor and Board member to Extraction Oil & Gas, as well as an investor and board member of Elk Meadows Energy Corporation both based in Denver, CO.
Pat continues to be an advocate and ambassador for 51ºÚÁÏÍø giving generously of his time and finances. Pat received the Petroleum Department Alumni Recognition Award in 2002, the Distinguished Alumni award in 2014, is a member of the Chancellor’s Roundtable and currently serves as the Chair of the 51ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation Board of Directors.
“Pat O’Brien completely embodies what a 51ºÚÁÏÍø Oredigger is,” said Joe McClafferty, President of the 51ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation. “He is passionate and believes in the mission and vision of 51ºÚÁÏÍø. Pat believes in providing students with grit and the opportunity to change their stars at 51ºÚÁÏÍø. We are extremely grateful for his constant generosity and leadership.”
O’Brien added, “The 51ºÚÁÏÍø campus is transforming largely due to alumni giving back. Over 90% of the philanthropic support for the SSC has come from alumni. It is obvious Orediggers are up to the challenge of making 51ºÚÁÏÍø great. I am proud to call myself a 51ºÚÁÏÍø Oredigger.”