Bill Noël
William Douglas Noël | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 9, 1987 (aged 72) |
| Occupation(s) | Oil entrepreneur, industrialist, banker, rancher, philanthropist |
| Known for | Development of Odessa, Texas as petrochemical center; founding University of Texas of the Permian Basin; philanthropy |
William Douglas Noël (May 11, 1914 – January 9, 1987) was a prominent American independent oil entrepreneur, industrialist, banker, rancher, philanthropist, and influential community figure based in Odessa, Texas.
Background
Born in Fort Worth to Earnest Noël and Inez Turnpaugh, Noël became an orphan at the age of six and was subsequently raised by family members. He completed high school in 1931 and obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1935. Beginning his career as a roustabout with Gulf Oil Company, he transitioned in 1936 to the Permian Basin region of West Texas, working as a chemist at Gulf Oil's refinery in Wickett. His extensive involvement in oil enterprises significantly contributed to the development of Odessa into a leading center for petrochemical industries.
Noël diversified his business interests by entering banking and ranching ventures throughout Texas. In 1956, together with Earl G. Rodman Sr., he co-established the American Bank of Commerce located in Odessa. Over time, he secured major stakes in financial institutions based in Big Spring, Fort Worth, Lubbock, San Angelo, and San Antonio. After the consolidation of three banks associated with Noël and Rodman in 1973, he assumed a directorship at Texas Commerce Bancshares headquartered in Houston.
In 1940, Noël moved to McCamey within Upton County, where he collaborated with M. H. McWhirter and J. B. Tubb to form Trebol Oil Company. This enterprise achieved an impressive streak of fifty-two productive wells before encountering a non-productive site. Focused on expanding his business portfolio, Noël reportedly did not realize he had attained millionaire status until several years after accumulating his initial wealth.
Business ventures
In 1946, Noël partnered with Earl Rodman to acquire a refinery which they named Odessa Natural Gasoline Company. The duo later established West Texas Gathering Company in 1957, which specialized in reselling natural gas to residential customers served by two other providers and also drilled exploratory wells in Upton County.
By 1975, Noël had purchased Fort Terrett Ranch located in Sutton County, Texas, where he operated a commercial pecan orchard spanning 120 acres. Additionally, he owned pecan orchards situated in Upton and Comanche counties.
Noël earned recognition as Odessa’s "Outstanding Citizen" in 1963 and was inducted into the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum Hall of Fame that same year. The University of Texas honored him as a distinguished alumnus in 1985.
Civic endeavors
Noël was instrumental in the founding of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB), which opened its doors in 1973. In 1974, he and his wife Ellen Witwer established the Ellen and Bill Noël Scholarship Fund at UTPB with an initial endowment of $245,525 aimed at supporting children of university employees and fostering increased enrollment. They also provided funding for the Ellen and Bill Noël Distinguished Professor for Energy Research position.
The couple extended their philanthropic efforts by awarding scholarships to Odessa College and played a key role in creating the Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest on its campus. Bill and Ellen Noël were parents to two daughters and grandparents to six grandchildren. He passed away from cancer at age seventy-two; Ellen died two decades later.
Ellen Witwer Noël
On May 24, 1937, Ellen Witwer, a native of Tulsa and alumna of Duke University, became the wife of Noël. She began her professional journey as an educator in McCamey, Texas, before gaining recognition as a prominent philanthropist. In 1993, she contributed $1 million to create the UTPB "Support for Excellence Fund," aimed at fostering the university’s sustained development. As a passionate supporter of the arts, she lent her name to the Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin, located next to the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library. She played a key role in establishing the Noël Heritage Plaza in downtown Odessa and was an active benefactor of the Midland/Odessa Symphony & Chorale, Permian Playhouse, White-Pool House Museum, and Parker Ranch House. Furthermore, she financed the Ellen and Bill Noël Therapy Center at High Sky Children’s Ranch in Midland and was among the pioneering women to serve on the board of directors for the Salvation Army in Odessa.
The Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center at UTPB, an $81 million facility dedicated to music and theater situated near Odessa and Midland, opened its doors in 2011 with a gala event headlined by Rod Stewart. Following her passing, Mrs. Noël bequeathed their estate known as "Noël Oaks" to UTPB. Although originally intended to serve as the residence for the university president, escalating upkeep expenses resulted in its sale in 2009; proceeds from this transaction were allocated to support the Performing Arts Center.
The Odessa American editorial lauded Mrs. Noël as a gracious and indefatigable community advocate whose philanthropic efforts significantly enriched theaters, museums, and charitable institutions throughout Odessa. Her generosity was often discreet; she notably declined naming rights for the art museum that carries her name. Her enduring contributions continue to exemplify exceptional standards of philanthropy and civic engagement within the region.