by Julie Anderson
Twice each year, our country makes a special point to pause, remember, and thank our soldiers, those who died in service to their country on Memorial Day, and those still among us, on Veterans Day. In recent decades, in the midst of profoundly unsettling events, the honor and respect for veterans and our current members of the armed forces continues to grow, often prompting passers-by to approach those in uniform, extend a hand, and offer a heartfelt, “Thank you for your service.”
This phrase of thanks is one that is spoken time and again among the industry family as oil and gas associations and companies pay both personal and public respect not only on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but throughout the year. In fact, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association (PBPA) is especially thankful, considering the veterans among their staff and membership.
Colonel Harry Spannaus – PBPA Honorary Vice President
On Nov. 29, 1994, then-U.S. Rep. Larry Ed Combest, of Texas, stood before the Speaker of the House and read into the Congressional Record the following:
“I rise to pay tribute to a good friend and great American, Col. Harry A. Spannaus. Colonel Spannaus is retiring as executive vice president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association. Prior to being the executive vice president of the PBPA, Colonel Spannaus served his country for 26 years as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. In his 26 years, he accumulated over 9,000 hours of single engine and fighter time, serving over 12 of those years in foreign countries. While serving in Korea and Southeast Asia, he flew 222 combat missions over hostile territories. Colonel Spannaus was awarded over 40 declarations for distinguished combat flight and exemplary service to his country. These awards include two Legion of Merits, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 16 Air Medals, the Bronze Star with valor, and many other awards and declarations. After his 26 years in the military, Colonel Spannaus worked for Hilliard Oil and Gas as a corporate pilot. He then went to work for the PBPA, where he was known as an aggressive, up-front spokesman for the domestic oil and gas industry who had a strong sense of dedication to the petroleum industry, his friends, and family.
“During his tenure at the helm of the PBPA, he oversaw enormous growth in membership and activity. Colonel Spannaus built the PBPA into a formidable force to be reckoned with, both in Austin and Washington, D.C. I was pleased to join forces with Colonel Spannaus and PBPA in defeating numerous burdensome proposals to our domestic energy producers.
“I wish Colonel Spannaus well in his future endeavors. I am sure that he will do well in any capacity in which he chooses to serve. I, too, would like to congratulate Spannaus on his recent appointment to the Interstate Oil and Gas Commission by Texas Gov. Ann Richards. His leadership and counsel will be missed; however, his departure from PBPA will be the Commission’s gain.”
“I was thankful to be able to serve my country for 26 ½ years,” Colonel Spannaus shared. “I flew 222 combat missions over a very hostile and unfriendly environment in Vietnam,” the retired USAF colonel recalled. A few of Colonel Spannaus’ fellow fighter pilots were shot down and perished.
“A lot of those were very dangerous missions,” he continued. “I am thankful I got through them.”
“Colonel Spannaus was a vital leader of the PBPA, leading the Association for many years,” stated PBPA President Ben Shepperd. “He continues to support the Association, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without his valuable contributions.”
Col. Spannaus lives in Midland.
Nicole Harissis, PBPA Office Manager
Nicole Harissis joined the Marine Corps in the spring of 1997 as a private with a military occupational specialty of aviation electronics. Much to her disappointment, Harissis injured her knee, and was soon medically discharged with the rank of lance corporal.
While Harissis’s time in the service was shorter than she planned, her commitment to the military is ongoing; considering her upbringing and her dream of being a Marine, it is certainly no wonder.
“As a second-generation American, patriotism was a staple in my childhood home,” Harissis declared. “The ‘American Dream’ was a mantra by which my entire family lived.”
Nicole’s father, Nick Harissis, and her grandfather, Pantalis Harissis, instilled a “reap-n-sow” mentality within their children. For example, Nick used to tell his family, “You are entitled to nothing; you must work for everything in life.”
As a Greek immigrant, Pantalis Harissis wanted nothing more than to be “American” in every sense of the word, Harissis said. In fact, Pantalis Harissis never even taught his children his native Greek language.
Pantalis Harissis served as an officer in the United States Army “and lived by the ‘boot-strap’ ideology that is the fabric of this wonderful country,” Harissis detailed. “Our home life and upraising are what inspired me to serve in the U.S. military, once my life’s journey allowed me to do so. So naturally, being of the ‘do-or-die’ mentality, I decided that the Marine Corps was right for me.
“Little did I know, that while my stint with the Corps would be short, the values and lessons I would learn would be timeless and invaluable,” Harissis continued. “Those same principles would one day translate into my career, casting me among the few lucky enough to work within an industry that allowed me to truly experience the American Dream firsthand.”
Harissis is a co-founder and former board member of Reel Thanx, a Midland-based non-profit charity that supports combat-wounded active duty servicemen and injured American military veterans. Reel Thanx was founded in 2007 with the mission, “To honor our soldiers for their patriotism, bravery and love of country by getting them back to nature. Taking them fishing so they can focus on what they can do, not what they no longer can. Finally, to inspire bass clubs around the country to seek out these heroes in local hospitals and take them fishing.” She also helped establish Reel Wives, a sister organization that supports the spouses of Reel Thanx.
Nicole lives in Midland with her children.
Hayden J. Price, Landman III, Apache Corporation, PBPA-Member Company 
Hayden Price had completed his college baseball career at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City, and he was ready for something different.
“I had always loved the water and the outdoors, so I figured the military was something to look into, not to mention I may have been a little intense,” Price indicated.
In 2001, Price entered boot camp in Chicago, went on to aircrew school and search and rescue (SAR) training in Pensacola, and then finished his training at SAR School in Virginia. He remained in the United States Navy in Special Warfare through 2004.
Among the most challenging aspects of Special Warfare were “the daily grind, being away from family, and most of all, losing ones that were close to you,” Price shared. Training day-in and day-out to be the best while simultaneously training for the unknown was also difficult.
“My life consisted of a lot of unknowns at that time,” he added.
Price’s time as a soldier was not without personal rewards, especially “the brotherhood.”
“I still get goose bumps today when I hear the National Anthem,” Price offered, “and it makes me respect the military and our country so much more.”
Following his discharge, Price had a gentleman tell him, “Everyone wears a sign around their neck that says, ‘I want to feel important.’”
“That’s exactly how our teams were structured,” Price elaborated. “Each person has a job, and if that job is not carried out, someone is not coming home or the job you have as a civilian won’t be complete. That is the connection in life and in the oil and gas business. I try to establish a relationship with everyone I meet whether it be in a special warfare situation or the oil and gas business—that was part of completing the mission. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Hopefully, when I am gone, the brothers I served with and everyone I have met will know that I did everything I could to make them feel important in some way.”
Upon retiring from the service, Price received a call from a friend asking him if he wanted to be a landman.
“At the time, I had no idea what that even was,” Price remembered. “He told me the starting pay and where I needed to go, and I think I was there in a week. Not looking back, here I am today, and I wouldn’t change any of it for anything.”
Hayden and his wife, Cheryl, a native of the Permian Basin, live in Midland and have two young children with a third on the way.
Mike Mundy, Former PBPA Board Member
As a young boy, Mike Mundy knew he wanted to someday serve his country. While his initial dream of attending West Point did not materialize, he went on to enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, where he entered as a private and was discharged six years later as a corporal.
Mundy began his stint in the Corps in a motor transport company in 1969 and worked his final three years as crew chief on a CH–46 helicopter.
Along with being a veteran of the Marine Corps, Mundy is a long-time veteran of the oil and gas industry, launching his career straight out of college; now 46 years later, Mundy is in corporate sales with Weatherford. And still, part of his heart has always remained in the Corps.
While Mundy’s reserve unit was not called up to Vietnam, he was greatly disturbed by the “horrible treatment” suffered by soldiers returning from Vietnam.
“I wanted to make sure that the soldiers and Marines of the current wars never had that experience,” shared Mundy. Consequently, he helped create Reel Thanx.
“We have taken over 190 Marines and soldiers fishing since 2007,” Mundy reported. “In the beginning, we thought we were just taking them fishing. It didn’t take us long to figure out that what we were actually doing had very little to do with fishing. We were showing them love and changing lives.”
Mike lives in Midland with his wife, Cathy. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Special Connection
In the past, Nicole Harissis has had the privilege of escorting wounded soldiers being served by Reel Thanx.
“We got the chance to showcase the hearts of West Texans,” Harissis said, referencing the many Reel Thanx volunteers who had jobs in the oil and gas industry.
“As we would drive them to Del Rio, many times questions were asked about how the pump jacks worked, what was ‘the deal on frac’ing,’ and what kinds of jobs there were,” Harissis shared. “Seeing a drilling site was quite impressive to them.” In fact, many of the participants of Reel Thanx would eventually come to be West Texans and proud oilfield workers.
Through her volunteer work and her job at the PBPA, Harissis has noted how many oil and gas companies recognize that retired military men and women can transition into oil and gas jobs. She has also seen firsthand the success of West-Texas based non-profits that reach out exclusively to the military, including Reel Thanx, Show of Support, H.O.T, and Christmas for Our Troops, just to name a few.
“Those in the military and those in the oilfield share a passion for patriotism and a grit in their guts for accomplishing a mission safely and successfully; both the military and oilfield are everything that encompasses achieving the American Dream,” Harissis said with enthusiasm. “And somehow, I have been lucky enough to be part of both.”
“The oilfield offers the promise of a good life for those who are willing to work hard, believe in themselves and their fellow workers, and most importantly, never quit,” Harissis declared. “This dream is obtainable to anyone regardless of whether they’ve received a lengthy list of higher educational degrees or very little education at all. Our industry calls this a ‘good hand.’ The military calls this a ‘good soldier’ (or in my case, good Marine!). These two ways of life are amazingly reflective of each other. Hard work, chain of command, large-scale operational logistics, teamwork, and strong units are mandatory for the success, even survival of your fellow man.”
Julie Anderson, based in Odessa, is editor of County Progress Magazine, and is well known to many readers of PBOG as the former editor of this magazine.