Mack Chase is the recipient of the PBPA’s Top Hand award. Those close to Mack speak out about his life and many accomplishments.
by Tony Burke and Lana Cunningham
Entrepreneur. Risk taker. Patriarch. Philanthropist. Oilman. Mack C. Chase is many things to many people, and to the PBPA, he is the 2016 recipient of the Top Hand award. On the 19th of this month, at the Petroleum Club of Midland, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association commemorates a hometown kid who struck it big and then came home to give back and ensure his community was well looked after.
To a person like Mack Chase, who would seem to have reached the mountaintop—perhaps several times over—what could an award like this possibly mean?
“I think Mack is very humbled by all this,” said Richard Price, director of the Chase Foundation, “He’s a man who doesn’t seek any spotlight and prefers to be anonymous, but with this award I think he is very humbled to be recognized by his peers.”
“I think it means a lot. He’s very humble,” said Staci Sanders, land manager at Mack Energy Corporpation, “He likes to give but he’s not really big on being in the spotlight, even though he’s the one who deserves it.”
“He’s the type of man that is humbled. He’s going to pass accolades off to his family and his employees,” said Dr. Crit Caton, superintendent of Artesia Public Schools. “With my schools, it’s not about me, it’s about ‘we,’ and Mack Chase exemplifies that as well.”
Chance Chase, Mack’s grandson and vice president of Mack Energy Corporation, said, “He’s humbled by this because he had to give up a lot to get to where he’s at. Having four kids, not being able to be home all the time… having this recognition for his hard work is very humbling for him. [It shows that he was able to] be a family man and a businessman.”
Four perspectives; four reverent depictions of humility.
“You cannot lay out a plan to go be Mack Chase,” said Bill Munn, who works in the Mack Energy Corporation Midland office. “To say his beginnings were modest is probably an [understatement].”
Mack Chase is the longtime president of Mack Energy Corporation, headquartered in Artesia—a city of 11,000 people—with offices in Roswell, Midland, and Fort Worth. He also owns Avion and Deerhorn Aviation, both based in Midland; Chase Farms LLC; San Saba Pecans; Buffalo Oilfield Supply; and he is involved with Paddock Café; Yucca Healthcare LLC; Dolphins Resort in British Columbia; and Purple Sage Ranch in Bandera. Meanwhile, he heads up the nonprofit Chase Foundation. His employees number around 900.
Despite this impressive list of business ventures, Chase prefers to stay out of the media limelight and to maintain a focus on his employees and the citizens of Artesia. Where he came from and how he got to where he is today are only small parts of the story of a man who remains fiercely loyal to his friends and community.
Born the fourth of eight children to a family living at Loco Hills, about 27 miles outside Artesia, Chase followed his father and brother into the oilfields at the age of 14, gaining his first employment on a pulling unit. He attended Artesia High School and played football for the Bulldogs. The U.S. Army knocked on his door and Chase served two years, part of that time in Korea. He returned to Artesia, married his high school sweetheart, and started Chase Well Service with his brother.
His young wife Marilyn protested about the need for a bank loan to start the company. “We’re going to go broke,” she said to her husband.
“We’re already broke,” he replied. Chase didn’t believe in letting the lack of money stop him.
Not every venture was a success, as evidenced by the time he could do nothing but look on as a rig he had purchased burned to the ground.
By 1968, Chase was ready to start on his own again, this time as Mack Chase, Inc. He bought a used rig for $40,000 and found his niche, eventually operating 18 to 21 rigs. He earned a reputation in the industry for his well servicing and others recognized his work ethic and honest business dealings.
Over the years, there were occasions when he worked with a pumper who had gained a similar reputation: John R. Gray. The two even worked on wells together. When an opportunity arose in 1974 for the two to purchase some wells at 12-Mile Hill outside Artesia from Midlander John Castle, the pair grabbed it, even though neither had any money at the time. “John [Gray] had pumped his wells and I had pulled his rigs,” Chase recalled of their association with Castle. Chase and Gray formed Marbob Energy Corporation and agreed on the asking price of $60,000 for the wells.
With their techniques, these wells proved more successful than they anticipated. They figured out a way to dispose of the water, which was a problem for Eddy County producers, including the majors. Tim Leach, of Concho Resources, described them as the “first to discover the productive capacity of the Yeso trend in Southeast New Mexico,” in his Hall of Fame nomination letter in 2010. They were “pioneers of the field that would become the largest oil producer in New Mexico. Their innovations in completion techniques made this production possible.”
The partnership could not have been more perfect. John R. Gray was the introvert, the quiet part of the partnership, a problem solver who knew how to make things work out. He hated debt. Chase was the extrovert. He saw an opportunity and rushed to grab it and didn’t care how much debt he had. “Their incredible instincts got them on sound footing,” Munn said.
By 1992, each man began looking at different goals and they divided the partnership. Gray kept the Marbob name while Chase put his assets into a new company: Mack Energy Corporation, which focused on oil and gas exploration, development, and production in southeastern New Mexico. From there, Chase began to branch out into the various entities he owns today.
According to Munn, Chase’s employees are given the best and latest equipment: “Here’s the deal. All that equipment Mack owns… he doesn’t know if it brings him 10 percent return or more. He wants to provide people the opportunity to work and to give them the best equipment because the oilfield work is dangerous.”
Staci Sanders, New Mexico land manager and employee of the company for more than 20 years, explained, “They want to make sure you have all the right tools to do your job. That includes computers, educational seminars, and even education to further yourself. This applies to everyone—from people in the field to jobs in the office.”
That said, Chase has never been known as a boss who limits his influence to the workplace.
“He’s always been very generous and he’s concerned about your family. He asks questions about your personal life… He genuinely cares about everybody here,” said Sanders.
Sanders recalled there were times when she needed to stay home with a sick child. “He [Mack] told me to put my family first. When my kids get well to come on back.” There was no talk about exceeding a limit on sick days.”
“He taught us ‘always be thankful for what we have, and the people in our lives,’” said Chance Chase. “We want to make sure all our employees have the opportunity to be in their kids’ lives.”
Chance also recalled a time many years ago when Mack called early morning planning sessions, and provided a catered breakfast for all his employees who got up earlier than usual.
“He’s so down to earth,” said Sanders, remembering how Mack once treated a new employee he had never met before. “He came into her office and he introduced himself and asked about her life and her family.”
“You know who he is,” she said. “He’s not just a name you work for but never meet.”
Sanders continues to speak with Mack Chase regularly.
“He stays involved even though he’s 85 years old and he doesn’t have to. I think that’s a motivating factor him. It keeps him going. He lives for all that,” she said.
Munn used to work for Navajo Refining, also based in Artesia, and that is where he met Mack Chase. “Chase and Gray were the largest individual producers that sold to Navajo,” he recalled. “I met Mack and I liked him. A co-worker from Navajo went to work for Chase and asked if I wanted a job.
“My life was changed by Mack Chase. I’d had a heart attack and was sick. [Mack] didn’t need me, but they created an opportunity for me,” Munn related. “Mack knows how to offer an opportunity that doesn’t bring any damage to your pride.”
Through the decades, Chase has shared his good fortune with his employees and the citizens of Artesia. He and his wife Marilyn have contributed to many nonprofits that help people in southeast New Mexico. His love for the Bulldogs has never wavered and he has helped by contributing toward the installation of artificial turf and by adding a new press box at the stadium.
“He’s as down to earth as you can get. He’s just Mack,” said Dr. Caton. “Like they say for some people; ‘there’s no stranger to Mack.’ He’d give the shirt off his back to a stranger.”
The Chase Foundation, under the direction of Richard Price for the past ten years, is focused on giving kids opportunities to pursue college education, and taking some of the financial burden off of families looking to do the same.
“Through the years, Mack’s been a risk taker, he’s a self-made man. He grew up and his family struggled and he never lost sight of that. When he became successful, he wanted to give back and give opportunities to others that he didn’t have when he was growing up,” Price said.
The Foundation grants scholarships to high school seniors with a community connection to Artesia who graduate with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Book stipends are also offered to eligible Chase Scholars to encourage their continued pursuit of college graduation.
The first year, he committed more than $1.5 million over a four-year period to help those young people obtain a college degree and has continued the program every year since. To date, the Chase Foundation has contributed over $13 million to thousands of students in the name of higher education.
“He’s been a huge supporter of not just our school system but our community,” said Caton. “He pays back double, triple, a hundred times what he’s been given himself. That’s what makes him so special.”
“For $1.8 million you can educate 140 kids a year… A lot of very wealthy people in this country could also be doing this,” noted Munn.
A longtime friend of President George W. Bush, Munn found an occasion to relay to the President what Chase was accomplishing in his community. “I was sitting in the White House one day explaining to Bush that he really needed to come to Artesia and meet Mack Chase and see what he has built.” Sure enough, President Bush visited during his first spring out of office and even spoke to the group of college-bound seniors.
For Mack Chase, his philosophy has always revolved around making sure people have the right tools for the job. Sanders, whose niece just received one of those scholarships, explained that Chase, “wants the kids to get an education and to come back to Artesia and to give back to Artesia. He wants them to have the tools to do this.”
One requirement for all scholarship seniors is to participate in a community service week where they learn about giving back to Artesia. Projects ranged from building a playground to helping at a senior center. Sanders’ niece helped paint houses for older residents.
“She said one man came up to them crying because he was so thankful,” Sanders said.
“Loyalty” is one word to describe Mack Chase, a man who never left his roots and never forgot his longtime friends.
In fact, his orbit only continues to grow.
“We joke that he can’t ever travel with just one buddy,” said Chance Chase. “He needs three Suburbans… A lot of people come to Christmas and Thanksgiving with us.”
For a man with a storied past, one who has seen ups and downs, a diverse collection of successes, and ultimately been able to provide for a great number of people in one way or another, it’s no surprise that those around him have learned from his success.
“When you look at Mack, and his family, I’ve always felt that one of things that made them successful is they’ve surrounded themselves with great employees and great people and then they get out of the way and just let everyone do their job.”
“I think Mack has the gift of bringing out the best in people,” he said.
“He sticks to his gut feelings,” said Sanders. “Working hard pays off. Put in the time and make the effort and you get rewarded for it.”
“I think his fulfillment comes from other people having success. He doesn’t try to limit other people,” she said. “He gives back to all of that so other people can have a successful life themselves. He’s not a selfish person at all.”
Chance Chase has soaked up no shortage of lessons on life, business, and family.
“Something he taught me is always be prepared.” Chance continued, “He taught us never to be predictable… Never be afraid to make mistakes because you never know what doors those mistakes cold open for you… If you make mistakes, you own up to it and move on… Always look three steps ahead of you.”
“…And don’t be too serious,” he added, referring to Mack as a huge practical joker. “My grandfather is either very lucky or very smart, probably some combination of the two.”
Tony Burke is a freelance writer and the assistant editor of PBOG. He can be reached at tburke@zacpubs.com.
Lana Cunningham is a freelance writer who has lived in Midland since it was a pleasant city of 60,000 people.