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Anyone who has been around Ben Shepperd more than a few times—and over the years there have been hundreds if not thousands of members of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association have been around him that much or more—has seen him hand out awards. He has presented awards to Top Hand Honorees, PBPA chairmen who have finished their terms, and many, many others. But now the giver becomes the recipient. The man who hands out the awards gets handed one himself.
Ben Shepperd
The board of the Permian Basin International Oil Show (PBIOS), which runs this month, has chosen as its 2025 Honoree our own Ben Shepperd. The recipient, according to PBIOS, is someone who “embodies a lifetime of commitment and excellence” and is likewise someone who has made “invaluable contributions to the industry.” Further, the recipient is someone who should serve as “an inspiration to the next generation of pioneers in oil and gas.
It’s an honor that some people call the PBIOS “Man of the Year.” Past honorees have included such individuals as Red Adair, Jim Henry, Cloyce Talbott, Clayton Williams, Tim Leach, and Dick Sivalls.
Here’s what some of Ben’s peers have to say about him:
Kyle McGraw, president of Trinidad Energy LLC, is someone who knows Shepperd well. McGraw served as PBPA Chairman in 20xxxx and 20xxxx and worked closely with Ben. McGraw said, “Ben is such a great asset to the Permian Basin Oil and Gas community. He is the perfect blend of passion, dedication, reasonableness, and outright knowledge about all things oil and gas!!! He is a great selection for the PBIOS Man of the Year.”
Kirk Edwards, president and CEO of Latigo Petroleum and another former chairman of PBPA, not only worked alongside Shepperd but was instrumental in recruiting him to the leadership role at the organization. Said Edwards: “I couldn’t have been more pleased to hear that the Permian Basin Oil Show Board selected Ben Shepperd as the 2025 Oil Show Honoree. Ben’s career has been defined by his unwavering dedication to the Texas oil and gas industry—especially the Permian Basin. He’s been a tireless advocate for our industry in Austin, Santa Fe, and Washington, D.C. We’re fortunate to have someone like Ben in our corner. This honor is richly deserved.”
And Texas Representative Tom Craddick, who has been one of the Permian Basin’s best allies in the Texas House for decades, told this magazine that Ben Shepperd is a trusted friend and a tireless advocate for the Basin. Craddick, who is former Texas Speaker of the House, currently serves as Dean of the Texas House and Chair of the House Committee on Transportation. Said Craddick: “Ben’s leadership, integrity, and dedication to our energy industry have made a lasting impact on West Texas. He has dedicated his career to representing the ideas and values of the Permian Basin. I am honored to call him a friend and colleague. No one is more deserving of this recognition as Man of the Year.”
As president of PBPA, a role he has filled since 2006, Ben represents oil and gas interests before legislative and regulatory bodies in Texas, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C.
Ben and his wife Jane, both of Austin, have been married almost 25 years. When reached by this magazine to obtain his remarks (shared here) about the honor, Ben was departing Sewanee, Tennessee, en route to Austin, after having spent some time helping his daughter, Elle (pronounced Ellie), get settled at school for her senior year at Sewanee University.
Speaking by phone, Ben remarked on his surprise at being selected for the recognition.
“I really don’t know how to respond,” he stated. “I certainly wasn’t expecting it. It’s such a tremendous honor.”
Pausing to weigh his words, Shepperd continued: “I can’t thank the board of directors of the PBIOS enough for their thoughtful consideration. This was a real honor. The Permian Basin International Oil Show is the premier oil and gas trade show event in the world, and I’ve really enjoyed attending, as well as working there. PBPA has had a booth there every year it’s held. It’s an extraordinary event with the latest technologies. And the board and the show organizers do such a phenomenal job.”
Born in Houston, a sixth-generation (“at least,” he says) Texan, Ben did most of his growing up in Austin, where he attended Austin High and where he would later attend the University of Texas. It was at UT that he met Jane. Meanwhile, on his way to a degree in economics, Ben got his earliest acquaintance with politics, working part time at the state capitol as an assistant house sergeant at arms.
By the time he graduated from UT in 1986 he was already getting experience in the banking world and pictured himself pursuing a career in that field, but the S&L Crisis that broke in 1986 caused great turmoil in banks and S&Ls and convinced Ben to get a second degree, this time at Texas A&M, where he majored in animal science. Armed with degrees in economics and animal science, he intended to try to forge a career in agribusiness. He worked at that for about a decade. His agribusiness bent took him to a role working on policy for Rick Perry when Perry was Commissioner of Agriculture.
“But I really got going in oil and gas when I went to work for Buddy West in the Capital is his House Energy Committee,” Ben said. “He was Energy Chairman at the time, and I was his Committee Clerk. From there I went to work for Commissioner Charles Matthews at the Railroad Commission—for about four and a half years.”
In 2006, Ben was hired as executive vice president of PBPA, and he and his family moved to Midland. “At the time, PBPA consisted of the executive vice president and one administrative person. And that was it,” Ben said. Later, as the organization grew and expanded under Shepperd’s tenure, the title of President was applied to him.
“I’ve just always loved the policy aspect of government and PBPA has been such a great opportunity for me,” he says. “The people I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from through the PBPA have just been extraordinary, and they’ve helped me so much. They’ve mentored me and really been the backbone of my career.”
Ben is a board member of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute Foundation at the University of Texas at the Permian Basin, and he serves on the Advisory Council for the UTPB School of Business.
We conclude with one more commendation from yet another of Ben’s peers.
Steven H. Pruett, president and CEO of Elevation Resources LLC, is another past chairman of PBPA. Pruett had this to say:
“Ben Shepperd has built the Permian Basin Petroleum Association into the highly effective and informed oil and natural gas advocacy firm it is by his calling members to action and tapping the expertise residing in PBPA’s committees staffed by experts from our members. The PBPA punches above its weight in Austin and Santa Fe due to Ben’s leveraging his board members, which makes us shareholders of PBPA, not spectators, and keeps us coming back year after year to help the cause. Ben treats our members with respect and solicits our input, even when we are past chairmen. When we serve as PBPA’s chairmen, we develop a strong relationship with Ben that he maintains years beyond, which gives Ben and the PBPA a deep bench to draw upon when we have a battle to preserve our license to operate in Texas and New Mexico. Finally, Ben uses PBPA’s many events and meetings throughout the year to deepen relationships with our members, legislators, and regulators, by always being present, engaged, and charming.”
By Jesse Mullins
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