This is an old revision of this page, as edited by SmackBot (talk | contribs) at 01:07, 7 June 2011 (Dated {{Citation needed}}. (Build p612)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 01:07, 7 June 2011 by SmackBot (talk | contribs) (Dated {{Citation needed}}. (Build p612))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| John W. Mecom, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 13, 1911 |
| Died | October 12, 1981 City of Houston, Texas |
| Occupation | Independent oilman |
| Spouse | Mary Elizabeth (d. 1996) |
| Children | John W. Mecom, Jr. |
John W. Mecom Sr (January 13, 1911 – October 12, 1981) was an American businessman.
John Whitfield Mecom Sr found success as an independent oilman by acquiring abandoned oil wells and then making them profitable. He also developed new fields from Louisiana to Saudi Arabia.
He was once ranked as one of the top oil independents; however, he filed for bankruptcy in 1970. After reorganizing his John W. Mecom Company, he reopened his company, which he subsequently ran with his son, John W. Mecom Jr., former owner of the New Orleans Saints NFL football team.
In 1965, Mecom's private plane was mistakenly shot down by the Egyptian air force. While he survived, the incident strained U.S.-Egypt relations, Mecom being a friend and donor of Lyndon Johnson.
In December, 1965, Mecom offered to buy the Houston Chronicle, its building, the Rice Hotel and a 35 percent interest in Texas Commerce National Bank from Houston Endowment Inc.. The offer included a down payment of one million dollars. However, Mecom was unable to raise the additional cash to complete the sale, forcing him to cancel the transaction.
References
- Time, “Newspapers: A Deal Done In.” June 17, 1966.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,899233,00.html Accessed May 10, 2010.
- "Obituary:John W. Mecom Sr". TIME magazine. October 26, 1981. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
 | This article about a chief executive from the United States is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |