Jack Sawtelle Blanton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, attended public schools in Houston, graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Business Administration and also received a degree from the University of Texas Law School.
Those who know him say that he is the most humble man alive. He started on the lowest rung in the Division Order Department of Scurlock Oil and eventually became President, using his marketing and people skills to make the company grow and expand. He is credited with helping to make Scurlock one of the largest crude oil gathering and transportation entities in the country. In 1982, when Scurlock became a subsidiary of Ashland Petroleum, Jack was named Chairman and CEO. In 1988, he became President of Eddy Refining Company.
Service to others and to the community has been equally important to Jack Blanton. Often asked to deliver commencement speeches, his theme is constant: Repay your debt to the society that nurtured you by serving others. If he had a motto, he said it would be “more deeds than words.”
Jack has served on the boards of many organizations, and in many instances assumed leadership roles. Some of these benefiting from his expertise are: Houston Endowment, University of Texas System, Methodist Health Care System, Texas Medical Center, Harris County Hospital District, Greater Houston Partnership, The Houston Club, Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration, Rice University, Texas Development Board, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, LBJ Foundation, Houston Zoo, Inc., Southwestern University and Buffalo Bayou Partnership.
Jack has received many honors and a few are listed, including: the Love Award, Bread of Life; Father of the Year Award, Community Partners; Guardian of the Human Spirit Award from Holocaust Museum Houston; Intercollegiate Tennis Association Achievement Award; Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Leadership; St. Thomas University Ethical Leadership Award; Texas Medal of Arts Award; Texas Philanthropy Hall of Fame; Joseph Jaworski Leadership Award, American Leadership Forum; Santa Rita Award, University of Texas System; Honorary Doctor of Laws, Centenary College, and named to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
He has been honored by the Southwestern Legal Foundation, Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, Texas Society for the Prevention of Blindness, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Houston Youth Symphony, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Rotary Club, Houston Symphony, University of Texas School of Law, Sheltering Arms and many other organizations.
Currently married to Ginger Renfroe Blanton, Jack has three children, Elizabeth Blanton Wareing and husband Peter Staub Wareing; Jack S. Blanton, Jr. and wife; Leslie Dyess Blanton, Eddy S. Blanton and wife, Kelli Blanton and nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.