Events

Date: Thursday, June 19th, 2025
Time: Wine served at 11:00 am  |  Lunch & Lecture starts @ 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Venue: Petroleum Club of Houston, 1201 Louisiana St, Houston, TX 77002

Presenter:

Julie DeWees Sparks

This presentation, based on Julie DeWees Sparks’ paper, traces how the discovery of oil at Spindletop in 1901 transformed Houston into the Energy Capital of the World. It explores the city’s economic, cultural, and infrastructural growth from 1900 to 1950, led by figures like Joseph Cullinan, Jesse Jones, and Hugh Roy Cullen, and shaped by civic leaders who built institutions like the Texas Medical Center and NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Archival photographs illustrate the oil industry’s lasting impact on Houston’s skyline and global stature.

Julie DeWees Sparks retired from BP in 2016 after a distinguished career in the oil and gas industry, holding leadership roles across upstream and midstream operations with Getty Oil, Columbia Gas Development, Enron, TransCanada, Coastal Corp., and BP. She earned a BS in International Finance from LSU and an MBA in Economics from the University of Houston. Passionate about Texas history, Julie serves on the advisory board of The Texas Center at Schreiner University and is a docent at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens. Her forthcoming book, Under Texas Skies: Oil, Ranching & Dreams That Shaped a State, examines how oil, ranching, and entrepreneurial vision forged modern Texas.

Date: Thursday, June 19th, 2025

Time: Wine served at 11:00 am  |  Lunch & Lecture starts @ 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Venue: Petroleum Club of Houston, 1201 Louisiana St, Houston, TX 77002

*** 2025 Season Luncheon Pass Holders PLEASE RSVP at bottom of event page along with registration. Cost will be $0 but it lets us know you're coming. ***

**Early-bird registration ends Monday June 16th at NOON.
Late / walk-in registration tickets will be available for $65 for both members and general admission**