The Latest on the death of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens: (all times local):
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2:40 p.m.
The president of Oklahoma State University is describing oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens as the “ultimate Cowboy” following the death of one of the university’s most famous alums.
OSU President Burns Hargis said in a statement Wednesday that it was impossible to calculate Pickens’ full impact on the university and that his “mark on our university will last forever.”
The Oklahoma native and OSU graduate was a prolific donor to the university, particularly its athletics program. The football stadium where the Cowboys play underwent a massive renovation after a Pickens donation and now bears his name. The university’s School of Geology also is named in Pickens’ honor.
The university is planning to hold a public ceremony to honor Pickens at the Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater.
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1:17 p.m.
T. Boone Pickens, who amassed a fortune as an oil tycoon and corporate raider and gave much of it away as a philanthropist, has died. He was 91.
Spokesman Jay Rosser confirmed Pickens’ death Wednesday to The Associated Press.
Pickens made his first millions in oil, burnishing an image as a maverick, unafraid to take on giants in the oil patch. Even his name seemed to fit, like central casting’s idea of what an oilman should be named.
Starting in the 1980s, he became known for launching hostile corporate takeover bids that often resulted in a huge payoff. His fortune soared into the billions.
Pickens flirted with the idea of marketing water from West Texas to the state’s metropolitan areas. In a break from his past, he also developed wind farms.
