Jim Bob Moffett converted what he learned under the Tutelage of Coach Darrell Royal into one of the most successful business enterprises in U.S. history.
Jim Bob's lifetime motto states, "it is impossible to have a bad day if you do something (good) for someone else."
On January 8, 2021, Jim Bob Moffett succumbed to Covid. He was 82. The family wishes that any donations be made to The Parkinson's Foundation online, https://www.parkinson.org/, or by mail to Parkinson's Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, Florida 33131 in memory of Jim Bob Moffett for research. To honor Mr. Moffett, The flag was flown over the Texas State Capitol at half-staff.
Mack Brown once said, “we are like pieces of clay, and each person who touches us makes an impression.” For Jim Bob Moffett, Elvis Presley, and Coach Darrell Royal formed the mold for Jim Bob. Both men were charismatic and talented. One transitioned boys into successful and responsible adults, and the other stirred the soul of humankind with song. DKR and Elvis built the bridge that would define Jim Bob’s life journey.
Gerald Ford, a natural resource industry leader, said He was a “legend and visionary.” "Jim Bob’s passion and relentless drive as an explorationist led to the discovery and development of world-class oil and gas and mineral deposits over his long career.”
HORNS UP !!
Billy,
This is a beautiful tribute. Please add that all of his 4 children attended & graduated from UT Austin!
Laurée Moffett
Jim Bob says, "I'm going to continue to give money to the university,'' nothing is going to stop me from supporting the University of Texas."
Sport: Football (1959-60)
Position: Tackle
Inducted: 1990
Hometown: Houston, Texas
• Member of 1959 SWC championship team
• Received 1960 Ex-Students[apos] Association T Award, awarded to a senior football player with the best scholastic average during his UT career
• Established endowments for athletics and the college of natural sciences
• Received SWC Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in 1989
In 1961 Jim Bob Moffett graduated from U.T. with an award for excellence in geology. He was the senior football player with the highest scholastic average, an accomplishment for which he was particularly proud.
He received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Louisiana State University and a Doctor of Financial Economics, Honoris Causa, a degree from the University of New Orleans.
He is a member of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame and the American Mining Hall of Fame, Mining Foundation of the Southwest.
Over the following decades, Jim Bob graciously gave back the blessings he received to the Longhorn Nation, as the following testimonial confirms.
It was at the University of Texas as a football player that he learned the lessons necessary to succeed. “ Do something better than anyone else. Work hard and stay clean, and the success you want will be automatic.”
Jim Bob loved the Longhorns and did everything he could financially and otherwise to make the Longhorns the best educational and sports program in the country. However, in 2020 Mr. Moffett expressed some concerns about the conflicts between fans, the UT Administration, players, and coaches. Jim Bob experienced these same conflicts in 1956 when the Horns only won one game. It was the worse year in the history of Longhorn football, so he offered advice to those in 2021.
Jim Bob says “you can’t win with controversy, whether it’s corporate America or athletics. Controversy ‘breeds defeat”. “Unity breeds success.” “In the 1950’s we lost that chemistry, that unity, and that led to our demise (as a football program).” “Everyone has to rally around: we have to support the program.”
Royal was able to quiet the storm of discontent among all the bickering factions by compiling a 6-4 record in 1957. You would have thought the team was undefeated that year. Fans, players, U.T. leaders, and the political power structure for once all were singing from the same Longhorn hymnal. All believed that Texas football was destined for greatness.
Learning from history sheds light on and adds perspective to the present state of Longhorn football. It is important that the Longhorn Nation learn to look backward to move forward. History is a great teacher when people listen, Jim Bob Moffett understood that.
After college Jim Bob continued his close relationship with renowned coach and mentor, Darrell Royal, until Coach's death in 2012. In fact, Jim Bob bought the Pedernalis Country Club at a public auction for $117,000 on the advice of DKR. Royal’s friend Willie Nelsen was in a battle with the IRS and his properties were seized and sold at auction. Royal and Moffett helped a friend in tough times retain a property that was undervalued.
Professional Honors
In 1981 Jim Bob Moffett received the UT Distinguished Alumni award.
In 1990 as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. Jim Bob Moffett received the prestigious Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Award. In his speech after accepting the honor, Jim Bob said he defines success as “reaching a point in life when you can help other people to be successful.” He advises young people that success is available to anyone in America. To be successful, he says, “You need to find something that you think you can do better than anyone else and then out-work everyone around you.” Hard work creates opportunities for success, he says, frequently quoting Royal—his football coach at the University of Texas—who told him as a young man that “luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Moffett adds, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” True to the principles and practices of Horatio Alger Moffett worked hard to keep it in place for younger generations to follow through his work with the Horatio Alger Association and educational philanthropy.
Jim Bob credits his mother with his work ethic. He stated that she had a sign in the kitchen of a boarding house that she ran that read, "if you don't work, you don't eat." He also credits her with his philosophy on the importance of giving back. She always said, "if you won't share a dollar, you won't share a million."
In 2000, the Horatio Alger Association awarded Moffett its Norman Vincent Peale Award, which is given to Members whose dedication to the Association and its mission and whose extraordinary humanitarian contributions to society distinguish them as exceptional role models. Moffett served the Association as a board member and was chairman emeritus. “I want everyone to know that in America everyone can succeed,” says Moffett, crediting the Association with “getting the message out that in America, success should be celebrated.” Under his leadership, Freeport-McMoRan supported educational, healthcare, and social development programs worldwide. Twice, BusinessWeek magazine has named Freeport-McMoRan the most philanthropic company in America based on total giving as a percentage of revenues.
Jim Bob sat on several non-profit boards, including Horatio Alger Association, Children's Tumor Foundation supporting NF-1 research, the University of Texas at Austin, Tulane University, Wildcatter's Club, Alfalfa Club, Audubon Nature Institute, the DKR Alzheimers Research Fund, and many others. He stated, "You can't just be a name on a board's letterhead, you have to give it time, and you have to believe in the cause. One has to have compassion and a desire to help others, and then you have to be dedicated to making sure the help you offer makes a difference."
Corinne Moffett, daughter of Jim Bob and Laurée, was announced in 2016 as the Children’s Tumor Foundation Ambassador, an award bestowed upon an individual with NF to recognize their courage living with the disorder and their personal efforts to further Foundation goals of research, public awareness, and patient support. Her parents, Jim Bob and Laurée were also awarded the Children’s Humanitarian Award for their remarkable contribution and commitment to CTF.