Texas Tech Department of Petroleum Engineering Receives $15 Million Gift

Texas Tech University today (Aug. 27) accepted a $15 million donation from alumnus Bob L. Herd to the Department of Petroleum Engineering. The money will be used to endow the department. Herd’s donation will result in the first naming of an academic department on campus, the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering.

Herd, a 1957 petroleum engineering graduate, is the founder and operator of Herd Producing Company in Tyler. He was named a Distinguished Engineer in the College of Engineering in 1995 and was recognized by the Texas Tech Ex-Students Association as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1994. Herd credits Texas Tech for his success.

“My family and I are pleased that we are able to help Texas Tech provide the educational foundation for future petroleum engineers, like Texas Tech provided me many years ago,” Herd said. “It was this education that made this donation possible.”

Kent Hance, Texas Tech University System Chancellor praised Herd for making the education of future generations a priority.

“We are honored to name our successful Petroleum Engineering department after one of our distinguished graduates,” Hance said. “The generosity of alumni like Mr. Herd allows our institutions to continue providing excellent educational opportunities.”

“We are proud of the exceptional success of our alumnus in the petroleum industry,” said Pamela Eibeck, dean of the College of Engineering. “His generosity to the department is transformative and will allow the program to provide one of the nation’s best quality petroleum engineering educations to our students into the future. We are truly grateful for his willingness to give back to Texas Tech’s Petroleum Engineering department.”

Department chairman Lloyd Heinze says Herd has made a significant mark on the petroleum industry.

“He set a high standard for others to give to the industry as well as back to Texas Tech. We are proud to call him one of our Distinguished Engineers,” said Heinze.

Texas Tech produces 10 percent of the U.S. petroleum engineering graduates each year. The graduate program in the department is ranked in the top ten petroleum engineering graduate programs in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.