Rankin

B.M. “Mack” RankinJr., 83, who co-foundedFreeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.and served as vice chairman of the board, died Wednesday. Rankin foundedMcMoRan Oil & Gas Co.in 1969 with partnersW.K. McWilliams, who is deceased, and current ChairmanJim Bob Moffatt. In 1981, McMoRan merged withFreeport Minerals Co.to form Freeport-McMoRan Inc., the predecessor parent company, which has since become one of the largest natural resources companies in the world (seeDaily GPI,July 24;Dec. 6, 2012). “We lost a brother, a friend and a valued member of our board of directors,” Moffatt said. “Mack has been a great partner and adviser for many years.” Rankin, who had more than 50 years of experience in the natural resources industry, was a member of the All American Wildcatters and from 2008 to 2010 was chairman of theU.S. Oil and Gas Association. In 2010 the Dallas native received theTexas Oil & Gas AssociationDistinguished Service Award. Rankin, a graduate of theUniversity of Texas at Austin(UT), was a member of the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame and had received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Business Administration. Rankin was an avid supporter of UT and endowed, among other things, a professorship in petroleum land management. The UT Longhorn athletic dining hall is named in his honor. Rankin is survived by his wife, Ashley, and son, Richard.