Nov 7, 2024 Independent Petroleum Association of America Awards Highest Honor to Wichita Falls’ David Kimbell Jr. of Burk Royalty
WASHINGTON – At the 95th Annual Meeting of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) in Boca Raton, FL, David Kimbell Jr., the President & CEO of Burk Royalty Co. Ltd. was presented with the 2024 Chief Roughneck Award.
IPAA represents thousands of independent businesses that develop 91 percent of America’s oil and natural gas wells. The Chief Roughneck honor dates back to 1955 and has included pioneers in the industry. Kimbell was selected by industry peers as the 65th recipient of the award. Past winners of the Chief Roughneck Award can view viewed on the American Oil & Gas Historical Society website.
The Chief Roughneck Award recognizes one individual whose accomplishments and character represented the highest ideals of the U.S. oil and natural gas industry. The award is considered one of the most meaningful honors in the industry; the award and the character behind it – Joe Roughneck – symbolize the spirit, determination, leadership and integrity of individuals who have made a lasting impression on the energy industry.
Jeff Eshelman, IPAA President and CEO: “It is the IPAA leadership’s honor to present the Chief Roughneck Award to David Kimbell, Jr. David’s company was born the same year as our association in 1929, and we are immensely grateful to have had him and his family active in IPAA and our advocacy throughout the decades. David and the Kimbell family are the embodiment of this award, and we wish them and Burk Royalty Co. success for many more years and generations.”
David Kimbell Jr., Burk Royalty Co. Ltd. President and CEO: “I am so honored and humbled by this prestigious award. Thank you to IPAA and those who make up such a great organization. My grandfather and Dad set the stage for my brothers and I to be in this position. I am grateful for the legacy they passed down to us and we hope to leave the same for our children. Since the early 1940s, Burk Royalty has been active in IPAA and this organization remains very important to us and to the mission it serves in our industry. As I look back at this award it is so clear how kind God has been to me and my family and to Burk Royalty.”
David Kimbell Jr.’s family has been active in the ownership and management of Burk Royalty since its founding. In 1929, George Kimbell (David Jr.’s grandfather) and two partners formed Burk Royalty Company as a partnership in Burkburnett, Texas. Today, Burk Royalty has 165 employees and operates oil and gas wells in North Texas, East Texas, West Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.
David Kimbell Sr., son of George Kimbell, joined the Burk Royalty after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, and served as president from 1962 until his death on February 23, 2013. After the passing of David Sr., David Jr. took over the responsibility of President and CEO of the Company. He also serves on the Board of Managers and is a Limited Partner of the Company. Prior to becoming president, David served as Senior Vice President of Exploration and oversaw all exploration and acquisition activities for the company. David began his career as a landman for the Company in East Texas in 1980 and has continued to be active overseeing the Company’s participation in numerous plays in East Texas, West Texas and Northern Louisiana. David is also Chairman of the Board of Managers of Viva Energy Services, an affiliated well servicing and plugging company based in Odessa, Texas. Viva operates more than 30 well servicing rigs, a trucking division, down hole and fishing division, and plugging division. He is an active member of IPAA and sponsor of the annual prayer breakfast and past board member of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.
Burk Royalty continues to be a family business with David’s brothers and partners, Tommy and Stan Kimbell in senior leadership along with other family members. Tommy currently serves as the Chairman of the Board and as Limited Partner of Burk Royalty Co. Stan is the Senior Vice President of Resource Management and ESG, Member of the Board of Managers and Limited Partner of Burk Royalty Co. The brothers are honored to have their beloved mother, Peggy Kimbell, still involved as a regular in person attendee at the Company’s weekly management meeting. Peggy and many other family members joined David for the award presentation in Boca Raton, symbolizing a decades long partnership with IPAA that has spanned three generations.
David and his wife Mary have been married for 42 years and have 4 children (Sarah Pitts, Trey Kimbell, John Kimbell and Mary Martha Kimbell-White), as well as 8 grandchildren. Trey Kimbell, their oldest son, is a geologist and serves as Vice President of Exploration and Mary Martha Kimbell-White, their youngest daughter, is Land Manager for the Company’s MidCon assets. Mary Martha’s husband, David’s son in law Matt White, serves as Vice President of Accounting and Commercial. In 2024, Matt accepted a nomination to the IPAA Board of Directors, in the role of Regional Director for North Texas. Mary Martha and Trey are the fourth generation of Kimbell family members actively employed at Burk Royalty.
About the Independent Petroleum Association of America
The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) is a national upstream trade association representing thousands of independent oil and natural gas producers and service companies across the United States. Independent producers develop 91 percent of the nation’s oil and natural gas wells. These companies account for 83 percent of America’s oil production, 90 percent of its natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) production, and support over 4.5 million American jobs. Learn more about IPAA by visiting www.ipaa.org and following @IPAAaccess on Twitter.
About Burk Royalty Company
Burk Royalty Co is a family-office backed exploration and production company based out of Wichita Falls, Texas, focused on acquiring and developing producing properties. Burk Royalty has 165 employees and operates oil and gas wells in North Texas, East Texas, West Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. For more information, visit www.burkroyalty.com
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