Mr. T. Boone Pickens serves as Partner at Sporting Ranch Capital Management. During his long career, legendary entrepreneur and energy expert Mr. Pickens founded one of the nation's largest independent oil companies, Mesa Petroleum, and BP Capital, a successful private investment firm that focuses on investments in the energy sectors. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast and conservationist, Mr. Pickens bought his first Texas Panhandle ranch (2,926 acres) in 1971. Over time, he assembled 68,000 contiguous acres of mostly overgrazed land and transformed it into Mesa Vista Ranch, a wildlife jewel that serves as a national model for the preservation of native habitat and wildlife. He has considerable experience in buying ranch land and developing it into recreational properties. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation recognized Mr. Pickens for his "stewardship of the land" by inducting him into its Conservation Hall of Fame in 2012.