William Greehey

William Eugene "Bill" Greehey (born June 9, 1936, in Fort Dodge, Iowa)^[1] is an American businessman and philanthropist.^[2] He is most known for his roles as the founding CEO and Chairman of Valero Energy Corporation and NuStar Energy.^[3]

Bill Greehey was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1954.^{[4] [5]} He then served with the US Air Force for four years and was based at Lackland AFB, in San Antonio, Texas.^{[1] [6] [7]} Following his Air Force career, he used his GI Bill benefits to enroll in St. Mary's University at San Antonio, and later received a Bachelor's degree in Accounting.^[1]

After graduation in 1960, he started working as a CPA for Price Waterhouse and later became an auditor for Exxon.^{[1] [7]} In 1963, he joined Coastal States Gas Corporation.^[8] By 1968 at the age of 32, he held the post of a senior vice president.^[1] In 1973, he was President and CEO of Coastal Corporation's subsidiary LoVaca Gathering Company which on December 31, 1979, became the Valero Energy Corporation.^{[8] [9]} He was the founding CEO and Chairman of the Valero Energy Corporation and Group and held those posts until January 2006 and January 2007, respectively.^[8] In 2006, he was the founding Chairman of NuStar Energy L.P. and Group.^{[10] [11]} As a philanthropist, he founded the William Greehey Family Foundation in April 2003.^[12]

In March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading, his Greehey Foundation pledged financial support for those in need of relief.^[13]

Greehey has been married to Louree née Bruce Greehey for over sixty years and they have five children.^{[7] [11]} Along with his five children, he has 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom he shares with his wife Louree.^[3] Bill, and Louree are Republicans and are closely associated with the Nustar PAC.^{[14] [15] [16]} He serves on the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, which named him a Distinguished Alumnus in 1986 and granted him an honorary doctorate of philosophy in 1998.^[11] At St. Mary's University, the Bill Greehey Arena and the Greehey School of Business were named in his honor in 2000 and 2005, respectively.^{[11] [17] [18]} The Bill Greehey Refineries in Corpus Christi is named in his honor.^[19]

In 1998, Mr. Greehey was presented with the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the San Antonio Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives; and he was inducted into the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame by Junior Achievement.^[11]

In 2000, Greehey received the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award.^[20]

In 2001, Greehey received the distinguished Horatio Alger Award.^[9]

• 1936 births
• Living people
• American philanthropists
• American businesspeople
• St. Mary's University, Texas alumni
• People from Fort Dodge, Iowa
• Iowa Republicans

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