The Odessa Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2018 Outstanding Citizen of the Year as Kirk Edwards. A luncheon will be held in honor of Edwards at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 7 at the Odessa Country Club.
Edwards is president and CEO of Latigo Petroleum, LLC. The company manages, operates and explores diverse oil and gas assets and surface lands with properties located throughout the United States and the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
Edwards received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 1981 and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. Edwards was also an active member of the UTPB Development Board to help bring Division II Football to the Permian Basin. Most recently, Edwards was a donor to the D. Kirk Edwards Family Human Performance Center that will be open on the University of Texas of the Permian Basin campus in fall of 2020.
Edwards has received various distinguished awards throughout his lifetime. In 2008, he received the Excellence in Community Service award in Business by the Heritage of Odessa Foundation, and was inducted into the Odessa Business Hall of Fame by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce in 2011. In 2015 Kirk was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and received the Texas Leadership Award as Outstanding Local Texas Leader from the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute. Edwards was also named to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s energy committee in 2015 and to the University Lands Board In 2018 by the regents of the University of Texas System.
“Kirk Edwards is a proud Odessan and it shows in his actions,” said Reneé Earls, President/CEO of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce. “He not only gives of his financial resources, but Kirk steps up when he sees a need and gets in the middle of the action to solve problems. Over the many years, Kirk has been involved in almost every aspect of our community. The Odessa Chamber is proud to honor him with this very deserved award.”
Edwards has been involved in a number of professional membership organizations. He has also served as the Past Chairman of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, Past Chairman of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and Past Director of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and past president of the Permian Basin International Oil Show.
In 2015, Edwards spearheaded the Chris Kyle Memorial Plaza project to build the hand-sculpted statue in honor of American Sniper Chris Kyle who was born in Odessa. This 2,800-square-foot memorial has attracted statewide, national and global attention, and brought veterans and visitors from all over the world to pay tribute.
Tables may be purchased for this event at www.odessachamber.com or by contacting Lynn Van Amburgh at 333-7862 or by email at [email protected].
The Citizen of the Year is selected based upon significant contributions or work performed for the good of the community.
Individuals are nominated by local community members and selected by a committee of Odessa Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
