How the KBH Energy Center Fulfills Its Mission

Based in Oklahoma City, Duke Ligon manages Mekusukey Oil Company, a private mineral investment firm that he founded in 1970. Prior to Mekusukey, he served as senior vice president and general counsel to Devon Energy, located in Oklahoma City. Outside of work, Duke Ligon co-chairs the executive council of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law and Business (KBH Energy Center).

The KBH Energy Center was jointly founded by the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Law and McCombs School of Business in order to accomplish four main objectives: train leaders for the energy sector, produce objective research on issues related to energy, promote conversation, and analyze Latin America’s energy issues.

In order to fulfill its mission, the KBH Energy Center organizes lectures and conferences and publishes research. Topics the center has tackled include the regulation of Texas’ groundwater, the impact of the Endangered Species Act on energy projects, and petroleum development in Mexico. Moreover, classes in law, engineering, and marine sciences are offered through the UT Austin School of Law and McCombs School of Business to train the next generation of leaders on energy issues.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art Offers Dinner and A Movie Package

A former attorney for the Oklahoma-based Mekusukey Oil Company, Duke Ligon possesses more than four decades of experience in the energy and oil industry. Duke Ligon also serves on the board of several community organizations and serves as an officer on the board of trustees for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA). The museum’s film program offers the Dinner & a Movie package. 

The Dinner & a Movie package invites guests to enjoy a two-course meal at the Museum Café, followed by a film of their choice from the museum’s current film lineup. Available Thursday through Saturday nights, the package guarantees a minimal wait at the Museum Café in the event that all guests order off the Prix-Fixe menu. Guests will also pick up their film tickets during dinner.

Dinner options include a cup of soup with choice of either a house or Caesar salad for the first course and a choice between three dishes for the main course. Main course options consist of a fish, chicken, or pasta dish. In order to ensure enough time to order and complete their meals, guests are recommended to make dinner reservations at least one hour prior to the showing of their selected film.

Dinner & a Movie packages cost $29 per person, not including tax or gratuity. To learn more about the package and currently showing films, visit www.okcmoa.com/dinner-a-movie.

The Civil War Trust – Battlefield Preservation

The former senior vice president of Devon Energy Corporation, Duke Ligon now owns and manages Mekusukey Oil Company, LLC. Mr. Ligon previously was the strategic advisor at Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, based in Oklahoma City. Duke Ligon sits on the board of trustees of the Civil War Trust, an organization dedicated to protecting the battlefields of the American Civil War.

The Civil War Trust notes that 20 percent of American Civil War battlefields have already been destroyed, often due to commercial projects and property development. Further, only 15 percent of the battlefields are part of national parks, leaving 65 percent unprotected.

The Civil War Trust aims to increase the number of protected battlefields and currently works toward saving acreage in Virginia and Mississippi. The trust preserves battlefields by either ensuring the current landowner retains possession of the land, purchasing the land itself, or obtaining a permanent conservation easement.

OKC Philharmonic Foundation Starts Students Young

As a board member for six nonprofit organizations in Oklahoma City, Duke Ligon’s charitable endeavours are wide ranging. Duke Ligon is an attorney with more than 35 years of experience in energy law, while his nonprofit efforts are heavily focused on arts and education, including his position with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation.

In addition to bringing highly-regarded musicians to perform in Oklahoma City’s Civic Center Music Hall, OKC Philharmonic partners with local schools to inspire and entertain students. Eight youth concerts are held each year free of charge for more than 17,000 students in Oklahoma in grades three through five. 

In-school programs and other educational opportunities are also offered for young students who are musically inclined. Sound Images, an art program and contest for students in grades three through eight, aims to foster students’ creativity through orchestral music. The We’ve Got Rhythm program, meanwhile, gives kids an introduction to the orchestra and includes an in-class performance from OKC Philharmonic musicians who are encouraged to engage with students. Various programs and internship opportunities are also offered for high school and college students.