Name: Cleere, Kirk
Title: President of Sendero Drilling Company
Texas A&M Class: 1981
Induction: 2018
Kirk Cleere was born in Ozona, TX, and later moved to and was raised in San Angelo, TX. He graduated from San Angelo Central High School and attended Texas A&M University, earning a B. S. in Agricultural Economics in 1981. While at Texas A&M, Kirk was highly involved with the Skeet & Trap Team, with A&M winning a National Championship in 1981. His leadership skills were further revealed and refined as a founder of the Theta Chi fraternity, of which he served as chapter president during 1979-81.
Shortly after graduation, Kirk returned to San Angelo to work as a contract land man, obtaining oil and gas leases in South, Central, and West Texas. Using this experience, he created the KCP Energy partnership in 1982. In this company, Kirk managed oil and gas exploration and production operations on the Eastern shelf of the Permian Basin. When the oil market crashed in 1983, Kirk exhibited his resolve and insight for opportunity. The KCP Energy partnership dissolved after the crash, marking the beginning of a new company, Campaign Production. As its owner and President, Kirk acquired his first drilling rig and set out to create his own path. He continued to manage oil and gas exploration and production operations while developing his skills for effectively running a business. Campaign Production continued to grow and was renamed Cleere Operating Company in 1984. During this time, Kirk took advantage of low equipment costs and acquired four additional drilling rigs by purchasing the assets of Melon Drilling Co. with the help of his mentor and investor Frank Caraway.
From 1984 to 1989, the oil market posed challenging opportunities for entrepreneurs. Many companies in the industry did not survive or were acquired by larger firms. This time period shaped Cleere’s success. Cleere Operating Company’s superior service, along with several financial investments, allowed the company to survive. In 1989, as the market began to rebound, the company was renamed as Cleere Drilling Company. Kirk directed and led all company personnel while managing company expenditures and major purchases. During these years, the business experienced steady growth. By 2001, Cleere Drilling Company was the largest privately-owned drilling company in the United States.
In December 2001, Patterson UTI Drilling Company noticed the outstanding performance of Kirk’s business and moved to acquire his company. Kirk assumed the role as Contracts Manager, obtaining and negotiating work for oil and gas drilling services. In 2007, he again saw an opportunity and became President of Lariat Services in Midland, TX. There, he directed and lead company personnel overseeing drilling rigs, well service units, roustabout crews, and many other servicing groups. Under Kirk’s leadership, Lariat Services realized great success and went public as a subsidiary of Sand Ridge Energy in 2008.
A little more than 20 years after selling Patterson UTI, Cleere formed Sendero Drilling Company with Pioneer Natural Resources in January 2010. With Kirk as President and Co-founder, he led the company to unprecedented growth, and due to that rapid growth, he was able to acquire Pioneer’s interest in Sendero in 2014. Sendero Drilling works alongside two other businesses, C&F Petroleum and Algerita Land and Minerals, both of which Kirk Cleere is President and Managing Partner. These sister companies make investments in oil and gas production operations as well as oil and gas leaseholds, respectfully.
Throughout these business endeavors, Kirk Cleere’s passion is to see his employees succeed. His ventures have created numerous jobs, opportunities, and financial stability for families in the West Texas area. Kirk also has a strong passion for veterans. Each year in San Angelo, he helps to organize and guide hunts for those who have served in the military. He donates the use of his ranch and loves to be a part of giving back to those who have sacrificed so much.
Kirk Cleere also serves on the board of the West Texas Rehab Center. This allows the opportunity for his company and companies throughout the area to send employees for therapy needs that they may have. As a long-time board member of the San Angelo Claybird Association, Kirk and his company take part in planning and organizing sporting clay shoots as a fundraising activity for many charity organizations in West Texas. Such events benefit the West Texas Rehab Center, the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, and Shannon Hospital’s Miracle Network, just to mention a few. He and the company are also annual sponsors of the San Angelo Stock Show which benefits agriculture students throughout the West Texas community. For the past 36 years, Kirk has been a member of A&M’s Century Club starting the year immediately following his graduation. He is presently a Diamond donor and is also in the Top 400 donors to the 12th Man Foundation. Kirk is an active member of the West Texas A&M Club. He has been a “Prof-for-a-Day” in Texas A&M’s Agribusiness Entrepreneurship classes and is a mentor to students interested in oil and gas industry entrepreneurial pursuits.
Kirk and Dr. Patricia Cleere, his wife of 30 years, currently live in San Angelo, TX. They have two daughters, Jabyn ’20 and Jewell, both of whom graduated from Christoval High School. Jabyn is a junior at Texas A&M and Jewel lives and works in San Angelo. They also have one son, Byron Dixon who lives and works in Austin, Texas.
