Who we are

Spindletop Charities, Inc. was founded in 1966 by a young man working in the oil industry, Loy D. “Butch” Griffin. His vision was to build an organization promoting goodwill and fellowship within the oil and gas industry while benefiting children in need. Griffin chose the name “Spindletop” to ensure the charity would be recognized by the oil and gas industry. Today, because of its solid foundation and support from the industry and dedicated volunteers, Spindletop continues to make significant contributions to Houston area youth charities.

Since its inception, more than $24 million has been raised to assist programs that support the following: child abuse prevention; pediatric medical research; substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation; education and scholarships; residential centers; after-school programs; family health and well-being; and much more.

Spindletop’s success in fundraising is the result of two annual special events – the Spindletop Golf Tournament and Spindletop Holiday Ball – as well as general donations. The two-day Spindletop Golf Tournament is held in the Spring, and several charity partners are highlighted through the Charities on the Green game at each Par 3. The Spindletop Holiday Ball continues to be the premier holiday event among the industry, capturing the merriment of the Holiday season all the while collecting toys and books for the annual Spindletop Holiday Toy Drive.

Spindletop Charities is governed by a 13-person Board of Directors, consisting of executives representative of the service and operating sectors of the energy industry. The Spindletop Emerging Leader Steering Committee (ELSC) is made up of 11 rising leaders within the industry, and the Committee spearheads volunteer service projects with Spindletop charity partners that are open to anyone in the energy industry to participate. Spindletop is managed by a two-person staff that works closely with the Board, ELSC, donors and volunteers to carry out the day to day operations of the organization as well as advocate for the youth charities supported through volunteering and networking. The Spindletop office is located in Houston at the Schlumberger corporate headquarters thanks to an extraordinarily generous in-kind gift from the organization.