Texas CEO and Distinguished Philanthropist Kelcy Warren to Receive 2016 Horatio Alger Award

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that Kelcy Warren, chairman, Energy Transfer Equity and chairman and CEO, Energy Transfer Partners, has been selected for membership in the prestigious organization.  Mr. Warren joins 12 other accomplished business and civic leaders from across North America in receiving this honor in 2016. Since its establishment in 1947, the Horatio Alger Award is annually bestowed upon recognized leaders who have succeeded, despite facing adversity, and who are committed to both philanthropy and higher education.

Born in Gladewater, TX, and raised in the nearby town of White Oak, Mr. Warren learned about hard work and commitment from his parents, who were involved in his life through coaching and education. His father, a pipeline worker for Sun Pipeline Company, served as president of the local school board, Boy Scout Master of Mr. Warren's troop and coached his baseball team. His mother was president of the Parent-Teacher Association and his Cub Scouts' Den Mother. Prior to attending college, Mr. Warren worked in several pipeline jobs as a welders helper and in pipeline construction and repair.  He graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in civil engineering and entered the oil and gas business. For the next 30 years, he acquired and developed energy companies into wildly successful entities. Today, Mr. Warren is chairman of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Equity and CEO and chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, a company which he co-founded in 1996 that employs more than 39,000 people across 22 states. The Energy Transfer family, with four publicly traded partnerships, including Sunoco LP, is now one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States.

"Horatio Alger Association is built on the principles of hard work and perseverance, something Mr. Warren exemplifies in his endeavors across the oil and gas industry," said Byron Trott, president and CEO of Horatio Alger Association. "His ability to recognize opportunities where others see challenges is an admirable quality and a testament to his successes. We welcome Mr. Warren as a lifetime Member and a strong leader, role model and mentor to our Scholars."

Philanthropically, Mr. Warren established an endowment at his alma mater, University of Texas at Arlington, in honor of the school's professors who take personal interest in their students' studies. Mr. Warren is passionate about creating urban parks and utilizing green space, which led him to be the leading donor for a park in downtown Dallas, Klyde Warren Park, named after his son. Mr. Warren supports a variety of other organizations, including Cherokee Crossroads, Inc., Lamplighter School and Music Road Records. He was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame and has received numerous awards, including the Hanlon Award from Gas Processors Association and the "Entrepreneur of the Year" Award from Ernst & Young.  Mr. Warren has also recently been appointed as a Commissioner for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Board.

In accepting this honor, Mr. Warren commented, "I am grateful to have been selected as a Member of Horatio Alger Association. My parents were great role models, teaching me the value of hard work, leadership and achieving your full potential. These values, which are promoted by the Association, have guided my life. I look forward to supporting the organization in its efforts to develop the next generation of American leaders."

Through its Members, Horatio Alger Association aims to educate young people about the limitless opportunities afforded to them by the free-enterprise system. To further this goal, the organization awards scholarships to outstanding high school students who are committed to pursuing higher education and giving back to their communities. Like Association Members, Horatio Alger Scholars have faced numerous challenges and have displayed unmatched resilience in overcoming them. Since the scholarship program was established in 1984, Horatio Alger Association has provided more than $110 million to students in need.  Scholarships are funded solely through the generosity of Association Members, Life Partners and friends. 

Mr. Warren and the Member Class of 2016 will be officially welcomed into the organization during the 69^th Annual Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., from March 31-April 2, 2016.  In addition to recognizing these tremendous leaders, Horatio Alger Association will also honor its 2016 National Scholarship recipients, affording both groups the opportunity to meet and learn from one another.

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and a full list of its Class of 2016, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity and pursue their dreams through higher education. Thanks to their generosity, the Association awards more than $11 million annually in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada and provides college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $110 million in college scholarships to more than 22,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

CONTACT:
McKenna Young
484-385-2913 (office)
[email protected]

SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.

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