In the world of top Dallas businesspeople, there may be no tighter circle of successful, powerful associates and friends than Alan B. White, Boone Pickens, Jerry Jones, and Barry Andrews. Pickens once made a very large, early deposit into White’s PlainsCapital Bank. For years, White and Andrews co-hosted a prestigious annual “Gentlemen’s Luncheon” around Christmastime, most recently at Jerry Jones’ AT&T Stadium. Andrews’ beer-distributing company provides the stadium with the Miller it pours, and members of the circle have private suites at JerryWorld.
So, it wasn’t unusual to see Jones, Pickens, Andrews, and Annette Simmons—the widow of businessman Harold Simmons, White’s late good friend—all gathered at the No. 1 table last week to honor White when he received the 2016 Henry Cohn Humanitarian Award from the Anti-Defamation League. The league said the award, established in the 1970s by its North Texas/Oklahoma regional board, was to honor White for his “leadership in preserving liberty, counteracting bigotry, and advancing the cause of human rights, dignity and equal opportunity.”
Guests at the fundraising dinner at the Westin Galleria Dallas were a who’s who of Dallas civic and business leadership, from Mayor Mike Rawlings and Sheriff Lupe Valdez to the likes of James Huffines, Hill Feinberg, Herb Weitzman, Emmitt Smith, Mike Boone and Crawford Brock. All are friends or business colleagues of White, chairman and CEO of PlainsCapital Corp., or his well-connected wife, Lee Ann. The event was emceed by Woodbine Development’s John Scovell, who grew up with White in Lubbock, and featured a video with tributes to the banker by Feinberg, Lee Ann (“he has a heart the size of Texas”), and J.J. Gomez, a top executive with PlainsCapital. Said Gomez: “Race, color, or creed … have never made a difference to him. I’m the poster child for that!”
Accepting the award, White thanked the event chairs, Feinberg and Truman Arnold, and told the crowd of 500 that he was “humbled, grateful, and appreciative” of the ADL honor. Then he targeted his appreciation with humor and sincerity, beginning with Lee Ann. “She’s truly been a great partner … and opened the door for me to so many relationships,” White said. “She’s the air beneath my wings, and it takes a lot of air to keep me up. … I admire [Scovell’s] dedication and drive. I know you’re gonna close this [evening] out by cuttin’ my head off, John, so I’m trying to soften the blow. …
“My friends have taught me so many lessons,” White went on. “Harold and Annette were so instrumental to me. He was a giant of a man, and had a huge heart. …Boone Pickens—there’s a character! He taught me that when you lose, you move on. When you get knocked down, you get back up. …Jerry and Gene [Jones], you talk about the strength of family. They take on a lot of criticism. Jerry’s taught me, you take the criticism and let it roll off your back.
“Lana and Barry Andrews are so generous. I can’t say enough about them,” White said, wrapping up the evening. “These people have all taught me a lot.”
