Frank W. "Billy" Harrison, III, 2026 Alumnus of the Year

Frank W. “Billy” Harrison III,  Alumnus of the Year

Few alumni embody the spirit of giving back to Louisiana State University quite like Frank W. “Billy” Harrison III. A respected leader in the energy industry and a passionate advocate for education, Harrison has built a legacy defined not only by professional excellence but by an unwavering commitment to strengthening LSU for future generations. 

From LSU Geology to Industry Leadership 

Frank W. “Billy” Harrison III earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from LSU. He is the co-founder and co-owner of Houston Energy L.P., an independent oil and gas exploration company.

Harrison has 46 years of successful petroleum exploration in the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coast, as well as the Gulf of America. As exploration manager, he oversees all aspects of oil and gas exploration for Houston Energy.

He began his career as a geologist with Amoco Production Company and later served as division and operations geologist at Quintana Petroleum Company, before founding Houston Energy with fellow LSU alumnus, Ron Neal, in 1988.

A Legacy of Leadership and Service 

He is a past chairman of the LSU Foundation Board of Directors (on which his father also served), a member of the College of Science Dean’s Circle, and a member of the Geology Field Camp Endowment Committee – in appreciation for the important impact the Field Camp had on his own life and career. Harrison also recently established a Dean’s Chair in the LSU Science Department. He was inducted into the LSU College of Science Hall of Distinction in 2012.

Harrison and his wife, Ann, established the Billy and Ann Harrison Chair of Sedimentology and the Billy and Ann Harrison Family Laboratory for Subsurface Geology, both in the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

They have also been lead donors supporting the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building, Patrick F. Taylor Hall, LSU Foundation Center of Philanthropy, President’s Scholarship First Fellows Fund, the Geology Summer Field Camp, the Harrison Family Laboratory for Subsurface Geology, and the Brookshire Military Museum Endowment for the Future. Harrison has been pivotal in encouraging and supporting fellow Tigers in the Houston area to engage with LSU, particularly as academic donors, and by hosting events on behalf of the LSU administration.

He is a member of the LSU Kappa Sigma Fraternity Hall of Distinction and the Houston Petroleum Legends Club.

Harrison and his wife, Ann, have two children, Will and Andy Harrison, both LSU graduates, and eight grandchildren.

The LSU Alumni Association is proud to honor Frank W. "Billy" Harrison, III, as the 2026 LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction's Alumnus of the Year—recognizing his lifetime achievements that continue to inspire the next generation of Tigers.

Learn more about the 2026 LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction presented by FMOL Health and celebrate alumni making a difference around the world at www.lsualumni.org/hall-of-distinction.