Mark Edwin Andrews (October 17, 1903 – August 22, 1992) was an American

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...

, who also served as an official in the

United States Department of the Navy The United States Department of the Navy (DoN) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, at the urging of Secretary o ...

. Andrews founded Ancon Oil & Gas.

Biography

Andrews was born in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

. He was educated at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

, graduating in 1927. He then worked for a number of years in the

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

business before enrolling at the

South Texas College of Law South Texas College of Law Houston (STCL or South Texas) is a private law school in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1923, it is accredited by the American Bar Association. South Texas College of Law Houston is the oldest law school in the city of ...

, from which he received his law degree in 1934. Andrews joined the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

in 1942 as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

. He was quickly promoted to

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...

, commander, and captain. He became responsible for purchasing

airplanes An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectr ...

engines An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power g ...

, and ships for the Navy. In 1946, he became chief of Navy

procurement Procurement is the method of discovering and agreeing to terms and purchasing goods, services, or other works from an external source, often with the use of a tendering or competitive bidding process. When a government agency buys goods or serv ...

, and in the same year was awarded the Navy's Legion of Merit. At this time, Andrews was responsible for drafting the

Armed Services Procurement Act In the United States the Armed Services Procurement Act established the Armed Services Procurement Regulations (ASPR) which were in effect from 1948 to 1978. The first complete ASPR was published by the Department of Defense in 1959.Culver, C.M ...

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

nominated Andrews as

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy. From 1861 to 1954, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was the second-highest civilian office in the Depar ...

in 1948, and Andrews served in that position from January 21, 1948, to February 15, 1949. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Andrews was responsible for procurement, supplies, civilian personnel, shipyards, oil reserves, budgeting and expenditures. Upon retiring from the

, Andrews bought and reorganized an oil equipment company, Dixel Manufacturing. He also became an independent oil producer, and went on to be president of two textile companies, Westmoreland Manufacturing and Andrews, Loop & Company. Finally, Andrews founded Ancon Oil & Gas and served as Ancon's president for 35 years. In addition to his work as a businessman, Andrews served as a part-time law school instructor; as a director of the English-Speaking Union; as advisory chairman of the

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, located in the River Oaks community in Houston, Texas, United States, is a facility of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) that houses a collection of decorative art, paintings and furniture. Bayou Bend i ...

; and as a

trustee Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to ...

of the

Houston Museum of Fine Arts The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), is an art museum located in the Houston Museum District of Houston, Texas. With the recent completion of an eight-year campus redevelopment project, including the opening of the Nancy and Rich Kinder Build ...

. He purchased Knappogue Castle and its surrounding lands in County Clare, Ireland in 1966, and together with his wife Lavone Dickensheets Andrews (a prominent American architect), in collaboration with what was then Shannon Free Airport Development Company (today Shannon Heritage) and Bord Failte Eireann, carried out an extensive restoration of the area around 1969. In 1965, he published a book, ''

Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

vs. Equity in the "

Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as a ...

"''. He also authored books on his experiences with the Navy and on the oil business. Following a stroke, Andrews died at his home on Houston on August 22, 1992. He was 88 years old.

References

Bruce Lambert, "Mark E. Andrews, Oil Executive And Ex-Navy Official, Dies at 88", ''New York Times'', Aug. 24, 1992

{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrews, Mark 1903 births 1992 deaths United States Assistant Secretaries of the Navy Recipients of the Legion of Merit American businesspeople in the oil industry Princeton University alumni South Texas College of Law alumni People from Houston