Montana Tech to award first-ever dual honorary doctorates to Ryan Lance and David Lesar

In a tribute to its 125-year legacy, Montana Technological University will celebrate its anniversary by awarding two honorary doctorates—marking the first time in the university’s history that dual honors have been conferred.

The Montana Board of Regents officially authorized the historic awards today during its March meeting in Dillon, paving the way for the university to bestow this unprecedented double conferral upon Ryan M. Lance and David J. Lesar at the university’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

“Ryan Lance and Dave Lesar have each transformed this university,” noted Montana Tech Chancellor Johnny MacLean. “Their leadership in the natural resources and healthcare industries, along with their service to the State of Montana and Montana Tech, sets a powerful example for our students as we prepare them to become the next generation of STEM leaders. It is my great privilege to confer upon each of them an honorary doctorate, the highest distinction awarded by Montana Technological University.”

David J. Lesar will be hooded during the 10:00 am ceremony where graduates in the College of Letters, Sciences & Professional Studies and Highlands College will be honored.

“Dave Lesar’s philanthropic contributions and leadership in the energy industry have left an indelible mark on Montana Tech and the broader community. Lesar's commitment to innovation and growth extended beyond his corporate role. During his time at Halliburton, Dave Lesar ensured that Halliburton donated to the Natural Resources Research Center, which was a critical investment for Montana Tech and set the stage for future philanthropic donations to Montana Tech. Dave and Sherry Lesar’s $7 million donation to the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing has ensured Montana Tech’s position as an educational leader of future nurses. Dave and Sherry Lesar donated $1million in 2016 to establish the Stan and Joyce Lesar Professorship, honoring Dave’s parents. The Stan and Joyce Lesar Professorship was used to support programming and research focused on enhancing Montana Tech’s ability to responsibly develop and use natural resources,” wrote Dr. Tim Elgren, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor in his nomination letter.

Dave and Sherry Lesar have long been pillars of the Montana Tech community. Their transformative $7 million gift in 2021 established the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing, providing an endowment designed to elevate the program’s quality for generations. These funds directly support student scholarships, faculty development, and the expansion of the curriculum.

The Lesars' generosity also powered the creation of the Lesar Family Nursing Simulation Center. Opened in Spring 2022, the 5,000-square-foot, high-tech facility—located in the Science and Engineering Building—features:

• Four versatile simulation suites that mirror hospital, home, and office environments.
• Specialized spaces including debriefing rooms, telehealth suites, a nurse’s station, and a medication room.

David J. Lesar is currently the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Superior Energy, joining the company in August 2024. Superior Energy operates in approximately 47 countries around the world, providing drilling and completion technologies to oil and gas companies.

Before joining Superior Energy, he was the President and Chief Executive Officer of CenterPoint Energy, the largest Texas-based public electric and gas utility, from July 2020 until his retirement in January 2024. He also served as Chairman of the Board’s Business Review and Evaluation Committee.

He served as director and interim CEO of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) through June 2020. HCSC is the largest private health insurer in the US and owns, among other businesses, the Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates in a number of states, such as Texas, Illinois, New Mexico, and Montana.

He was also the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Halliburton Company from 2000 to 2017 and Executive Chairman of the Board until his retirement in December 2018.  He joined Halliburton in 1993 and served in a variety of other roles, including President and Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure at Halliburton, he was honored with the American Petroleum Institute’s prestigious Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement, recognizing his energy industry leadership in driving unprecedented technological innovation, advancing sustainability, and strengthening industry-wide progress.

He has served on the board of directors of several companies, such as Agrium, Inc., Lyondell Chemical Co., Southern Co., Cordant Technologies, and is currently on the board of the Houston Astros MLB Baseball team, where he is a minority owner.

A Certified Public Accountant, he received both his B.S. and MBA from the University of Wisconsin. He and his wife, Sherry, have two adult children and two grandchildren.

Ryan M. Lance will be hooded during the afternoon ceremony beginning at 1:00 pm in the HPER. During this ceremony the university will honor students in the Graduate School and Lance College of Mines & Engineering.

In his nomination letter, Dr. Jack Skinner, Dean of the Lance College of Mines and Engineering, wrote, “Mr. Lance's dedication to Montana Tech is evident through his continuous support for the university's development and educational excellence initiatives. Ryan and Lisa Lance’s generous donation of $31 million, the largest in the university's history, has facilitated the renaming of the School of Mines & Engineering to the Lance College of Mines & Engineering, a testament to his commitment to the institution's growth and success.”

Ryan Lance is the reason Montana Tech was able to build the Natural Resources Research Center by encouraging ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, and Anadarko to donate to Montana Tech. The Lance Scholars Program has been game changing for students seeking an excellent, hands-on education at Montana Tech. The establishment of the Lance Energy Chair to ensure Montana

Tech is the higher-education leader in the field of energy has yielded immediate results with Bob Morris being named as the inaugural Lance Energy Chair and enhancing Montana Tech’s presence in energy issues important to industry, National Laboratories, and government.”

Ryan and Lisa Lance have proven to be transformational supporters of Montana Tech. In April 2023, the university received a record-breaking $31 million gift from the couple—the largest in the institution’s history.

This historic investment led to several landmark initiatives:

• The Lance Scholars Program: Providing unprecedented access to education.
• The Lance Energy Chair: Enhancing the university’s position as a leader in energy research.
• Digger Athletics: A $1 million allocation to the endowed scholarship fund to bolster support for student-athletes.

Ryan M. Lance has served as chairman and chief executive officer of ConocoPhillips, one of the world’s leading exploration and production companies, since 2012.

Ryan is a petroleum engineer with four decades of oil and natural gas industry experience in senior management and technical positions with ConocoPhillips, predecessor Phillips Petroleum and various divisions of ARCO. His past ConocoPhillips executive assignments included responsibility for international exploration and production, regional responsibility at various times for Asia, Africa, the Middle East and North America, and responsibility for technology, major projects, downstream strategy, integration and specialty functions.

Externally, Ryan is a board member of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and a trustee of both the George and Barbara Bush Foundation and PGA Reach. He is also an advocate for charities benefiting youth through his service on the board of Spindletop International. He is former chairman of the American Petroleum Institute currently serving on its Executive Committee, and currently Vice Chair of the National Petroleum Council and on the Business Roundtable Board.

Ryan is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering from Montana Technological University in Butte in 1984.