John “Jeff” F. Fort III, a pivotal figure in supporting the Center for Big Bend Studies (CBBS) at Sul Ross State University (SRSU), will be honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. The award will be presented at the commencement exercises on Friday, Dec. 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the Pete P. Gallego Center, recognizing his over two decades of dedication and philanthropy.
The Texas State University System Board of Regents acknowledged Fort’s significant contributions last summer, highlighting his role in advancing the center’s mission through financial support, property access, and public engagement. “Mr. Fort has been the Center for Big Bend Studies’ most consequential supporter,” the board noted in its resolution. “His commitment to the Center and his land, which he affectionately calls ‘an outdoor laboratory,’ has enriched the region by providing unique and invaluable insight into the past inhabitants and environment.”
Born in New York City in 1941 and raised near Washington, D.C., Fort graduated from Princeton with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering in 1963 and from MIT with a master’s in Industrial Management in 1966. His professional career included leadership roles at Simplex Wire and Cable Company and Tyco International, where he served as president, CEO, and Chairman of the Board.
After retiring in 1993, Fort continued to influence various industries as chairman of several private equity companies and as a board member of notable organizations like Dover Corporation and Kimberly Clark. His journey into philanthropy in the Big Bend region began in the 1990s when he acquired the Pinto Canyon Ranch and discovered significant archaeological sites, later granting CBBS unrestricted access to these and other finds.
Fort’s efforts in establishing the CBBS’s charitable status led to substantial financial contributions, including personal donations and facilitated gifts totaling more than $8.1 million. SRSU President Carlos Hernandez expressed profound gratitude for Fort’s contributions: “Your unwavering dedication to uncovering hidden archaeological sites in the Chihuahuan Desert has not only enriched the field of anthropology but also shed light on how humans have adapted and thrived in such an exacting environment.”
This honorary degree marks a significant recognition of Fort’s lasting impact on the academic community and the broader understanding of West Texas’s historical landscape.
