Dan and Farris Wilks
Dan Howard Wilks and Farris Cullen Wilks, also known as the Wilks Brothers, are American energy industry entrepreneurs. The brothers established Wilks Masonry in 1995. They went on to found an early hydraulic fracking company, Frac Tech, in 2002, and eventually became billionaires.[1] In 2011 they sold their 70% interest in Frac Tech for $3.5 billion.[2][3] The brothers, sons of a bricklayer, reside in Cisco in Eastland County east of Abilene, Texas.[4][5]
Political activity
They supported Texan U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in the United States presidential election, 2016,[6] contributing $15 million to a super political action committee backing Cruz. They gave $50,000 in 2016 to the candidacy of Jeff Judson, who unsuccessfully challenged fellow Republican Joe Straus, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, in the District 121 Republican legislative primary in March 2016.[7]
Personal lives
Farris Wilks is married to Joan and the father of 11 children. He is the pastor of the Assembly of Yahweh Seventh Day Church near Cisco, a conservative Messianic Israelite church that was founded by his parents, Voy and Myrtle, in 1947. The church takes a literal approach to the Bible, considering it historically and scientifically accurate, and considers homosexuality and abortion crimes.[8]
Dan Wilks is married to Staci and the father of two children with her and four children from a previous marriage.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Durgy, Edwin (September 26, 2011). "The Forbes 400's Newest Undercover Billionaires: The Wilks Brothers". Forbes.
- ^ Billionaires buy up land in Idaho
- ^ Kong, Dinny McMahon And Kanga (2011-05-13). "Frac Tech Got $3.5 Billion". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ^ Montgomery, Peter (June 13, 2014). "Meet the Billionaire Brothers You Never Heard of Who Fund the Religious Right". American Prospect.
- ^ "The 41 Wealthiest Texans: Nos. 40 and 41: Dan Wilks and Farris Wilks: Dan Wilks (57, CISCO): $1.5 BILLION Farris Wilks (61, CISCO): $1.5 BILLION". Texas Monthly.
- ^ "Big Money: Billionaire Brothers Give Ted Cruz $15M". The Daily Beast.
- ^ David Saleh Rauf, "Mega donors bolster tea party: Billionaire family fuels anti-Straus bid", San Antonio Express-News, January 22, 2016, pp. 1, A8
- ^ Conlin, Michelle (September 11, 2015). "Special Report: Touting morality, billionaire Texas brothers top 2016 donor list". Retrieved 7 July 2016; includes link to their statement of belief
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