A Small Difference

In the oil and gas industry, there are many exciting tales of wildcat discoveries. This memoir of Raymond Plank's methodical leadership in building Apache Corporation to a $50 billion global oil and gas company tells a more subtle and widely relevant story. Plank's parents instilled essential values that have served as his lifelong compass, his father urging him to try to make a very small difference on behalf of others. Steeled as a bomber pilot in the Pacific, Plank graduated from Yale in 1946 and considered his business future. Invited to join his father's printing business, he chose instead to pursue an independent path. This book chronicles the innovations Plank brought to bear in the growth of Apache Corporation and his fostering of lifelong learning. It demonstrates that Raymond Plank has made a very meaningful difference in the lives of others.