Each year, business titans are nominated into the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation’s esteemed list. Last year, Gerald Smith, chairman and CEO of Smith Graham & Co., was the only Houstonian granted the honor, but in 2022, four inductees from Bayou City have been named.  

According to TBHF Chair Amanda Brock, the inductees are recognized as “trailblazers in business and exemplary leaders who have made significant contributions in their local communities and beyond, through both philanthropic and civic engagement.”

The honorees  are nominated by the public, but are selected by their peers and determined by a majority vote by Hall of Fame members. Those recognized are not only examined through their business practices, but their willingness to give back — so it’s no wonder that our Houstonians eclipsed the list. 

Houston recipients are John Arnold, founder of Centaurus Capital LP; Ric Campo, CEO of Camden; Jeffery D. Hildebrand, executive chairman and founder of Hilcorp Energy Co., Harvest Midstream Co. and JDH Capital, and Paul W. Hobby, founding partner of Genesis Park and GP Capital. 

Arnold, No. 813 on Forbes’ 2022 list of Billionaires, founded his eponymous company, Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to solving some of the nation’s most pressing issues, from policing to the opioid epidemic, and contraceptive choice and access. According to the website, the company’s strategy is to correct the systems’ failures “through evidence-based solutions.” 

Campo is a business tycoon with a primary focus on economic development and overall quality of life. When he’s not working his day job, he sits on the board of directors for multiple Houston organizations, including the Greater Houston Partnership and the Coalition for the Homeless. 

Hildebrand, who also makes the Forbes’ 2022 billionaires list at No. 316, is active in his community. You’ve likely seen his name before as he serves on the board of the recently concluded Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, as well as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. 

As for Hobby, his extracurricular roles extend throughout the communications industry, including  local phone company Alpheus Communications and Texas Monthly. He’s also chairman of the Texas Ethics Commission and the Greater Houston Partnership. 

“The selection process, combined with the organization’s emphasis on both economic and social impact, makes this one of the most prestigious business honors in the state,” said Richard Fisher, TBHF alum and former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. 

The four Houstonians are joined by former Dallas Stars and Rangers owner Thomas O. Hicks, as well as the only woman added to the list, Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble Inc.

This year marks the organization's 40th anniversary, which will be commemorated at an induction ceremony and dinner at the Hilton Americas-Houston in November. 

For more information on the Texas Business Hall of Fame, visit the website.