Practicing Significance

Glorifying God by fulfilling your own unique purposes through the never-ending

action of acquiring, using, and sharing diverse resources.

About the Author

Philip B. Smith

After an interesting and successful business career, I had the opportunity to retire at age fifty.  Knowing that pitfalls would abound, I set about the business of learning to retire.  My quest resulted in reading hundreds of books, magazines, and newspapers, and talking to many people.  At the suggestion of a close friend, the project evolved into sharing the information through a series of lessons and this website. I believe that none of the website lessons are particularly controversial, with the exception of the lesson on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage.  As you will see, it is not easy to become a second-halfer, and I personally still struggle with the proper and consistent implementation of some of the things in these lessons.

Business career centered on oil and gas production as an engineer, financial analyst, and executive. 

1974-76  Texaco (Gainesville, Tx and Pampa, Tx:): engineer

1976-80  Samson Resources (Tulsa): engineer, acquisitions manager

1980-84  Clark Resources (Tulsa): engineer, geologist, V.P.

1984-86  Pinnacle Resources (Tulsa): engineer, partner

1986-90  MEGA (Tulsa): engineer and gas sales

1990-96  Tide West Oil Company/Draco (Tulsa): CEO, Chairman

1996-99  Mesa/Pioneer and HS Resources: BOD

1999-02  Prize Energy Corp (Grapevine, TX): CEO, Chairman

2002-04  Estate administration, Practicing Significance

Raised in northwest Oklahoma City.  Attended Mayfair Church of Christ and Northwest Classen High School.  Father was a geologist, mother was homemaker with three sons.

Attended SMU 1969-1971, then transferred to Oklahoma State University and received B.S. Mechanical Engineering in 1973.  Attended University of Tulsa at night and received an MBA in 1979.

Married Kathlyn Carter in 1972 (divorced in 1999).  Scott born in 1980 and now majors in Finance at University of Texas at Arlington.  Laura born in 1982 and now works for Oak Hills Church in San Antonio.  Family primarily attended Highland Park Christian Church in Tulsa from 1978-1999.

Married Shannon Knight in 2004. Step-children are Meredith and Mitchel. We attend Tulsa Bible Church.

Favorite leisure activities:  learning, exercise, travel, golf, tennis

Special areas of knowledge:  finance, microfinance, retirement planning, church history