The T. Boone Pickens Foundation focuses grants to organizations that operate in its core giving categories (see “About TBPF”). This month’s spotlight updates activity at the T. Boone Pickens Mentoring Hall of Fame, housed in the largest mentoring agency in the world, Big Brothers Big Sisters of North & West Central Texas.

“Mentoring is a critical part of inspiring bright minds and creating long-term corporate health,” Pickens says. “I’ve always surrounded myself with a smart, young staff. Sharing my experience with them and reaping the benefits are critical parts of our success.”

The Mentoring Hall of Fame celebrated its first inductee, Don Carty, former chairman and chief executive officer of AMR Corp. and American Airlines, January 12 during a breakfast ceremony that was part of the America’s Future Series on The Economy at the Tower Club Dallas. Pickens, Carty, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, and Dallas Federal Reserve senior economist Mine Yucel spoke at the event.

January is National Mentoring Month. Local partners across the country work to leverage the national campaign and recruit and raise awareness for mentoring in their communities. The T. Boone Pickens Mentoring Hall of Fame exists to promote the power of mentoring by highlighting people who have gone far and above the call of duty in the field of mentoring. It will honor those who give of themselves selflessly for the benefit of others.

During his career, Carty has exemplified the mentoring skills the Mentoring Hall of Fame, a 3,000-square-foot interactive museum that examines mentoring and its impact on America, champions. He is part of a broad-based group of professionals whose legacy of mentoring will give for generations to come. They are each living examples of the motto: “Mentoring one transforms many.”

After retiring from American, Carty served as vice chairman and chief financial officer of Dell Inc. in 2007-2008; he remains on its board of directors. Prior to American, Carty spent seven years in various management positions with Celanese Canada Ltd., Air Canada, and the Canadian Pacific Railway

Carty serves on the Boards of Directors of Dell Inc., Barrick Gold Corp., Hawaiian Holdings Inc., and Gluskin Sheff & Associates Inc. He is also chairman of Virgin America Airlines Inc. and Porter Airlines Inc., serves on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University and the SMU Cox School of Business Executive Board.

In September of 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Carty to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, where he served until the summer of 2005. In January 2003, he was named an officer of The Order of Canada.

The T. Boone Pickens Mentoring Hall of Fame is located at 450 E John Carpenter Freeway in Irving, Texas. For more information, visit www.mentoringhof.org.  For information on the America’s Future Series, visit www.theamericasfutureseries.org. For more information on National Mentoring Month, visit http://www.massmentors.org/national-mentoring-month#whatnmm.