David “Scotty” Holland, former CEO of Pennzoil Exploration and Production and a longtime, award winning supporter of the AAPG Foundation, died Jan. 5 in Houston. He was 81.

Holland, an AAPG Foundation Trustee Associate, received the Chairman’s Award in 2010, presented to honor those who have made “extraordinary contributions” (monetary or service) to the AAPG Foundation.

In 2008 he helped establish the Holland Award of Excellence through the AAPG Foundation and Hardin-Simmons University, presented annually to honor faculty members at the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.

Holland served in the U.S. Air Force, then received his bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career as an exploration geologist for Marathon Oil in Midland, Texas.

Holland left Marathon and went on to serve a long career with Pennzoil before retiring as president and chief executive officer for Pennzoil E&P and group vice president of Pennzoil in 1990.

Holland loved exploration geology and was committed to support higher learning. He and his wife, Jacque, established the Endowed Holland Geology Scholarship Fund in 1997 and were instrumental in funding the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics, Holland Medical High School and Holland School of Health Sciences at Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, Texas in 1999.

He was president of Holland Holding, Holland Energy and Post Oak Petroleum, chairman of Trend Exploration and director of Gaither Petroleum Corp. He was a member of the UT Geology Foundation and in 2011 was instrumental in funding the Holland Family Student Center at the Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin.