Well-Known Geologist, Philantropist Receives Colorado State’s Natural Resources 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award

A well-known geologist and philanthropist will be honored at Colorado State University as the Alumni Association’s Honor Alumnus on May 2.

Ed Warner, who will receive the College of Natural Resources Honor Alumnus Award, discovered Jonah Field, the single largest natural gas field in the Rocky Mountain region in the past 20 years, and founded the Expedition Oil Company in Denver. With a $4.3 million gift in 2001, he created two endowed chairs in geophysics and economic geology at Colorado State.

"I feel I have a huge obligation to the geology program at Colorado State," Warner said. "I have perfect hindsight because I realize that coming to Colorado State was the perfect decision for me. I owe a great deal to the university."

Warner also supports professors and geology graduate students at Colorado State through financial pledges, software acquisitions and tutoring. He has donated a major subsurface database on Jonah Field to the Department of Earth Resources and funds the Spatial Analysis Computer Laboratory, which gives Colorado State the ability to analyze subsurface seismic data. Warner also assisted in teaching a graduate seminar on petroleum exploration at the university this year.

"Ed Warner works closely with us and other organizations to be sure that his gifts go to the greatest needs and that his volunteered time has the greatest possible impact," said Judith Hannah, head of the Department of Earth Resources at Colorado State. "Whether it is his work with Colorado State, with Boy Scouts or with wildlife conservation organizations, his goal is to work within the culture to effect positive change. He is a model for us all."

Warner’s inquisitive nature has contributed to many of his accomplishments including devising ways to extract natural gas from coal, turning a mining hazard into a useful resource. His discovery of the Jonah Field in Wyoming will likely produce at least 3.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, now a major source of U.S. energy.

"Ed Warner is one of Colorado State’s finest. His training here, along with innate drive and curiosity, carried him to the pinnacle of his profession," said Sally Sutton, associate professor of earth resources. "Having achieved his professional goals, he is now eager to support a new generation of geology students and is doing so at Colorado State."

In addition to time spent at the university, Warner spends a significant amount of his time volunteering at the Denver Museum of Natural History leading tours and discussions. He is widely involved with wildlife conservation efforts in Africa.

Warner graduated from Colorado State with a bachelor’s degree in geology and received his master’s degree from the University of California – Los Angeles.

Warner lives with his wife Jacalyn in Denver.