Frederick Mayer
Born in Youngstown, OH, Frederick R. Mayer graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1945 and earned a Bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1950.
In September 1953, Mayer founded Exeter Drilling Company, and by November, was operating one rig in Texas. A year later, Mayer’s drilling operations were moved to the Denver-Julesburg Basin. In 1975, Exeter Company was formed as the parent company to three active subsidiaries, and Mr. Mayer was named Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.
On June 2, 1980, he sold Exeter Company, which at the time was the largest privately held drilling company in the U.S., to People’s Energy Company of Chicago. He then became Chairman and Director of Exeter Drilling Company. He remained in that position until 1982, when he formed Captiva Corporation and later, in 1990, founded Captiva Resources, where he was Chairman of the Board. He was also a founder and President of the JFM Foundation.
Since 1970, Mayer served in numerous leadership positions with the Denver Art Museum, including Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He served as the Governing Board Chairman of the Yale University Art Gallery, director of the American Petroleum Institute, and past Trustee of the American Federation of Art and Phillips Exeter Academy. Mayer is also a member of the Chief Executives Forum, Inc., the World Presidents’ Organization, the National Petroleum Council, and the Independent Petroleum Association of America.
In addition to his business interests, Mayer had a deep passion for Costa Rican pre-Columbian art, most of which is now a permanent collection of the New World Department of the Denver Art Museum, contemporary art, 20th-century American prints, and Mexican Colonial art. His hobbies ranged from stamp and coin collecting to skiing, scuba diving, sailing, and hunting.
In September 1953, Mayer founded Exeter Drilling Company, and by November, was operating one rig in Texas. A year later, Mayer’s drilling operations were moved to the Denver-Julesburg Basin. In 1975, Exeter Company was formed as the parent company to three active subsidiaries, and Mr. Mayer was named Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.
On June 2, 1980, he sold Exeter Company, which at the time was the largest privately held drilling company in the U.S., to People’s Energy Company of Chicago. He then became Chairman and Director of Exeter Drilling Company. He remained in that position until 1982, when he formed Captiva Corporation and later, in 1990, founded Captiva Resources, where he was Chairman of the Board. He was also a founder and President of the JFM Foundation.
Since 1970, Mayer served in numerous leadership positions with the Denver Art Museum, including Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He served as the Governing Board Chairman of the Yale University Art Gallery, director of the American Petroleum Institute, and past Trustee of the American Federation of Art and Phillips Exeter Academy. Mayer is also a member of the Chief Executives Forum, Inc., the World Presidents’ Organization, the National Petroleum Council, and the Independent Petroleum Association of America.
In addition to his business interests, Mayer had a deep passion for Costa Rican pre-Columbian art, most of which is now a permanent collection of the New World Department of the Denver Art Museum, contemporary art, 20th-century American prints, and Mexican Colonial art. His hobbies ranged from stamp and coin collecting to skiing, scuba diving, sailing, and hunting.