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Norris Breakfast speaker noted oilman, philanthropist, Emmy winner
McCOOK, Neb. — Distinguished McCook High School alum, Wallis Marsh of Houston, Texas, is the featured speaker at the 2018 Norris Breakfast.
Held in conjunction with Heritage Days, the Norris Breakfast celebrates the legacy of McCook’s most famous resident, Sen. George W. Norris. Ginger Ten Bensel will provide the musical entertainment.
This year’s Norris Breakfast will be Friday, Sept. 28 at McCook Christian Church at 507 West B in McCook at 7 a.m. Cost for the breakfast is $10 and tickets are available at MNB Bank, the McCook Economic Development Corporation, the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce or you can call Leon Kuhlen at 345-3981 to reserve tickets.
The breakfast focuses on bringing local, regional and national leaders to McCook to relate their community service stories in the spirit of Sen. Norris, who was featured in John Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage.”
As a 1985 graduate of McCook High School, Wallis Marsh will return to McCook to share the highlights of his professional career, which have allowed him to lead many charitable and philanthropic causes over the years, as well as earn an Emmy for his involvement in an ESPN documentary.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a major in petroleum engineering, Wallis began his career with Texaco in Midland, Texas. He then gained experience with several different companies in California and Texas, before founding his own oil and gas company, Extex Production and Extex Operating Company in 1997.
By 2014, Extex had grown to a company with more than 700 oil wells with operations in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Michigan.
While busy growing his company, Wallis and his wife of 25 years, DeeDee, also became involved in many community events. The charities range from the Houston Can Academy Gala, which raises funds for underprivileged youth, to Elves and More, which donates 20,000 bicycles a year to needy children in Houston.
They were also directly involved with the Bear Bryant College Football Coach of the Year Award, benefitting the American Heart Association, and the Touchdown for TEACH, which helps educators create safe, calm learning environments for students in the inner city of Houston. Wallis currently served on the board of the Lombardi Foundation Charity.
But Marsh’s most notable accomplishment may be as an executive producer for the ESPN documentary, “Barry and the Boz,” which focused on Barry Switzer, Brian Bosworth and several of his former teammates. ESPN won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Documentary Series, with Wallis receiving an Emmy as a producer of the series.