Shawnie Malone started in the crude oil business in 1975 as a buyer of lease crude in Texas for The Permian Corporation, a division of Occidental Petroleum. He dealt with oil and gas operators throughout the state, marketing their oil and condensate as well as making arrangements to transport the oil from the lease by truck, pipeline, or barge. He also coordinated the disposal of any wastewater associated with the production. Other services provided included handling the financial arrangements for royalties to the interest owners and payment of state severance taxes. Over his sixteen year career with Permian, he rose in position to General Marketing Manager over the Southeast region. Shawnie’s role included aggregating oil purchases throughout Texas and Louisiana into large bulks and marketing to Exxon Corporation, Shell Oil, Tenneco, Gulf Oil, Marathon Oil, Amoco, and Texaco, among others. Permian, the largest US independent marketing company of crude oil, purchased 500,000 barrels per day at the wellhead in seventeen states, and Shawnie’s division handled 125,000 barrels per day of this amount. In 1990, Shawnie went to work for a start-up, Texon Corporation, as Vice-President of Crude Oil Marketing. Over a ten year period he built up his group to marketing over 100,000 barrels per day. He retired in 2001 and invested in Star in 2004, adding his expertise and playing an active role in its development. Shawnie Malone has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of Houston.