Marathon Oil recently announced that Jerry Howard, Marathon senior vice president of Corporate Affairs, retired effective June 1, 2010, after 35 years of service.

Commenting on the announcement, Clarence P. Cazalot, Jr., Marathon president and CEO, said, “A review of Jerry Howard’s distinguished career with Marathon quickly reveals the depth and breadth of knowledge, experience and value he has brought to our company over the past three and a half decades. Jerry’s approach to managing his responsibilities has always been guided by a deep sense of respect, personal and professional integrity, and faith.

“So it comes as no surprise that his insights, as well as his trusted advice and counsel, are sought after by employees and external parties alike, and these qualities have contributed substantially to Marathon’s continued growth. We thank Jerry for his many years of dedicated service and wish him and his family much health and happiness in their retirement.”

Howard was born in Social Circle, Ga. In 1970 he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, cum laude, from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, and a master’s degree in business administration in 1972 from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He is a certified accountant.

He joined Marathon in 1975 as an internal auditor at Marathon’s offices in Findlay, Ohio. The following year, he was assigned Marathon’s tax department where he progressed through a series of supervisory and managerial positions of increasing responsibility.

In 1986, he was named manager of tax compliance and planning, and two years later, he was appointed general tax manager. Howard was subsequently named director of tax and financial planning in 1993.

In 1997, he became vice president of human resources and environment and served in that capacity until 1998 when he was appointed vice president of taxes at USX Corporation, the former parent company for Marathon in Pittsburgh.

Howard was appointed senior vice president of corporate affairs in 2002 and was responsible for Marathon’s information technology, global procurement, federal and state government affairs, corporate social responsibility, business and process transformation, and administrative services departments.

He was an adjunct to the public policy committee and the governance committee of the Marathon Oil board of directors. He served as a member of Marathon’s executive committee, salary and benefits committee and as treasurer of the Marathon Oil Company Foundation.

Howard served on the board of directors of the National Association of Manufacturers, the executive committee of the Houston Forum, the Governmental Relations Advisory Committee and the Greater Houston Partnership, and he is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and the American Institute of CPAs.

He is a former member of the board of trustees in the University of Findlay, Ohio. He also formerly served as chairman of the tax coordination committee of the Business Round Table, chairman of the general committee on taxation of the API, and president of the Center for Strategic Tax Reform.

Howard is also a licensed and ordained minister.

Local relatives include an aunt, Mrs. Marsean Ferguson, and cousins Mrs. Hawithia Young and Mrs. Wilma Fox.

Howard and his wife Dona currently reside in Houston, Texas.