Kinder Morgan Inc. announced on Dec. 14 that long-standing board member Fayez Sarofim will retire from its board of directors by the end of the year.

Fayez is a billionaire Houston investment manager and philanthropist who was one of the original shareholders of Kinder Morgan. He has served on the Houston-based pipeline company’s board of directors since 1999.

“Fayez has been a long-standing member of the board, and we appreciate his valuable guidance and advice during his 21 years of service,” said Kinder Morgan Executive Chairman Rich Kinder in a statement. “He has always provided thoughtful and wise suggestions for the betterment of the company. We wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Founded in 1997, Kinder Morgan has grown into one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. The company currently owns an interest in or operate approximately 83,000 miles of pipelines and 147 terminals, according to a release on Dec. 14.

In a statement commenting on his retirement, which takes effect Dec. 31, Sarofim said: “I have enjoyed working with Rich, the board and the management team during my time serving on the board of directors. KMI has grown substantially during that period, and I am confident it will continue to be successful in the future.”

Sarofim founded his investment firm Fayez Sarofim & Co., in 1958 in Houston where he has been an active philanthropist in the community.

He is a significant contributor to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), with the MFAH’s extensive collections and exhibitions presented primarily at three main gallery buildings on the Susan and Fayez S. Sarofim Campus. Additionally, he provides support to the Houston Ballet, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, University of Texas Health Science Center and Houston Grand Opera, among other organizations.