Howard Keck
Howard B. Keck | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Trinidad, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 14, 1996 (aged 83) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, oil executive, philanthropist, racehorse owner |
| Known for | Leadership of Superior Oil Company; philanthropy via W. M. Keck Foundation; Indianapolis 500 winning motorsport team owner; thoroughbred racehorse breeder and owner |
Howard Brighton Keck (September 20, 1913 – December 14, 1996) was a prominent American entrepreneur, thoroughbred racehorse breeder and owner, as well as proprietor of a motorsport team that secured victory at the Indianapolis 500 on two occasions.
Early life
He was born in Trinidad, California as the second child among six siblings to William Myron Keck, the founder of the Superior Oil Company.
Career
Following the passing of his father in 1964, Howard Keck assumed leadership of Superior Oil. He prioritized substantial investments in oil exploration and production, elevating the company to become the largest independent oil producer in North America. In March 1984, Superior Oil was acquired by Mobil Corporation for $5.7 billion.
Philanthropy
As head of the W. M. Keck Foundation, originally established by his father, Keck oversaw funding for numerous institutions focused on science and technology. Notable beneficiaries included the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College, the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and the W. M. Keck Earth Science and Mineral Engineering Museum at the University of Nevada, Reno. In 1985, he contributed $70 million to the California Institute of Technology to support construction of the Keck I Telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Under his stewardship, the Foundation’s endowment expanded from $250 million to over $1.2 billion, with grant distributions exceeding one billion dollars.
Sporting activities
Keck’s Indy car racing team, with driver Bill Vukovich, achieved victories at the Indianapolis 500 in both 1953 and 1954.
Together with his wife Elizabeth, he was actively involved in American Thoroughbred horse racing as owners and breeders. Their notable horse, Ferdinand, earned titles including the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner and 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic champion.
Personal life
Residing in Bel Air, California, Keck owned a mansion located at 1244 Moraga Drive within Moraga Estates—a gated community developed on land he had previously sold during the 1970s. This property was later transformed into a forty-home gated neighborhood. In 1979, he sold his residence there to Jeffrey and Mary Swabe. A longtime Los Angeles resident, Howard Keck passed away at age eighty-three at St. John's Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica in 1996.
Honors
The minor planet designated 5811 Keck was named to honor him during the dedication ceremony of the second Keck Telescope on May 8, 1996.