Barry D. Keys, Class of 1978

Introduction of Barry D. Keys writtern and presented by Mark Groseclose, Class of 2009.

Students, have you ever considered joining the military? Our next Distinguished Alumnus is proof that military service is a pathway to a meaningful career.

Barry D. Keys graduated from Oxford Area High School in 1978 and soon after completed his basic training in the U.S. Navy. Today Mr. Keys is a sucessful engineer and has worked for many large companies across the United States.

After basic training, Mr. Keys received additional education from the Naval Nuclear Power School and was assigned to the U.S.S. Long Beach where he served for the next four years. Upon leaving the Navy, Mr. Keys attended junior college and then transferred to the University of Washington where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In 1986 he rejoined the Navy, this time in the Navy Reserve; he continued on this path of service until July 2009 when he retired from the Navy Reserve at the rank of Commander.

During his time in the Navy Mr. Keys developed a training simulator for nuclear submarine crews, served as Production Supervisor for the U.S.S. Nimitz and the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, oversaw the dismantling of nuclear submarine reactors, managed ship overhauls and trained Navy personnel.

For three years Mr. Keys and his family lived in Oklahoma where he worked as a plant engineer for Goodyear Tire and Rubber. While living in Oklahoma, he retuned to college and earned a Master of Science in Engineering and Technology Management from Oklahoma State University.

For a time he was employed as Electrical Engineering Manager for WASHEX in Wichita Falls, Texas. After leaving WASHEX, he took a position at Shell Pipeline Co. in Houston where he worked both on and off shore.

Mr. Keys later worked for Shell Exploration and Production as the Business Opportunity Manager. In this position he developed manufacturing strategies for the mass production of new devices for the conversion of oil shales and oil sands into usable oil.

Today Mr. Keys is back at Shell Pipeline where he serves as Chairman of the Board for the Ship Shoal Pipeline Co. and the URSA Pipeline Co. Beyond his work at Shell, he gives lectures at Texas A&M University.

With this final note of his devotion to educating himself and others and to advancements in technology, I am pleased to welcome into Oxford Area High School's Distinguished Alumni Mr. Barry Keys.