MS Mechanical Engineering 1947
Richard G. Askew received his B.S. and M.S. in chemical engineering in 1947 and 1948 respectively. After a 37-year career in a variety of domestic and international assignments, he retired as senior vice president of Phillips Petroleum Co. and president of Phillips Chemical Co., with responsibility for the company’s worldwide chemical operations. His contributions to the university and the college have been many and significant, following a pattern of leadership and participation established while a student at the university. He has been very supportive of all the work of the Board of Visitors, including serving a term as chairman of the board. He also is a member and former chairman of the Chemical Engineering Advisory Board.
BS Engineering Physics 1952
Charles L. Blackburn was first elected as a director of Range Resources Corp. in 2003. He has more than 40 years experience in oil and gas exploration and production, serving in several executive and board positions. Previously, he served as chairman and CEO of Maxus Energy Corp. from 1987 until that company’s sale to YPF Socieded Anonima in 1995. Maxus was the oil and gas producer which remained after Diamond Shamrock Corp.’s spin-off of its refining and marketing operations. Blackburn joined Diamond Shamrock in 1986 as president of its exploration and production subsidiary. From 1952 through 1986, he was with Shell Oil Co., serving as director and executive vice president for exploration and production for the final 10 years of that period. Blackburn received his B.S. in engineering physics from OU in 1952.
BS Civil Engineering 1947
Betty Jo Everett* received her B.S. in civil engineering in 1947. Following graduation, Everett began her engineering career with OU Physical Plant and then had a series of engineering positions in city government, industry and consulting until pursuing a graduate degree at Louisiana State University. Following LSU and a brief tour with the Port of New Orleans, she joined the City of New Orleans as a senior engineer and progressed to chief engineer, the position she held until becoming president of Chatah Inc. in 1978. She rejoined the City of New Orleans in 1985, serving as director of the Streets Department until her retirement in 1990. Following her retirement, Everett joined the firm of Moreland Altobelli as general manager.
BS Engineering 1957
James G. Harlow Jr.* graduated from OU with a B.S. in engineering in 1957. He served in the U.S. Navy as an officer from 1957 to 1959 and joined OG&E in 1961. At OG&E, he served in several financial positions before being elected an officer in 1966. He was elected a company director in 1970, president in 1973 and chief executive officer in 1976. In 1982, he was elected chairman of the board of directors. While at OG&E, he served on numerous industry groups, including chairmanship of the Edison Electric Institute in 1990. EEI is the trade organization for all investor-owned utilities in the U.S. He also served on the Energy Advisory Councils of two Oklahoma governors.
BS Petroleum Engineering 1934
John M. Houchin* received his B.S. in petroleum engineering in 1934. He was chairman of the board of Phillips Petroleum Co. at the time of his retirement in 1974. He started with Phillips in 1933, while still an engineering student, and worked in engineering and management capacities in the company production operations until his advancement into overall company management as chairman of the Phillips Operating Committee in 1956. His industry associates included membership on the board of directors of the American Petroleum Institute and the board and executive committee of Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, which honored him with its Distinguished Service Award in 1973 for outstanding contributions to the petroleum industry.
BS Mechanical Engineering 1948
Tom J. Love earned a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering in 1948 from OU. He continued his education at the University of Kansas and Purdue University, receiving an M.S. in 1956 and a Ph.D. in 1963. Additionally, he served his country as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. In 1956, he returned to OU to join the mechanical engineering faculty. In 1963, the School of Aeronautical and Space Engineering and the School of Mechanical Engineering became the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Love was named director, a role he retained until 1972. He earned the distinguished George Lynn Cross Research Professorship and held the title of Halliburton Professor of Engineering at the time of his retirement in 1987. He has written about the first 70 years of the college’s history.
