Kenneth S. Waits was appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Kevin Stitt in March 2024. A fourth generation Oklahoman, Ken received his Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1983 and pursued graduate business studies at UT Tyler in 1988. Upon graduation from OU, he joined Mewbourne Oil Company as an operations engineer in Woodward, Oklahoma and has spent his entire career with the Company. Ken now has the privilege of serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mewbourne Oil Company. Based in Tyler, Texas, Mewbourne has become one of the largest privately-owned oil producers in America. The company is one of the most active drillers in the country, public or private, and is routinely recognized as a stable and respected leader in the energy business. In addition, Mewbourne has consistently been a generous supporter of scholarships, internships and full time jobs at the University of Oklahoma. Ken serves on the boards of the American Exploration and Production Council, the Permian Basin Strategic Partnership, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, is the former chairman of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association and is active in several other business and civic organizations. Ken has a passion for education, and for OU, and has been a long-time supporter of the University, having served as chairman of the industry advisory boards for the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, and Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering, along with many other roles at OU, including President Boren’s Energy Education Task Force, and President Harroz’ Lead On Campaign Council. Ken and his wife Laura Waits reside in Tyler, Texas, and have one daughter, Hanna Waits, a 2022 OU graduate who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
