HOME ABOUT GRANT ABSTRACTS GRANT PROGRAMS IMPACT FOR GRANTEES CONTACT You are here: Home > About > Founder Founder History Governance Annual Reports William Myron Keck (1880-1964) migrated to Southern California from Pennsylvania shortly before the turn of the 20th century. Working in the oil fields, he learned the business literally from the ground up and eventually became an independent drilling contractor. In 1921, he founded The Superior Oil Company. Mr. Keck’s dedication, willingness to take calculated risks and strong interest in emerging technologies enabled Superior Oil to become a global leader in the exploration and production of oil and gas. Under Mr. Keck’s guidance, the company pioneered new exploration and drilling methods, including the first successful use of directional drilling in California (1930), the first use of a reflection seismograph to aid in locating hydrocarbons (1933) and construction of the first offshore oil platform off the coast of Louisiana (1938). In 1954, Mr. Keck established the charitable foundation bearing his name, with the vision of providing far-reaching benefits to humanity through imaginative grants supporting scientific discoveries and new technologies. W. M. Keck Foundation © 2021. All Rights Reserved. ContactSitemapPrivacy PolicySite by Formative