DGS 2008

Lloyd  G. Austin graduated from OU with a B.S. in petroleum engineering in 1951 and Texas Co. employed him a few days later. He worked in Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois prior to transferring in 1968 to Caltex in Sumatra, Indonesia, where he would later become managing director. In 1978, he was promoted to Texaco corporate headquarters in White Plains, NY with responsibilities for Angola, Nigeria, Ghana and Morocco. In 1979, he was transferred to Texaco Trinidad, Inc., where he became president and general manager with production, refining and marketing responsibilities. In 1985, after the Texaco purchase of Getty Oil Co., he was transferred to Kuwait, where he became president and CEO of Getty Oil Co. with responsibilities for production, refining and shipping in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, a position he held until retirement.

John E. Francis earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering at OU in 1960.  Upon graduation, he went to work for Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. in Milwaukee, Wisc., and later transferred to the Springfield, Ill. works.  He returned to OU, where he earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering in 1963 and a Ph.D. in engineering science in 1965. When offered an opportunity at his alma mater, he returned to become a faculty member in the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. In 1990, he retired from the University of Oklahoma to join Bradely University as dean of engineering until his retirement in 1998.

Theodore A. Kritikos graduated from OU with a B.S. in civil engineering in 1951. In 1962, he became a founding partner of Owensby & Kritikos Inc.  His business is recognized as a leader and innovator in providing inspection and testing services to the maritime, petroleum, petrochemical and offshore industries. Today, Kritikos serves as chairman of the board. Regional offices are located in the New Orleans and Lafayette areas.