Natural Resources >> CEO Interviews >> July 20, 1998
LUKE R. CORBETT, Chairman and CEO of Kerr-McGee Corporation, was born
February 11, 1947, in Douglas, Georgia. He received a bachelor's degree
in mathematics from the University of Georgia in 1969. Corbett began his
career as a geophysicist with Amoco Production Company in 1970. In 1981,
he joined Mitchell Energy Corporation and in 1983 became Chief
Geophysicist for Aminoil, Inc., where he subsequently held the positions
of manager of domestic exploration and Vice President of domestic
exploration. He joined Kerr-McGee's exploration and production division
in July 1985 as Vice President of geophysics, became vice president of
exploration in September 1986, and was named Senior Vice president of
exploration for the Exploration and Production Division in October 1987.
He was named a senior vice president of Kerr-McGee Corporation in March
1991. Corbett was named Group Vice President in May 1992, elected
President and Chief Operating Officer May 1995, and named Chairman and
CEO February 1, 1997. Corbett is a member of the American Association of
Petroleum Geologists, Independent Petroleum Association of America and
the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. He is on the board of
directors of the American Petroleum Institute and the Domestic Petroleum
Council and a trustee for the American Geological Institute Foundation.
Corbett serves on the boards of Devon Energy Corporation, OGE Energy
Corp., the Allied Arts Foundation, Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce,
State Fair of Oklahoma and United Way of Metro Oklahoma City. He is on
the executive committee of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable and serves
as a trustee on the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation and the
Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. He is a former president and member
of the executive committee for the Oklahoma City Petroleum Club. He and
his wife, Becky, and daughter, Carrie, live in Edmond, Oklahoma. Profile
where you see it today?
Mr. Corbett: Let me take you back to the mid-1980's. If you are
familiar with Kerr-McGee at all,
