Larry G. Keast
Larry Keast graduated from the University of Texas
in 1967 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and is a registered professional engineer in Texas.
Almost 9 years with Cameron Iron Works gave him a wide range of
experience in engineering, offshore service, sales,
and manufacturing.
Larry
left Cameron in 1976 to become Vice President & General Manager of World
Wide Oil Tools. During four years there, he built this new company into a
respected manufacturer. Larry directed
the development of four new product lines, receiving two patents in the
process. He also traveled
worldwide selling, training, and establishing sales
agents. This experience confirmed his love for startup manufacturing
companies.
In
1980, Larry founded Venturetech
Corporation in his garage. After many
oilfield ups and downs through the years, Venturetech today is leading the
competition with his patented diesel-hydraulic power swivels which are drilling
oil and gas wells around the world. Larry
continues to direct all facets of Venturetech's development, and is having a
great time. See www.venturetechnet.com.
Larry
and Zandra have been married 39 years, and have three children and two
grandchildren.
Larry
has also been giving back to the community for years, and considers this work
an important part of his life. He was a parent group leader for
several years in the substance abuse programs Insight and Lifeway, and was an
advisory board member of Cornerstone Recovery. In 1995, he started a ToughLove parents program in his
church.
Shortly
after his wife Zandra was diagnosed
with Hepatitis C in 1996, Larry started
Houston's first
Hepatitis C support group, and was elected
to the Texas Liver Coalition's board as Director of Support Groups.
Under Larry’s direction, the Coalition developed
32 support groups in Texas
cities which continue to help thousands of people each year. Larry remained on this board after acquisition
by St. Luke’s Texas
Liver Center
in 2003, and has also served on the Mayor’s Task Force for Hepatitis C. Thankfully, Zandra’s treatment was successful,
and she remains virus free.
For
many years, Mr. Keast has enjoyed mentoring and speaking to engineering and entrepreneurship
students at the University of Texas and the University of Houston,
and he has served on the Business Advisory Council of Goodwill
Industries. Larry has also served as President of the Dover
Club, a support organization of business owners.
In
about 2000, Venturetech began hiring people who deserved a second chance; those in recovery from alcohol
and drug abuse and ex-offenders of our legal system. This practice paid off way beyond
expectations, with reduced turnover and improved productivity. Larry has been recognized for this leadership
with awards from Houston’s
Council on Alcohol and Drugs, Houston Crackdown, the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration, and articles in the various newspapers. A doctoral dissertation is now being completed
on Venturetech’s program.
Larry has taken this
success nationwide by founding a non-profit, America in Recovery. Strictly
self-funded, he has created four permanently endowed, no-charge hiring websites
for America’s
“unemployables”, so far being used in 43 states:
www.americainrecovery.org -------
for people in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse
www.nouturns.org ------------------ for ex-offenders of our legal
system
www.ageandexperience.org ------- for
our aging population
www.reliabilityforhire.org -----------
for our citizens with disabilities
He has met with a number
of elected officials for publicity support, including U.S. Congressmen
John Culberson and Steve Pearce, and Governor Rick Perry. Larry is soliciting speaking engagements with
business groups nationwide to accelerate publicity. He wants to help businesses nationwide to replicate Venturetech’s
success while helping thousands of people, improving business productivity, and
reducing government expenses for prisons and welfare.
11-5-07
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