Venturetechnet.com

1980 - Larry Keast started Venturetech in his garage to design and manufacture new ventures in technical equipment. Larry's bio. Within two years, he decided that power swivels were an interesting and exciting business niche that needed competition and development. Venturetech then began building a well-respected international business offering parts and service for all brands of power swivels, buying and refurbishing old ones, and building new power units for them. During the next 18 years, Venturetech grew slowly through oilfield ups and downs.

2000 - After several years of engineering, Venturetech proudly introduced the XK-90 and XK-150 power swivels. We had 8 employees at this time.

2001 - We started hiring America's "unemployables", including ex-offenders and people in recovery from drugs & alcohol, and this began the exciting transformation of our team.

2002 - We bought and moved into our 21,000 square foot manufacturing facility with a 10-ton bridge crane and two-acre concrete yard. Our well organized shop and production control "war room" allowed us to serve customers more efficiently, and we began to grow as power swivel sales increased. 15 people by now.

2003 - Our first power swivel patent was received. Larry founded non-profit America in Recovery, Inc. to help America's small businesses replicate our hiring success. See www.americainrecovery.org . We were up to 20 people.

2004 – Introduced the XK-250 and our first top drive patent issued. 26 people.

2005 - We bought four acres next door and flew the Texas Longhorn flag in honor of the University of Texas football national championship. 35 people.

2006 – Bought another 1-1/2 acres to allow future shop expansion straight back. We are busy and growing fast. 47 people.

2007 - We were awarded the Fast 100 Enterprise Champion Award by the Houston Business Journal for rapid growth, patriotism, and community service. See this nice article with Adobe Reader. 52 people.

2008 - Our top drive is under development and our test rig is being designed. Working hard toward certification of API/ISO 9001 Quality Control System. Sales and production continue to increase - four month backlog. 96 machines shipped this year. 55 people.

2009 – Economy crashed, sales stopped. Laid off 30 good teammates. Used the year to reorganize, reevaluate, and focus engineering on the top drive. Completed test rig which Larry’s wife launched with champagne. Began developmental testing toward new top drive and testing every unit before shipment.

2010 – Top drive engineering moving toward completion and prototype parts being tested. Completing 19,000 sq.ft. addition to our building getting ready for top drive manufacturing. Sales are strong again and we’re hiring.

Some of our crew with our cute little 5-ton pickup (CAT 3208-powered). This military truck is in daily service doing our heavy hauls around town. Drivers report salutes as they pass by. The truck has been in numerous parades.

Like our owner, our people are a bunch of motor heads who love cars, trucks, Jeeps, and motorcycles. This enthusiasm translates very well to our power swivel machinery with its diesel engines, technical hydraulics, and air controls. Down to the last detail, we pay attention to quality, simplicity, and reliability, and we all feel a great sense of pride when a new unit is ready to ship. We run a squared away organization and are proud to lead our field.

Operations manager John Jordan leaving for a camping trip.

Engineering designer Jim Strickland kayaking on Armand Bayou.

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 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 Venturetech's development, and is having a great time.  See www.venturetechnet.com. 

Larry and Zandra have been married 42 years, and have three children and three 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 served on the Mayor Bill White’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.  He has served on the Business Advisory Council of Goodwill Industries and the Advisory Board of Houston-Galveston Institute.   Larry has also served as President of the Dover Club, a support organization of business owners. 

In 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, Mayor Bill White, published articles and TV interviews. 

Larry has taken this success nationwide by founding a non-profit, America in Recovery www.americainrecovery.org .   Strictly self-funded, he has created four permanently endowed, no-charge hiring websites for America’s “unemployable” people, so far being used in 43 states:

www.recoveryatwork.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 publicizing because he wants to accelerate the usage of these free sites.  He hopes  to help businesses nationwide to replicate Venturetech’s success, help thousands of people, improve business productivity, and reduce government expenses for prisons and welfare.