THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 46 | JANUARY 2025 personality,” Ken said. “That experience of being active in so many different things – everything from scouting to student government and Boys State and all the different experiences I had – caused me to be more of a generalist and be adaptable. That, and the personal responsibility I had early in life, all helped shape me to be the person I am.” Following his graduation from Skiatook High School, Ken attended TU, majoring in petroleum engineering. It was during his junior year in college that he met his wife, Teresa, through his church youth group. “We became good friends; we used to ride bicycles together,” he said. “Eventually, she asked me out, and we started dating.” The two lived in Midtown Tulsa while Ken finished engineering school. As soon as he graduated, they moved back to Osage County in Gilcrease Hills, just northwest of Tulsa. They got married in 1974, just two weeks before Ken started law school. LAW STUDENT BY DAY, JANITOR BY NIGHT Ken had received scholarships for his engineering program, but those scholarships did not cover the cost of living. That was when he decided to start his own janitorial business to make ends meet. “I started my small business while in engineering school, taking care of the buildings at night,” he said. “By the time I got out of engineering school, I was tired of the government reporting requirements and regulations that I had to learn as a small business owner.” He decided to go to law school and learn how to help other small businesses like his navigate the regulations. HANGING A SHINGLE While in law school, he interned for two law firms, but because Ken had already been running his own janitorial business for years, he was not hesitant to start his own law office straight out of law school. “Having run my own little janitorial business for eight or nine years, when I got out of law school, I just went out and hung a shingle in Skiatook, America, in 1977,” he said. However, he was still running his janitorial business at night and continued to work both jobs for another year or two before selling the janitorial business. Richard D. White Jr., this year’s OBA vice president, was Ken’s first law partner shortly following the opening of his law practice. After a few years of working as a solo and small firm practitioner, Ken went to work for an international company, where he became well-versed in environmental law. During that time, Teresa went to school to get her teaching and library science degrees. When Teresa was finished with her schooling and started her teaching career, Ken went back to work as a solo practitioner. During Ken and Teresa at their wedding. The two got married at Sharp Memorial Chapel on the TU campus in 1974, just two weeks before Ken started law school. Teresa and Ken in 1984. The two have been together since 1973. Ken graduated from the TU engineering program in 1974.
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