Kaiser Aluminum President and CEO to deliver Gochenour Lecture at WVU

Keith Harvey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kaiser Aluminum. (Submitted Photo)

Keith Harvey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kaiser Aluminum, will deliver the annual Gochenour Lecture in the  Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering on Thursday, November 10, at 3:30 p.m. in room 113 of the Mineral Resources Building on the Evansdale Campus.

Story by Brittany Furbee, Communications Specialist

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Harvey graduated from West Virginia University in 1981, with an industrial engineering degree from the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. He was then hired by Kaiser Aluminum as an industrial engineer at the company’s former rolling mill in West Virginia. Throughout his 42-year career, Harvey held positions of increasing responsibility in engineering and sales at several Kaiser Aluminum locations before being named Senior Vice President of sales and marketing in aerospace and general engineering in 2012 and Executive Vice President of fabricated products in 2014. He was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer in 2015 and assumed the role of President and CEO in 2020.  

“I originally entered mining school until I heard a lecture on what industrial engineering entailed, which was much broader regarding career options and seemingly pertained to more engagement with all disciplines of manufacturing and people,” Harvey said. “The curriculum covered all facets of running and managing a business including sales and R&D, finance and strategy and even labor management all of which I’ve utilized over the years in the various roles I’ve had in my career.”  

After assuming his role as CEO, Harvey was able to close on the largest acquisition in the company’s history, doubling the size of the company and providing growth in sustainable aluminum packaging for beverage and food can products. Harvey was able to accomplish this milestone while simultaneously navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully securing the jobs of the company’s 4,000 employees.  

During his lecture, Harvey will touch on the idea of preparing for careers in a chaotic world and his vision on leadership for the future. He will also be talking about his journey from WVU student to President and CEO, and how students today can prepare to step into the work force and grow into leadership roles of the future.  

In addition to his current role at Kaiser Aluminum, Harvey serves on the board of the Metals Service Center Institute of North America and is a member of the G100, the preeminent executive peer-to-peer convening, learning, and development company. He currently resides in Orange County, California with his wife Cindy of 38 years, and is the proud father of three children.  

“The IMSE department is elated to have Keith deliver this year’s Gochenour lecture,” Ashish Nimbarte, professor and chair of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering said. “Keith is a true Mountaineer – someone who has worked hard, stayed focused on the goals of greater good, dealt diligently with the challenges to create growth opportunities for others, and reached to the very top.” 

The Donald L. Gochenour Lecture Series is free and open to the public and was established to honor the late Dr. Gochenour, a distinguished professor of industrial engineering at WVU. 

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