Among the companies listed on the original 1979 Engineering Center donor plaque is Corken, an Oklahoma-based manufacturer with deep ties to both engineering innovation and the early leadership of the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation.

Founded in Oklahoma City in 1924, Corken built its reputation through the design and manufacturing of compressors, pumps, and industrial equipment used in energy, gas, and process industries. Over the decades, the company became known internationally for equipment supporting liquefied petroleum gas, ammonia, refrigeration, and industrial gas systems.

By the late 1970s, Corken was already an established engineering and manufacturing presence in Oklahoma when it contributed to the effort to establish a permanent home for the state’s engineering community. The company’s support reflected the close relationship between Oklahoma industry and the engineering profession during a period of significant growth in energy and infrastructure development.

Corken’s connection to OEF extends beyond its financial support. One of the company’s most notable figures, Garth P. Kennedy, served as the first president of the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation.

Kennedy worked for Corken and was widely respected for his engineering expertise and innovation. During his career, he was awarded patents connected to industrial equipment and engineering design, reflecting the type of practical problem-solving that defined much of Oklahoma’s engineering sector during the mid-20th century.

His leadership came at a formative moment for OEF as engineering leaders across the state worked to establish a long-term foundation for the profession through education, collaboration, and organizational support. The creation of the Engineering Center in 1979 represented part of that broader effort.

The presence of both Corken and Kennedy in OEF’s early history highlights the role Oklahoma manufacturers played in supporting engineering beyond their own operations. Companies like Corken depended on engineering talent, but they also invested in strengthening the profession itself.

Today, Corken remains active more than a century after its founding. Now part of the IDEX Corporation family of companies, Corken equipment continues to be used in industrial and energy applications worldwide while maintaining its historic Oklahoma City roots.

As OEF approaches its 50th Anniversary, stories like Corken’s help illustrate how Oklahoma’s engineering legacy was built not only by large national corporations, but also by regional companies and individual engineers whose influence extended across generations.

The names on the 1979 plaque continue to tell that story. In Corken’s case, it is a story that connects engineering innovation, manufacturing, leadership, and long-term investment in the future of the profession.

Among the companies listed on the original 1979 Engineering Center donor plaque is Corken, an Oklahoma-based manufacturer with deep ties to both engineering innovation and the early leadership of the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation.

Founded in Oklahoma City in 1924, Corken built its reputation through the design and manufacturing of compressors, pumps, and industrial equipment used in energy, gas, and process industries. Over the decades, the company became known internationally for equipment supporting liquefied petroleum gas, ammonia, refrigeration, and industrial gas systems.

By the late 1970s, Corken was already an established engineering and manufacturing presence in Oklahoma when it contributed to the effort to establish a permanent home for the state’s engineering community. The company’s support reflected the close relationship between Oklahoma industry and the engineering profession during a period of significant growth in energy and infrastructure development.

Corken’s connection to OEF extends beyond its financial support. One of the company’s most notable figures, Garth P. Kennedy, served as the first president of the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation.

Kennedy worked for Corken and was widely respected for his engineering expertise and innovation. During his career, he was awarded patents connected to industrial equipment and engineering design, reflecting the type of practical problem-solving that defined much of Oklahoma’s engineering sector during the mid-20th century.

His leadership came at a formative moment for OEF as engineering leaders across the state worked to establish a long-term foundation for the profession through education, collaboration, and organizational support. The creation of the Engineering Center in 1979 represented part of that broader effort.

The presence of both Corken and Kennedy in OEF’s early history highlights the role Oklahoma manufacturers played in supporting engineering beyond their own operations. Companies like Corken depended on engineering talent, but they also invested in strengthening the profession itself.

Today, Corken remains active more than a century after its founding. Now part of the IDEX Corporation family of companies, Corken equipment continues to be used in industrial and energy applications worldwide while maintaining its historic Oklahoma City roots.

As OEF approaches its 50th Anniversary, stories like Corken’s help illustrate how Oklahoma’s engineering legacy was built not only by large national corporations, but also by regional companies and individual engineers whose influence extended across generations.

The names on the 1979 plaque continue to tell that story. In Corken’s case, it is a story that connects engineering innovation, manufacturing, leadership, and long-term investment in the future of the profession.