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OCR for page 191
JOHN E. McKEEN
1903-1978
BY ERNST WEBER
OHN E. McKEEN, innovative chemical engineer whose great
achievements for the benefit of mankind are known world wide,
but who remained unassuming and warm-hearted, died in West
Palm Beach, on February 25, 1978. His name has become insepa-
rable from mass production of antibiotics, the "miracle" healer of
infectious disease.
Born in New York City on June 4, 1903, Dr. McKeen was
educated at the St. John's Preparatory School in Brooklyn and
received his degree of Chemical Engineer in 1926 from Polytechnic
Institute of Brooklyn. Upon graduation, he joined Charles Pfizer
and Company, Inc., in Brooklyn, as a "painter," became succes-
sively Control Chemist, Process Development Engineer, Assistant
Department Head, and in 1935 Head of one of the manufacturing
departments in the Brooklyn plant. He spent 193~37 in England
to assist in the design and construction of a fermentation plant in
London utilizing a new citric acid process (Kemball, Bishop Com-
pany). Returning to New York, in 1938 he became Assistant
Superintendent of Pfizer's Brooklyn plant and took charge of the
development of a process for the manufacture of riboflavin; he also
supervised the design and construction of the plant.
During the early World War II days, an urgent need developed
for mass production of penicillin, and in 1941 Dr. McKeen set up a
pilot plant for laboratory production of penicillin. Because of his
success, in 1942 he was made its Superintendent of the Brooklyn
191
OCR for page 192
plant and put in charge of the scale-up of the pilot process for
large-scale production of penicillin. This he achieved in record
time, supplying a large percentage of this needed "miracle antibi-
otic" to the armed forces. In recognition of his contributions to the
growth and success of the Pfizer Company, in 1944 he was elected
to the Board of Directors and in 1945 became Vice-President and
Member of the Executive Committee.
After the end of World War II, in addition to his continuing
activities in fermentation, he took charge of manufacture of citric
acid and in 1947 directed the construction of a large production
unit at the new Pfizer plant in Groton, Connecticut. He guided also
the expansion of this Groton plant and participated in the planning
and design of new facilities for the production of penicillin, ter-
ramycin, streptomycin, and other antibiotics, as well as a number of
vitamin products. In 1948 he was assigned to convert a
Government-built chemical warfare plant at Terre Haute, Indiana,
into a plant for production of streptomycin; in fact, this plant
furnishes today a large portion of all the streptomycin used
throughout the world. In December 1948 he was made Executive
Vice-President and on September 27, 1949, he was elected Presi-
dent of Charles Pfizer and Company. On December 14, 1950, he
also became Chairman of the Board. He held the two posts until
May 3, 1965, but continued as Chairman of the Board until April
29, 1968, when the Board made him Honorary Chairman, a newly
created position in Dr. McKeen's honor.
Between 1950 and his retirement, the company expanded
worldwide, with subsidiaries in many countries, which required
worldwide travel almost annually. Dr. McKeen's marvelous per-
sonality gained him friends everywhere, and he was honored by
many nations:
Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Panama July 1, 1953)
Annual Good Will Award, Filipino Youth Organization of New
York (November 21, 1953)
Grand Cross and Ribbon of the Order of Honor and Merit, Cuban
Red Cross, Havana, Cuba (March 4, 1954)
192
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Order of Merit of Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile (October,
1954)
Citizen of Quito, Ecuador, by Society of Quitenos (November,
1954)
French Legion of Honor, "Chevalier," Paris, France (June 9,1955)
Silver Medal, Hellenic Red Cross, Athens, Greece (July 8, 1955)
Knight of St. Gregory, Rome, Italy (November, 1955)
Medaille d'Or de Leopold Ier, Royal Academy of Medicine, Brus-
sels, Belgium June 15, 1956)
Dr. McKeen also was a member of many professional and honor-
ary organizations, such as the American Chemical Society since
1926, the American Institute of Chemists since 1937, the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers since 1940, Sigma Xi since 1943,
the New York Academy of Sciences since 1950, and others.
He presented many papers before these professional societies, in
particular "The Production of Penicillin" in 1944 before the
American Institute of Chemical Engineers in St. Louis, Missouri;
"Contributions of the Pharmaceutical Industry to Medical Science"
in 1959 before the P.M.A. Research and Development Section at
White Sulphur Springs, and "The Search for New Antibiotic
Substances," in 1962, published in the journal of the Indiana State
Medical Association, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 348-356.
As a result of the research and development activities during
World War II, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn had founded the
Polytechnic Research and Development Company, Inc., in Febru-
ary 1944, which it continued to own and operate until it was
purchased by the Harris-Intertype Company in Cleveland, Ohio, in
December, 1959. Dr. McKeen served as Member of a small Board
of Directors from June 16, 1947, until its sale and gave freely
advice and counsel on the basis of his own invaluable experience.
Dr. McKeen was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
at the first membership election in 1965 and has served as Member
of the Audit Committee, 196~67; of the Committee on Gifts and
Endowments, 1966-69; and of the Ad Hoc Committee to Deter-
mine the Feasibility of Providing Advisory Services in the Field of
193
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Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 196~67. He also served as
representative of the National Academy of Engineering on the Divi-
sion of Engineering, 1965-67, and on the Subpanel on Chemical
Resources of the Committee on Ocean Engineering, 1966-69, both
in the National Research Council.
His alma mater, the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, awarded
him the honorary degree Doctor of Engineering in June 1951.
Because of his heavy commitments to the company, he could not
accept serving on the Institute's Board of Trustees until October
1956. When he accepted, however, he was meticulous in attending
Board meetings whenever in town and in participating on commit-
tees, such as the Patents, the Funds and Investments, the Develop-
ment, and the Executive committees. He served as Vice-Chairman
of the Board of Trustees from 1966 to 1969, when he found it
necessary to relinquish further obligations, having moved to Palm
Beach for the greater part of the academic year.
Dr. McKeen was also actively engaged on the Board of Directors
of many civic organizations, in particular the American Foundation
for Pharmaceutical Education, 1959-70; Health Information
Foundation, 1950-60; World Medical Association, 1951-57; and
World Rehabilitation Fund, Inc., 1958-63. Everywhere he left
an indelible impression of friendly assistance when necessary, of
counsel, where advisable, and of active participation when time
permitted.
In all his activities and many of his travels,`lohn E. McKeen had a
valued, trusting, and dedicated companion in his wife, Noreen F.
Condon; they were married on July 3, 1927, and thus shared the
full and rich rewards, as well as burdens, of' a most successful life.
194
OCR for page 195
OCR for page 196
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chemical engineer
