A retiree welcomed back

by Ray Scippa

How does one get to take early retirement? In the case of Ken Kibbe, former director of Logistics and Tariffs for Continental Pipeline Company (then a fully owned subsidiary of Conoco Inc.), it was a decision made easy by his wife Sue.

“My wife said, ‘we’ve moved nine or 10 times already, and if you don’t take this opportunity, you’re going to have to come visit us from wherever you get moved to.’ So, I decided to retire early and stay here in Houston.”

In the oil and gas industry, it’s a common story. Job transfers often move people around the globe multiple times during a typical career.

Prior to moving to Houston in 1974, Ken and Sue — with their three children Jay, Lisa and Kale – lived in 12 different homes over a 17-year period.

Married on June 9, 1957 after meeting at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, Ken and Sue moved the very next day to Ponca City, Oklahoma, where Ken began his career in the company’s administrative training program. Over the next six years, they would move for new assignments to Wood River, Illinois; Tulsa, Oklahoma; McAllen, Texas; Artesia, New Mexico; and ultimately back to Ponca City, where Ken was promoted to assistant manager of corporate affairs. It was a weighty position with significant accountability.

“I was responsible for forecasting earnings, recommending dividends and financing proposals, along with all other corporate matters required in the operation of Continental Pipeline Company, five operated pipeline and terminal companies, and five non-operated pipeline and terminal companies in which Conoco held an interest,” Ken said.

In June 1966, Ken was transferred again. This time to Atlanta, Georgia where his responsibilities grew to include the handling of all scheduling activities for the supply of 17 petroleum products terminals located between Birmingham, Alabama and Newark, New Jersey along the Colonial and Plantation Pipeline Systems. The Kibbes called Atlanta home for eight and a half years — a family record up to that point.

The Houston move in 1974, while difficult for teenagers Jay and Lisa, was made easier by the promise of Astro turf. Jay and younger brother Kale played both football and baseball and were eager to play on the artificial turf. Lisa, as Ken recalls, simply said, “I guess I’ll go too.”

In Houston, Ken reported directly to the president of Continental Pipeline Co. at the office in Greenway Plaza. He remembers well the move to the sprawling new headquarters at 600 N. Dairy Ashford in October 1984.

Ken’s early retirement opportunity came one year later. At the age of 55, with 28 years of oil and gas experience, Ken went back to school to obtain a real estate license. For the next 24 years, he sold and leased houses in the same Houston neighborhood where he lives today, guiding many families through a process he knew all too well from his own family’s experience. Ken stayed connected to his old company, frequently taking advantage of the wellness center as one of his retiree benefits. “One day, I thought, ‘I come over here so much, I might as well ask them if I could come to work here.’” In 2009, he landed a part time job, doing everything from working the reception desk to maintaining the workout equipment. “It’s been a pleasure working here. After all these years, I’m surprised I was welcomed back; I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.” For those who know the kindness and character of Ken Kibbe, that’s no surprise.