Assuming leadership of his father’s company at the age of 50, Keck focused his energies on growing the independent oil firm. He invested heavily in energy exploration and production, allowing Superior to become one of the most successful independent oil firms, with revenues of $1.1 billion and profits of $200 million in 1979. Equally notable, however, was Keck’s work with the W. M. Keck Foundation, which was a huge supporter of science and technology. Under Keck’s leadership, the Foundation’s charitable trust grew from $250 million to $1.2 billion.