In Memoriam: Marion A. Keyes
Marion Keyes led Bailey Controls and earned dozens of patents over the course of his career.
Keyes was born and raised in Bellingham, Wash., USA. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at Stanford University, a master's in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, and a master's of business administration from Baldwin-Wallace College.
He worked as an engineer for Ketchikan Pulp in Alaska, where he met his future wife Loretta. Keyes became engineering director for the controls division of Beloit Corp. in Wisconsin, then GM of Taylor Instruments' new digital systems business in Rochester, N.Y. In 1975, he became VP of engineering at the Wickliffe headquarters of what was then Bailey Meter, a leader in control products and systems for industry. Five years later, at age 42, he became Bailey's president and COO. He expanded sales overseas and designed an early computerized control system called Network 90.
In 1985, Keyes became VP and group executive of Bailey's parent company, Babcock & Wilcox, and an officer of that company's parent, McDermott International Inc. During these years he kept working and living in a home he'd built with his family in Moreland Hills. Marion rejoined Bailey as president and chief executive from 1989 to 1991. He then founded and chaired DCOM Corp. in Mentor, which made computers and peripheral systems. He moved to St. Louis in 1993 and served as VP of Emerson until retiring in 2010.
Keyes wrote two technical books and about 150 articles. He lectured at several schools, including at Oxford University in England. He had about 50 U.S. patents as well as 75 foreign patents. In 1984, the Cleveland world Trade Association named him International Businessman of the Year for "strong leadership in directing Bailey's expanding participation in world trade." He has also been honored by several other groups, including the Academy of Science in the Soviet Union, the Process Automation Hall of Fame, the Ohio Academy of Science, and TAPPI.
Keyes was president of the Boy Scouts of America's Northeast Ohio Council, Northern Ohio chairman of a United Cerebral Palsy telethon, grand master of ceremonies for the Kappa Sigma fraternity, and a trustee of Baldwin-Wallace. He belonged to Canterbury Golf Club, the Clevelander Club, and the Bluecoats.
He is survived by his wife, one of their three sons, and all six of their grandchildren. Ambruster Chapel in St. Louis handled his arrangements.
TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/