Dr. Keevil obtained his B.A.Sc. at the University of Toronto in 1959, and his Ph.D. at the University of California (Berkeley) in 1964. He joined Teck Corporation in 1963 as Vice President of Exploration and became Executive Vice President in 1968, President and Chief Executive Officer in 1981, and Chairman and CEO in 2000. In 2001 he became non-Executive Chairman of the merged Teck Cominco Limited (now Teck Resources Limited). Today it is one of Canada’s oldest continuously operating resource companies. Its growth over the past five decades is due in large part to Dr. Keevil’s efforts.
Seeing an opportunity to create a major mining company through new mine development and strategic acquisitions, Norman has helped to grow Teck Corporation into a world-class mining entity that now employs more than 12,000 people worldwide. It is the most visible part of his legacy of economic growth, job creation and community leadership.
In 1993 Dr. Keevil received an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of British Columbia. In 1996 he was named Master Entrepreneur of the Year; in 1997 received the Viola R. MacMillan Developer’s Award from the Prospectors & Developers Association; in 1999 was awarded the Inco Medal Award by the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy; in 2004 he was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, in 2008 received the Canadian International Business Leader of the Year award from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; in 2010 he was awarded the T. Patrick Boyle Founder’s Award from the Fraser Institute. Recently Dr. Keevil was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame; received Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernst & Young; and was awarded the Order of BC.