Kevin Beam
Class of 1974
MAJ (Ret) Kevin Beam, USA, Ph.D
Kevin Beam graduated from Rice Avenue Union High School as salutatorian in 1974.
He was a four-year member of the National Honor Society, a member of the audio-
visual and chess clubs and prom committees; lettered in football and track and was the
U Club treasurer. Kevin's fondest memories of his time at RAUHS include his favorite
teacher, junior year math teacher, Mrs. Marilyn Wintrode and Mr. Paul Barber.
Kevin was Senator Richard S. Schweiker's principal appointee to the United States
Military Academy at West Point, NY. He graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science
in civil engineering, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Regular
Army in the Ordnance Corps. At West Point, he was a member of the Aerospace
(glider) Club and the Cadet Public Relations Council (CPRC), visiting schools
throughout Erie County promoting West Point. Kevin is most proud that his classmates
remember him for his tutoring them and trying to teach them how to pass mid-term and
final exams.
Kevin's first assignment was with the 101st Airborne Division, Air Assault at Fort
Campbell, KY where he served nearly five years. Within three years, he became a
company commander leading over 100 personnel. At the age of twenty-five, Kevin was
the youngest company commander in the division's largest brigade. During this
assignment, he attended night school, earning a MS in Systems Management from the
University of Southern California.
Following Fort Campbell, Kevin attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy,
NY. Needing 36 credit hours for a MS in Operations Research and Statistics, Kevin
graduated with 63 credit hours and "all but dissertation" having passed the department's
Ph.D. qualifying exam - one of two to do so in 1986. While teaching many different
courses full-time at West Point he researched, wrote, and defended his doctoral
dissertation, "Constructive Multivariate Methods for Data Analysis and Modeling"
thereby earning a Ph.D. in Operations Research and Statistics from RPI. West Point
cadets would visit Kevin in the evenings knowing he would provide additional instruction
and mentorship and he is humbled that several of these cadets continue to stay in touch
with him and ask him for advice.
Kevin then attended the Command General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS; and
was selected for a three-year assignment at the Army's Federally Funded Research and
Development Center (FFRDC), the Arroyo Center, RAND, Santa Monica, CA. At the
Army's "think tank", he managed and conducted operations research and statistical
analyses to support policy recommendations to improve the efficiency of the Army's
service support industries while integrating evolving doctrine and diminishing resources.
Kevin also taught as a Graduate Professor at the Army's Logistics Management
College, Fort Lee, VA.
Kevin retired from the Army in 1995 and was employed as a statistician and as
professor before starting his second career as a Defense Contractor. In 1999, he
became the Program Manager and lead analyst for a $15M OSD business process
redesign of the DOD's overseas supply "pipeline". Kevin then co-founded a company
and worked as the CFO for three years. In 2007, he founded his current company as
the president. Kevin subsequently founded subsidiary companies in Romania, Bulgaria,
and Poland. These four companies are providing logistics and engineering support to
the DOD, DOS, and NATO in the US and throughout Europe. Kevin's company is also
a member of a joint venture (JV) which was awarded a $278M contract to provide
sustaining logistics and engineering contractor support to US Marine Corp aircraft in
2023. Kevin's company is currently providing personnel in support of this contract, and
he serves as the JV's CFO.
During this time Kevin has also been active in the community. He has been involved
with the Families of the Wounded Fund (www.fotwf.org), a true non-profit where all the
directors are volunteers. Kevin was the Fund's secretary, assistant web master, and
desk-top publisher; and helped organize fund-raising events. He continues serving with
the Fund's Board of Directors.
Most importantly, Kevin met his soul mate and the love of his life, Kim, at an Army/Pitt
football game during his junior year at West Point and they married in 1979. Today
Kevin lives in Virginia with his wife, Kim, and they support West Point's Athletic
Department. Go Army!
