Awards

Maurer School of Law Academy of Law Alumni Fellows - 2002

About Rufus W. McKinney

Rufus W. McKinney, JD'56, is an energy and public policy consultant who worked for many years in Washington, D.C., for the Southern California Gas Company. An Arkansas native, McKinney attended Arkansas AM&N College, earning his B.A. in 1953. Upon graduation, he moved to Indiana, where he attended Indiana University and earned his J.D. in 1956.

Following his graduation from law school, the United States Department of Labor hired McKinney as an attorney and adviser. He remained with the Department of Labor for 13 years and later joined Pacific Light Corporation in 1969 as an attorney. Within two years, McKinney was promoted to senior attorney. In 1972, he became the assistant vice president with Southern California Gas Company, and rose to the position of vice president for national public affairs in 1975. McKinney spent the remainder of his career with Southern California Gas until his retirement in 1992.

Outside of his career, McKinney has been active in the local community. In 1963, he became the vice president of the D.C. chapter of the NAACP, a position he held until 1969. McKinney was also active with the National Urban League. In 1977, he co-founded the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), serving as chairman in 1980, and has remained active on the board of directors since. McKinney also serves on the Maryland Commission on Human Relations and is a member of the Epsilon Boule Fraternity.