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When he is working, he wants to finish the job:
"My work is never something that has to be done today or tomorrow. When you have an objective in mind, you just keep at it until it is done, whether it takes days, months or years."
Having grown up in the coal and chemical business, his heart is with the men in the plant. He likes to do business across a desk. When he talks to someone long distance for 15 minutes, he is likely to say, "Wait, 111 be down to see you in a couple of hours." Then he hops into his plane and keeps the appointment. "You can accompUsh so much more when you are on the ground, next to the problem," says Spencer.
He has to get around fast! Spencer Chemical now has five plants: the Jayhawk Works at Pittsburg makes ammonia and nitric acid (it's the largest nitric acid plant in the world) , fertihzer-grade ammonium nitrate, methanol and ammoniating solutions, and dry ice; the Parsons, Kansas, Works is leased from the government and makes nitrates; the Charlestown, Indiana, Works makes nitric acid and Spensol; the Chicago, Illinois, Works makes formaldhyde; and the Henderson, Kentucky, Works makes ammonia. Just recently a new ammonium nitrate prilling plant has been built at the Jayhawk Works. This, in addition to coal mines in six states!
Spencer has three able men to help him run the ever-growing and complex company: C. Y. Thomas, vicepresident in charge of the operations division, John P. Miller, vice-president
April, mi
in charge of the treasury division, and J. R. Riley, vice-president in charge of the sales division.
Spencer feels strongly about the position of his chemical industry in the economy of the area which it serves. "The good earth is the cornerstone of our economy," he says. "Therefore, industry should put forth every effort to make agriculture more efficient and to assist the farmer in obtaining both the material and infor « mation he needs to assure low cost production." His chemical plant has indeed achieved this, making possible low cost fertilizer to enrich the soil.
One of Spencer's proudest possessions is a citation from the University of Kansas in 1943, presented for his outstanding contributions to his university, state and nation. It reads:
"For his imagination and his remar\ab\e abilities to organize and translate dreams into reality in the field of industrial development, for the abilities to use the results of chemical research in effective war production and for improved stand' ards of living in peace, the Alumni Association of the University of Kansas cites Kenneth A. Spencer of the class of 1926, president of the Pittsburg Midway Coal Mining Company. He is the originator and president of the Military Chemical Wor?^s, Inc., which operates the ' Jayhaw\ Ordnance Plant at PittS' i burg, Kans., a project to be tranS' I formed at the end of the war into a ' great peacetime industry, and du ^ recting official of other coal and ^ heating companies in Illinois." '