About Royce L. Vessell

Royce received a bachelor’s degree in ceramic engineering from UMR in 1976.  While at Rolla he excelled in men’s basketball, serving as co-captain of the 1975-76 men’s basketball team that became the first in school history to capture a conference championship in the sport.  That year the Miners recorded an overall mark of 18-9, setting a school record for wins in a season, and a 10-2 mark in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association to earn the program’s second consecutive berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament.  He was on the MIAA All-Conference team and received the MIAA Sportsmanship Award in the same season.  He was inducted into the Miner Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and again as a member of the 1975-76 basketball team, coached by fellow honoree, Billy Key.  He also lettered in golf while at UMR.  Royce has had a successful career in the engineering and manufacturing businesses working for Valley Minerals and Resco Products before starting his own company in 1996. He currently serves as president and owner of VMPC Resources in Bonne Terre, Mo.  He is a member of the Ceramic Engineering Society – Keramos as well as the Order of Golden Shillelagh.  Royce and Flora provide financial support to S&T through the Royce Vessell Men’s Basketball Improvement Fund, the Vessell Family Scholarship and the Billy Key Scholarship.  Royce has three children and lives in St. Louis, Mo., with his wife, Flora.