Our Founder - William I. Koch

The founder and CEO of Oxbow Carbon graduated from Culver Military Academy in Indiana before receiving his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Koch’s father had been given the opportunity to attend MIT 40 years before his son, thanks to the generosity of a local businessman. In a certain sense, Oxbridge Academy and its groundbreaking need-based financial aid program is Mr. Koch’s way of repaying that act of kindness:

“My father grew up in a small town in east Texas. His family didn’t have much, but what my dad lacked in financial resources, he made up for in intellectual curiosity. Eight decades ago, a local Texas businessman reached out and helped send my father to engineering school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where his curiosity blossomed. My grandparents could never have afforded MIT. But the education that my father received there helped him develop the skills needed to create an economical method of turning oil into gasoline.”

In Mr. Koch’s view, providing students with the type of life-defining educational experience Oxbridge Academy offers, not only benefits young people and their families, it also presents an extraordinary opportunity to advance our communities – on both a local and global scale:

“There’s no question that our children should be better prepared with a global view of the world and its opportunities. We need to find the very best ways to educate them and provide the tools they need to develop bold, imaginative solutions to the issues that challenge us, preparing them for preeminent college placement and a successful life. I am confident that this school, with its forward-thinking philosophies and outstanding leadership, will earn its place at the forefront of private high school education nationally.”

Our President & CEO - Robert C. Parsons

Bob Parsons has an exceptional record of allocating and managing the resources an educational organization needs to thrive. Prior to joining Oxbridge Academy, he served for 12 years as the Deputy Superintendent for Finance and Chief Financial Officer at the United States Naval Academy. In this capacity he was responsible for planning, programming, budgeting and execution for federal appropriated funding, as well as all private funding from the United States Naval Academy Foundation and the Naval Academy Athletic Association. 

In addition to financial responsibilities, he was responsible for civilian human resource management and the entire range of Naval Academy business and service operations. He was also the Naval Academy’s principal liaison to the Naval Academy Foundation during the first comprehensive private fund campaign in Naval Academy history.

Mr. Parsons is the recipient of three Legion of Merit awards, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Meritorious Service Medal and two Navy Commendation Medals.  He also wears the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal and the Expert Pistol Medal. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from the United States Naval Academy and his master’s degree in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

After a long and distinguished career in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Parsons chose to become part of Oxbridge Academy’s founding team, in part, because of the school’s strong emphasis on developing leadership skills and teaching subjects from a real-world perspective:

 “Bill Koch’s vision for a high school centered on scholarship, leadership, service, character and athletic development matches perfectly with the mission of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Oxbridge will provide truly remarkable opportunities for young men and women with demonstrated abilities and potential, regardless of their background or economic situation. And for me, personally, to be a part of the founding team at Oxbridge Academy exceeds all reasonable expectations.”