Factbox: Sean O'Keefe of EADS North America

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - EADS North America Chief Executive Officer Sean O'Keefe, a former head of NASA, survived a plane crash in Alaska on Monday that killed former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.

O'Keefe, 54, was leading EADS's bid to win a hotly contested competition to build a new generation of aerial tankers for the U.S. military, one of the biggest Pentagon contracts ever.

O'Keefe's son also survived the crash.

Here are some highlights from O'Keefe's career in public service, industry and academia:

* November 2009: Became CEO of EADS North America, elected to board of directors

* 2008: Headed Washington operations for General Electric Co's aviation division

* 2005 to 2008: Chancellor, Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge)

* 2001 to 2005: NASA administrator

* 2001: Deputy director, Office of Management and Budget

* 1996-2001: Endowed chair professor, Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

* 1993-1996: Professor of business administration, dean of graduate school at Pennsylvania State University

* July 1992: Appointed secretary of the U.S. Navy

Sources: EADS, NASA, Reuters research

(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Bill Trott)