Changing technologies
OPPORTUNITIES IN ENERGY

Energy: advancing technology boosts employment and diversity

New infrastructure translates to increased employment opportunities for talented minority and women engineers within the utility, gas and oil and energy systems industries

“Technologies are available to make the use of our homegrown resources both economical and environmentally friendly.”– Oather Taylor III, Alliant Energy

By Angela M. Hutchinson
Contributing Editor

Kristen Jaron directs capital projects for Spectra Energy Transmission’s British Columbia pipeline and field services group.

As a project controls engineer, IE Jalon Debbs manages costs for major research and development projects at Shell Oil Co.

Powered by changing technologies, the energy industry looks to be on the cusp of tremendous expansion. Technology trends are impacting every facet, from exploration and production through generation, transmission and delivery. Techies are in high demand, both for traditional jobs in the energy workforce, and to explore and advance clean coal technology, alternative fuels and more.

For example, “We are seeing a significant growth in the natural gas transmission industry,” says Jim Pruett, VP of HR and support services for natural gas giant Spectra Energy (Houston, TX). “Spectra alone is spending a billion dollars this year in expansion capital, and hiring the best in the engineering and technical areas.”

Andy Drake, Spectra’s VP of engineering and construction, notes a “huge growth spurt within the industry continuing the trend to cleaner-burning natural gas.” He predicts that many power plant facilities will be built, expanded or converted.

New energy opportunities
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE, www.aceee.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, predicts that alternate forms of efficient energy, as they emerge, will fuel the demand for gas and electricity. This will create more direct and indirect jobs.

Minority owned gas and utility companies are expanding their businesses. The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) has a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy to help MBEs do business in the Caribbean and West Africa.

Osyka Corp (Houston, TX), an African American owned and operated oil and gas company with interests in wells on the U.S. Gulf Coast, recently became the first black MBE to win an oil exploration block in Africa. “Osyka’s win is a huge validation of our efforts in assisting U.S. minority owned and operated energy companies to take advantage of business opportunities in Africa,” says Robert L. Hill, AABE immediate past president.

Many companies in the energy industry are in a serious hiring mode. They’re seeking the best-qualified techies, and those with varying cultural backgrounds and work experiences. This article explores the experiences and conceptions of half a dozen diverse techies in the energy field.

Brenda Lebron is a QC engineer for AEP

Brenda Lebron.

With ten years of experience as an engineer, Brenda Lebron is in charge of developing a quality control (QC) oversight program at American Electric Power (AEP, Columbus, OH). The program addresses major environmental projects and planned outages, to ensure compliance with specs and construction guidelines.

Lebron does assessments, creates procedures, leads corrective actions and trains construction personnel. As a QC engineer she gets involved with new technology, and that’s what she enjoys most about her job.

Lebron is from Puerto Rico where her father was a librarian and her mother a teacher. “I was taught early on that discipline is the key to success,” she says.

In 1997 Lebron completed her BSChE at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. She went to work at Abbott Labs in Barceloneta, PR, and four years later she received an MS in engineering management from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.

She started at Abbott in a two-year development program for new engineers, then worked as a supervisor and later a manufacturing process support engineer. “That was my dream job,” she says. “I was in charge of the granulation area and when there was an issue I was called to the floor.”

Armed with a good knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry, Lebron decided to move to the U.S. to find a more technical job. In 2002 she went to work as a QC engineer for Stryker (Kalamazoo, MI), a medical device company. Then she and her EE husband relocated to Lafayette, IN where she worked for Eli Lilly as a QC representative.

Two years later the couple moved to Columbus, OH where she rejoined Abbott as a QC engineer in the feed pump area. “I’m not afraid of change,” she declares. “It’s the nature of industry, especially with new technologies.”

And so she was perfectly willing to move into the power industry with AEP. “They put an emphasis on having a PE license,” she notes. Lebron got her Indiana PE license in 2006, and expects to receive her Ohio license this year.

Lebron is a member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). “It has provided me with both knowledge and networking,” she says. She also networks at AEP, where “I’ve met new people from India, China and other diverse backgrounds.”

Lebron is passionate about new technologies. “The energy industry is facing both challenges and opportunities as it works to create new technologies for improved efficiencies and environmental protection.” AEP, she notes, installs systems for flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) and selective catalytic reduction (SRC) to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. “New projects will capture CO2 and mercury emissions.” In addition, AEP is developing new power plants to keep up with the high demand for energy.

Oather Taylor directs engineering and ops support for Alliant

Oather Taylor III.

Oather Taylor III oversees planning, coordination, performance and management of engineering and ops support activities for Alliant Energy (Madison, WI), the electric and gas utility. His title is director of gas engineering and operations support; his teams plan design and installation of gas transmission and distribution lines, gate stations and control systems for the electric and natural gas holding company, and do daily performance monitoring.

Taylor has been with Alliant for six years. “There’s a team mentality here that kicks into high gear when things get difficult,” he says.

He enjoys the broad reach of his job. He gets involved not only in design and construction, but in legal and regulatory compliance and HR issues. “Demonstrating the ability to develop talent is a key measure of success for managers within Alliant Energy,” he notes.

“I’ve had the good fortune of working for extremely talented managers who provided support, guidance and direction as I attempted to identify and fill my skill gaps.”

Taylor was raised in Freeport, IL and worked in New Orleans for several years after he obtained his BSME from Ohio State University in 1988. He traveled extensively as he managed plant and construction projects throughout the U.S. and in Trinidad and Tobago.

“Since the earlier days of my career I’ve had dynamic opportunities that have given me exposure to high-level management as well as frontline employees in the field. I was given the flexibility to focus on areas of interest to me, like steel and high alloys, welding, high-pressure vessels, inspection technologies, and process heaters and power boilers.”

Today, Taylor serves Alliant Energy’s upper Midwest territory: Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The company plans to build two power-generation facilities that use clean-coal technology.

“We need energy, and there’s proved technology to produce it via coal with greatly reduced emissions,” Taylor says. “This, coupled with Alliant’s plans to increase the use of wind and biomass for energy generation, is a solid blueprint for providing environmentally friendly new generation capacity.”

Taylor stresses the need to use available energy resources to reduce the U.S. dependence on oil from outside sources. “This includes the further development and increased use of renewable energy resources, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy,” he says.

“I believe the public should demand that we focus on the abundance of coal and natural gas in North America, and push to aggressively implement the clean technology already developed to increase the use of our coal and to transport additional natural gas so they become greater players as sources of energy.

“Technologies are available to make the use of our homegrown resources both economical and environmentally friendly.”

Thomas Ngo is an EE at Alliant

Thomas Ngo.

Specializing in system protection engineering, EE Thomas Ngo has worked for Alliant Energy for nearly six years. He helps field personnel troubleshoot power outages and designs and implements protection schemes for the company’s equipment and workers.

As a child, Ngo moved to the U.S. from Vietnam with his family. His BSEE is from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

He started with Alliant as an intern in college and has been there ever since. “When I first began there my mentor was an experienced engineer, Russ Franklin. He trained me and always took time to answer my questions. I still go to Russ with questions and for advice,” Ngo says.

“One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the changing technology,” Ngo reflects. “The fundamental protection theory really doesn’t change, but the equipment is getting better and faster all the time.”

Ngo recently received his PE license, a mandatory step to becoming a senior engineer at Alliant.

Daniel Tran manages engineering projects for Spectra Energy

Daniel Tran.

Daniel Tran has more than twenty-five years of experience in design, construction and operation of pipeline facilities at Spectra Energy (Houston, TX). In 1979 he joined the company as an engineer in the design department, and moved up to supervisor for engineering and source control. Today he’s the company’s general manager of engineering, providing managerial and technical support for capital expansion projects.

Born in Vietnam, Tran moved to the U.S. after high school to further his education. He got his BSME from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1979 and found a job with Spectra Energy.

As a supervisor, he was responsible for overseeing construction of pipelines, compressor stations and meter stations. He went on to managerial positions in compressor ops and QA, gained commercial experience in a director role, and is currently general manager.

When Tran first moved to the U.S., “I turned myself into a sponge and soaked up the good things about each individual in the workplace. I love my job and care about the people,” he says.

Spectra engineering and construction VP Andy Drake notes that Tran’s interest in the company’s people reflects a basic corporate commitment. “Our leadership development network creates a welcoming environment for employees to hone their social and leadership skills without worrying about hierarchy,” Drake says.

Kirsten Jaron directs capital projects for Spectra

Kristen Jaron.

Kristen Jaron works for Spectra Energy Transmission’s British Columbia pipeline and field services group. As director of capital projects, she ensures the completion of all functional and commercial activities related to major capital projects, from concept approval to operations acceptance. Jaron manages a staff which may number fifty people or just a few, depending on the specific project.

Jaron first joined Pacific Northern Gas (PNG, a Spectra Energy predecessor) as a hydraulic modeling and pipeline engineer. She deepened her understanding of pipeline flow and traffic control, and ten years ago she became the first female operations team lead in gas control for Westcoast Energy, a parent company of PNG. Directing daily operation of the transmission facilities helped her hone her strong crisis-management skills, she notes with a smile.

Jaron has been with the company through several mergers and internal transitions. “One of the most interesting was adapting to our company in British Columbia being taken over by an American firm. I thought there would be a difference in the people, but I learned early on that we are more similar than different,” she says.

Jaron went on to manager of customer ops and strategic planning, working on customer relations and maintaining relationships. “I try to make career decisions without a preconceived idea of where I want to be. I understand the importance of having a broad base and not working in isolation,” she says. Her base includes a strong knowledge of design, construction, operation and regulation of natural gas pipeline and processing facilities.

Jaron grew up in northern British Columbia. In 1988 she graduated from the University of British Columbia as a bachelor of applied science in CE. Before joining Westcoast and Spectra she worked as a hands-on engineer for other natural-gas companies.

She is a member of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association and is a program advisor for the Natural Gas and Petroleum College of the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Jalon Debbs is a project controls engineer for Shell

Jalon Debbs.

Jalon Debbs has worked in engineering and construction for seventeen years. As a project controls engineer he manages costs for various research and development projects for Shell Oil Co (Houston, TX).

Debbs graduated from San Diego State University (San Diego, CA) in 1990 with a BSIE and a specialty in projects and construction management. He worked with several engineering and construction management companies including Halliburton, which sent him with a team of five engineers to manage a project in Afghanistan in 2004. “The experience was challenging and dangerous,” he recalls. “Believe me, I learned how to manage my time. I was working seven days a week, fifteen hours a day!

Then he joined the oil and gas industry at Shell. He participated in the company’s training program, and today manages projects that total more than $250 million.

Debbs is a member of NSBE, and actively participates in Shell’s recruiting efforts at Oklahoma State and Michigan State. “I know that the diversity measures within Shell are real, and I can play an important role in helping others like myself achieve their goals,” he says. “Shell surpasses many other companies I’ve worked for; they understand diversity.”

Dr Tai-Tsui Aindow is a research Fellow at UTC Power

Dr Tai-Tsui Aindow.

UTC Power is one of the companies of United Technologies Corp (UTC, Hartford, CT). UTC Power develops and produces fuel cells for on-site power, transportation, space and defense applications. It also develops innovative cooling, heating and power systems for the distributed energy market, and other sustainable, environmentally sound energy alternatives. The company is also working on solutions to address the world’s energy challenges, and PhD Tai-Tsui (“TT”) Aindow is one of the researchers developing them.

Aindow joined UTC subsidiary Pratt & Whitney in 2002. Three years later she became a research Fellow at UTC Power, where she’s taken the lead in investigating several materials issues.

Her basic responsibility is helping customers develop products. “I work on fuel cells that power buildings, automobiles and buses. They are more energy-efficient than more traditional sources of energy and virtually pollution free,” she explains.

Aindow is from Taiwan. She earned her BS in material science, and MS in material science and engineering, at National Cheng-Kung University there. She received a PhD in material science from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH) in 1989.

Her first post-doctoral job was as a staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research (Stuttgart, Germany). That led to a research fellowship at the Interdisciplinary Research Center of the University of Birmingham, England.

In 1995 she joined the center’s alloy development team as tech lead in the development of a new alloy used in Rolls Royce engines. Today’s Rolls Royce makes engines for aircraft, so the move to Pratt & Whitney was a natural progression.

“I enjoy working at UTC because of the variety of projects, the diverse teams and the company’s reputation for providing environmentally advanced power solutions,” Aindow says. “I’ve always been very interested in cutting-edge science issues. After all, she adds with a smile, “Cutting-edge technology requires the best people.”

Energy companies seek the best
A survey of HR folks in the energy industries reveals a great interest in attracting, retaining and fostering a diverse workforce. Diversity, they believe, stimulates creativity and boosts their ability to attract and retain employees with top-notch technical skills and leadership capabilities.

Here’s what HR VPs, diversity directors and others have to say:

Joy Dorsey.

Gen Tuchow.

Mary Cofer.

Jim Pruett.

Cheryl Stevens.

Joy Dorsey, director of diversity and HR strategic planning for Pepco: “We are striving to establish an environment where every employee feels inspired, engaged and energized. We feel this will maximize effectiveness of our employees and accomplish our corporate goals.”

John Jefferson, director of diversity for Shell: “Diversity within our workforce enables us to attract, retain and develop people to execute our company’s business plan. Workplace diversity is a win/win.”

Tracy Alexander, Shell process engineer: “For an organization to be successful, it needs the plethora of ideas and talents that only a diverse group of people can give. Shell understands that.”

Gen Tuchow, HR VP for American Electric Power: “The energy industry has an aging workforce, so we are hiring for years into the future. We want to be a company that attracts the best people.” Mary Cofer, AEP director of diversity and culture, adds that “Diversity is vital in our workplace to help us compete.”

Jim Pruett, VP of HR and support services for Spectra Energy: “Everybody brings different skills to the table. At Spectra we systematize diversity by working it into our succession planning and recruiting efforts.”

Chris Lindell, VP of shared services for Alliant Energy: “We make diversity a point of interest at every board and staff meeting.”

Curtis Meyers, director of staffing and learning/development for PacifiCorp: “We encourage everyone to work together. We embrace diversity and value the distinct and different perspectives our employees bring to the table.”

Cheryl Stevens, VP of workforce and supplier diversity for TXU Corp: “We believe that diversity in our workforce and among our suppliers is a business advantage. It’s essential to TXU’s market leadership, and key to operational excellence and high human performance.”

Christine Turk, HR manager, UTC Power: “We want the best minds in the world working for us, to create the best products for our customers and to continue our growth as an international company.”

D/C

Angela M. Hutchinson is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.

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