Thirsty for knowledge, Andy has found a good fit at Lyondell, where every day is an opportunity for a learning experience, he says.
Location: Alvin, Texas
Year joined Lyondell: 2005
Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Houston, 2005
After hours: Tennis, softball, piano and singing
On his cone: Cookies 'n' cream
TV pick: Lost
"What makes me want to jump out of bed every morning is the fact that today, I will be doing something new and exciting."
As a student, Andy completed a summer co-op at Lyondell in the olefins technical group and a fall co-op in the propylene oxide/styrene monomer (POSM) technical group. He joined the company after graduation, and in his current role he provides technical support for utilities and flare systems to operations personnel.
What differentiates Lyondell from the crowd is our ability to promote communication at every level of the organization. It allows anyone in the organization to be heard.
As a production engineer at Lyondell, Andy enjoys a rich learning process and said he uses a lot of what he learned in the classroom at work. And Andy is pursuing a masters of chemical engineering degree to compliment his work experience, he says.
"The most valuable skill I was taught in school was the ability to learn effectively - whether individually or in a collaborative setting," he said. "This was by far the most valuable skill learned because it helps me every day at the workplace and at home."
Andy is engaged by his work at Lyondell as well the culture and the company's community service projects. He is leading the United Way employee campaign at his work site and has participated in his plant's Adopt-a-Beach work.
Jumping in and getting involved was easy for Andy, he said, because he feels the company's values align themselves well with his own personal set of values.
"I appreciate all of the detail that goes into creating a culture that takes into account our safety, values and our environment," he said. "It feels good when your own core belief system matches with your company's and to know that they are constantly looking for ways to improve our current systems."