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In 2009, Steven Laws had been working in Whiting, Indiana—away from home—for approximately one year. It was then a friend of Laws called and asked if he was interested in working for a terminal company.

“I wanted to get back home and had never worked in a terminal, so I saw it a new opportunity and started working for Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) in 2009,” said Laws, who is still with the company today in in Deer Park, Texas as a Safety Specialist II.

For Laws, the best part of his job is getting the opportunity to work with a great team.

“ITC has allowed me to grow as an employee and afforded me opportunity to grow in my personal life as well,” Laws said, offering advice to those just starting out in the industry. “Look, learn and listen; be a sponge absorbing all the information you can. Also, if your new to the liquid terminal business, utilize your resources (veteran employees, policies and procedures, etc.)”

Greg Mouras, General Manager of US Midstream Operations for Shell, got his start in the industry working at the company when he was fresh out of school 20 years ago. As an engineer providing technical support for operations, Mouras worked in upstream operations for 15 years before a new opportunity presented itself in midstream operations in 2018.

“That was when I really got opened up to the terminal industry, specifically in crude, refined products and chemicals,” Mouras said, touching on the two elements of his job he enjoys most. “Definitely the people. I get to work with a great team, extended team, and organization. That's what switches me on is getting to work with people.”

Mouras also enjoys the technical challenges and problem-solving aspects that come along with his role.

“In operations, there’s never a lack of things to work out, whether technically or commercially,” he said. “It really is a 24/7 fast-paced environment, which has always been appealing to me.”

Industry wide, Mouras says he’s noticed a shift over the last several years of companies focusing intently on their bottom lines, in addition to a major shift toward renewable, greener energy sources.

Chester J. Bullard Jr. began his career in the terminals industry back in 1998 at Valero Refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas. A few years later while Bullard was still with the company in 2001, Valero purchased Diamond Shamrock, which meant the acquisition of all associated logistics.

“Valero created a logistics group called Valero L.P., and I was fortunate enough to be able to move from the refinery side to the logistics group,” Bullard recalled. “In 2004, Valero L.P. was renamed to NuStar Energy. I was able to work in various roles at NuStar, eventually becoming General Manager over the Central West North Region.”

During that time, Bullard was able to gain valuable experience in both the pipeline and terminal business. Today, as Vice President of Operations and EH&S for Howard Energy Partners, Bullard says his favorite part of the job is his colleagues.

“Getting to work alongside so many talented individuals that make up a great team is what keeps me excited about our industry,” he said.

Adam Miller, Area Operations Manager, Texas Refined Products System for Flint Hills Resources, got his start in the terminal industry after spending four years in the military after college. Miller found a job at a petrochemical company as a reliability engineer—a role that eventually led him to pursue a project manager position within Flint Hills Resources (known at the time as Koch Pipeline).

“I transitioned from the project manager role to various leadership roles, such as maintenance manager, operations supervisor and operations manager,” Miller said. “These leadership roles gave me my first experiences with the terminal industry. The best part of my job is helping my team enhance their capabilities and reach their full potential. It brings me a lot of fulfillment to see them succeed.”

Dennis Mendenhall, CSP, began his journey with Marathon Petroleum back in 2006, where he worked as a safety professional in the Terminal, Transport, and Marine organization. Over the years since, he’s transitioned through multiple experiences that have included all aspects of EHSS. In these roles, Mendenhall has supported domestic and international operations in downstream, midstream, and upstream business units.

Today, as Safety Manager of Logistics and Storage Terminals for Marathon, Mendenhall finds the best part of his job to be the people he works alongside each day.

“I am afforded the opportunity to lead and collaborate with a great team of people,” he said. “This team has become like family and truly makes each day a pleasure through the teamwork and collaboration exhibited, regardless of the issues and tasks in front of us. This team, coupled with Marathon Petroleum’s culture—which places the value of the safety and well-being of each worker ahead of competing interests—makes it a remarkable place to work.”