Shaking Hands – Culture Differences

Here in Kazakhstan there is a lot of hand shaking going on.  The culture is very friendly and you see many Kazakhs greet each other with a hand shake.  A group of guys will be standing together and another person shows up, and the new comer will go around and shake everone’s hand.  Many times one of the Kazakh engineers in my group will walk by me down the hall and they will reach out and shake my hand, as a friendly greeting.  This happens several times each day.

In the US, hand shaking is more formal.  In the Western culture hand shaking is typically reserved for an introduction, or maybe sealing a deal or agreement.  We were taught (by our Fathers) to have a firm handshake (the firmer the better) and look the other person in the eye.  I reflect that I drilled my own sons that when they meet someone they should deliver a very strong handshake, look them in the eye, and say “My name is Andrew (for example), it is nice to meet you.”  I had another parent tell me one of my son’s is a great kid, based upon his first introduction where Zack had a very firm handshake and looked this parent in the eye (which reinforces the adage “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”)  I took great pride in this feedback.

Recently I had a career discussion with one of the engineers in my group.  As he left my office I reached out and shook his hand.  Of course I demonstrated a firm handshake while his was noticibly less strong.  I reflected on this as I think very highly of this engineer – know he is a sharp and engaged individual.  This is when I tumbled to the realization that hand shaking is much more informal here in Kazakhstan – it is more a friendly greeting.  Kazakh’s do not use handshakes to impress others or indicate their “manliness.”  Instead of a wave or a nod like in the US, they instead greet each other with a shake.  But it is a light shake, not a firm “nice to meet you” shake.

So I have resolved to soften my handshaking in Kazakhstan – I’m in their culture not mine.  Maybe some day I can convince them to perform a knuckle bump (it’s more hygenic) but for now will just remind myself there is no need to impress, it’s only a friendly greeting.

TCO Employee Visit to San Francisco Bay Area & Houston

Prior to the Chevron Facilities Engineering (FE) Conference and CPDEP Forum in Houston the week of September 24th, seven TCO employees will visit San Francisco for tours of Chevron facilities.  The plan is for the TCO employees to arrive no later than Monday September 17th, with the Chevron tours scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.  This posting is intended to share relevant information with the TCO employees to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit.

Arrival at San Francisco Airport

Remember to bring a sweatshirt or light coat with you – San Francisco is typically cool in the summer and you may wish you had a coat once you get outside.  After you deplane you will go through US customs, followed by pickup of your luggage.  You will then be directed to exit out into the International Terminal.

Check with Aissaule regarding arranging a shuttle from the Airport to the hotel in Berkeley if several people arrive at the same time.  One of the popular shuttle services is Supper Shuttle – http://www.supershuttle.com/

Another option to get to the Berkely Hotel is to take BART (see link below for maps and schedules).  The BART station at the airport is in the International Terminal (I use BART to get to / from the airport for all my rotation travel).  Once you retrieve your luggage you will empty out into the International Terminal greeting area.  Turn to your right and walk about 100 meters and take the escalator (on your right) up to the next floor – you should see signs for BART.   There are also some elevators on your left if you have a lot of luggage.  Once on the next floor exit off the escalator with a short right into the larger terminal, then turn left and wraparound and you are at the entrance to the airport BART station.  If you need to use the restroom there are some straight ahead just before you make the left into the BART station.  You purchase BART tickets at machines on either your right or left – suggest you use credit cards.  Believe the trains leave about every 15 minutes.

On BART you will go through San Francisco, underneath the Bay, and then travel into Oakland.  You will need to get off the BART train and transfer at 12th Street / Civic Center BART station in Oakland (this is the station immediately after the West Oakland station).  You want to catch the Richmond Train (not Fremont or Castro Valley) – there will be signs but believe you will need to go downstairs to get on the Richmond line.  Once downstairs catch the Richmond train and then get off at the Downtown Berkeley Bart station (4 stops later).  Follow the exit sign to “Shattuck Avenue / Allston Way”  – the Berkeley Shattuck Plaza is across the street on the corner / to the right when you walk up the stairs to the street.

San Francisco Airport to Berkeley Hotel

Berekely is about 30 miles from the San Francisco Airport.  If you take a shuttle you will travel north and pass through the city of San Francisco.  After traversing downtown San Francisco you will travel across the Bay Bridge (not the Golden Gate Bridge) to the Oakland / Berkeley area (also know as the “East Bay”).  On your left you may be able to see Alcatrz (island) where a famous prison was located (it is now a national park and visited by many).

If you take BART you will see none of this as the subway travels underground through Downtown SF and also under the Bay.

You will be staying in the Berkeley Shattuck Plaza Hotel – here is a link to this hotel.  

http://www.hotelshattuckplaza.com/index.cfm

This hotel was selected as it is strategically located between Richmond Refinery, San Ramon Headquarters, and San Francisco.  You will be picked up / dropped off each day by shuttle van for your Chevron and Sightseeing tours (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) but in the event you would like to visit San Francisco on your own you can use the local subway which is named the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system.

 BART Maps and Train Schedules

http://www.bart.gov/index.aspx

USA Trip Schedule (will update as individual tour plans finalize – the overall plan is final)

Sept

Day Activity Comments

17

Monday Travel from Atyrau to San Francisco Travel Day

17

Monday Check in to Hotel Shattuck Plaza in Berkeley, CA See link to Hotel above

18

Tuesday Recovery Day No group plan – free day for individuals to rest and sightsee

19

Wednesday Field Trip to Richmond Refinery (all day) Pick-up at Hotel at 7:30 am.

19

Wednesday Group Dinner San Francisco?

20

Thursday Field Trip to Richmond Technical Center to meet ETC Materials Specialists (morning) Pick-up at Hotel at 7:30 am.

20

Thursday Field Trip to San Ramon HQ (afternoon) Plan is to eat lunch at Chevron Park in San Ramon; we will be meeting some people from Project Resources Company (PRC) and some Upstream Executives.

20

Thursday Group Dinner Evans Home in Orinda, CA

21

Friday Sightseeing Tour Muir Woods and Napa Valley; pick up at Hotel at 9 am

22

Saturday Rest Day Break between Tours and Travel to Houston – no group plan – free day for individuals to rest and sightsee

23

Sunday Check out of Hotel Shattuck Plaza in Berkeley, CA  

23

Sunday Travel from San Francisco to Houston Travel Day

23

Sunday Check in to Waterway Marriott Hotel in The Woodlands, TX See link to Hotel below

23

Sunday FE Conference Icebreaker Starts at 5 pm?

24

Monday FE Conference (all day)  

25

Tuesday Learning Day (FE Conference / CPDEP Forum) (all day)  

26

Wednesday CPDEP Forum (all day)  

27

Thursday CPDEP Forum (all day)  

28

Friday Field Trip to ETC Machinery Center or Power Center (morning) Shuttle from hotel departs at 7 am; have tours scheduled with ETC beginning at 8 am.

28

Friday Rest Afternoon No group plan – free afternoon for individuals to rest and sightsee

29

Saturday Check out of Waterway Marrriott Hotel in The Woodlands, TX  

29

Saturday Travel from Houston to Atyrau Travel Day

30

Sunday Arrival in Atyrau Travel Day

Sights to See in San Francisco

Here is the fun stuff.  Following is a list of things to do in San Francisco – you should probably do some web searches or get your hands on a tour book but here are my thoughts on places to see / things to do:

  1. Golden Gate Bridge: http://goldengatebridge.org/ – you can walk across this iconic structure; it has great views of the City (that’s what us locals call San Francisco), the Bay (San Francisco Bay), and the Pacific Ocean.  Visiting in late September usually means good weather – hopefully we will catch one of the great days.  Most likely we will go to dinner in San Francisco as a group after the Richmond Refinery tour.  If we do this we will drive from Richmond into San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge and will stop at the Vista Point at the north end of the bride for pictures.
  2. Fisherman’s Wharf:  http://www.fishermanswharf.org/ – This is a very popular tourist area – there is a picturesque harbor with working boats where you can go out fishing (it’s a full day event if you want to do this – be careful if you get seasick).  There are food stands, shops for souvenirs, restarurants, etc.  Be a bit careful here as there are a lot of tourists and pickpockets that like to sneak up on you.  Fisherman’s Wharf basically runs from Pier 39 to Aquatic Park.  Beyond Aquatic Park (going west towards the Golden Gate Bridge) is Fort Mason, the Marina Green, the Presidio – you can walk through each area and ultimately walk right up to the Bridge.
  3. Pier 39: http://www.pier39.com/ – this is one of the main attractions of Fisherman’s Wharf area.  People enjoy watching the Sea Lions lounge on some floating docks right next to the pier – they bark and nip at each other.  There are lots of them during winter but there is usually some year-round.  At the back end of the pier they have some free entertainment, usually magic or a comedian (though they do pass the hat around).
  4. Ferry Building: http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/ – This is located right below the Bay Bridge and at the beginning of Market Street (the main downtown street) and The Embarcadero (the road the travels along the San Francisco coastline from the Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf).  Within the last 10 years they have refurbished the Ferry Building and they have lots of small food shops and some days (Tuesdays and Saturdays?) an outdoor Farmer’s Market (where local farmers come and setup tables, selling their products).  The Ferry Building is about a block from the Embarcadero BART station – you can travel over from Berkeley via BART, walk over to the Ferry Building, and then follow The Embarcadero around to the west, which will take you to Fisherman’s Wharf (about a 20 minute walk).  This is a very popular walk, highly recommend it.
  5. Union Square: http://www.unionsquareshop.com/ – this is the prime shopping district in San Francisco, right next to Downtown.  If you want to go here directly on BART you should get off Powell and Market Street (the station is named Powell Streets).  This puts you at the intersection of Market Street, 4th Street and Powell.  Powell is where one of the Cable Car lines terminates.  Across the street on Market is http://www.westfield.com/sanfrancisco where Nordstrom (my wife’s favorite), Bloomingdales and many other stores are located.  To get to Union Square you walk two blocks up Powell Street to Geary St – lots of shops are in this area including Macys (my favorite).
  6. TIX Bay Area is walk-up box office selling half-price and full price theater tickets on the day of performance and full-price tickets in advance to select events. It is located in Union Square – the pavilion is on Powell Street between Geary and Post.  Hours are 10 am to 6 pm.  If you want to go to a show that night you should go there early to get the best available seats.
  7. Cable Cars: http://www.sfcablecar.com/ – these are historic transportation but not cheap – believe a ride now costs ($10) – when I lived in SF in the 80s the cost was $1.  These cars have been in service for over a 100 years – there are two main lines.  Most tourists catch the car at Powell and Market and go to Fisherman’s Wharf, via either the Powell-Mason line or the Powell-Hyde line.  If you take the Powell-Hyde line look across the street and you will see the Buena Vista, one of my all time favorite San Francisco Bars (they are famous for Irish Wiskey which is coffee, sugar, wiskey and cream).  The other cable car line goes up and down California Street – it is less crowded but not as picturesque.  You can catch this cable car at Market and California Street, about a block away from the Ferry Building.  If you have time you can also visit the Cable Car Meseum at 1201 Mason Street – http://www.cablecarmuseum.org/
  8. Yerba Buena Gardens: http://www.yerbabuenagardens.com/ – this is an urban park not to far from Union Square, south of Market Street.  Surrounding streets are Mission, Third, Howard and Fourth.  This park is built on top of the Moscone Convention Center – I come over here and wander around with my kids – there is a pretty good food court in the Metreon Building, plus a multi-plex Movie Theatre.  The park is really two square blocks – the second block is across Howard Street to the south.  If you like museums the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (http://www.sfmoma.org/) is right across from the park, on Third Street, between Mission and Howard.
  9. The Presidio: http://www.nps.gov/prsf/index.htm OR http://www.presidio.gov/Pages/default.aspx.  This is a national park that was a military base for years, dating back to 1776.  It was transferred to the Park Service in the mid-90s; the last 10 years they have been recovering habitat and getting rid of the old military buildings.  You walk through it from Fort Mason / Marina Green to the Golden Gate Bridge.  The area you are walking through is also known as Crissy Field – when this was a military installation they used to land planes along the shoreline here – this stopped about 40 years ago, and recently they have turned the habit back into marshes, ect. which is was before the city was formed..
  10. Golden Gate Park: http://www.golden-gate-park.com/ – this is a famous park, very large, over 1000 acres in size.  My memory is it is 3-1/2 miles (almost 6 kilometers) long and 4 large blocks wide.  It starts in the Haight Ashbury district (famous for the Hippies) and goes west to the Pacific Ocean.  Lots of things to do in the park – might be fun to rent a bicycle and ride around (you can rent at either Avenue Cyclery at 756 Stanyan Street or inside the park at Stwo Lake Boathouse) – would be most of a day if you wanted to do this.  Places to see are the Conservatory of Flowers, the M.H de Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciencs (includes an Aquarium and other science stuff), and Japanese Tea Garden.  I used to live near this park, great place to walk, jog or ride bikes.
  11. Alcatraz: http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm – this island used to be a federal prison, from 1933 to 1963.  It is in the middle of the Bay and had a reputation as a prison you could never escape from (because you would have to swim through the cold bay waters with the potential for sharks – though I believe the sharks are typically in the Pacific Ocean, not the Bay).  This is a very popular tourist attraction – not sure the history translates well to those who did not grow up in the USA.  If you want to go you should order your tickets before you arrive in San Francisco – recommend you catch the first Ferry if you can.  The Ferry dock is right next to Pier 39 on the way to Fisherman’s Wharf.  http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/
  12. Angel Island: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468 – a state park that is also in San Francisco Bay.  It is a much larger island, has some history, and great for walks or bike rides.  If you do this definately plan on a full day.  http://www.angelisland.com/index.php
  13. Coit Tower / Filbert Street Steps: http://sfrecpark.org/CoitTower.aspx – this is a great vista point that is you can see from your walk along the Embarcadero, from the Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf.  It might be worth a detour or visit – great views and some history about the City.  One neat way to get there is to walk up the Filbert Street steps – these are some connected walkways that go through the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood (Coit Tower sits on the top of Telegraph Hill).  http://www.sisterbetty.org/stairways/filbertsteps.htm

Here is what I recommend for a full day outing – take BART over from Berkeley and get off at the Embarcadero station.  Walk down Market Street (just a block or two) and browse through the Ferry Building and the Farmer’s Market.  Then walk from the Ferry Building (looking at the Ferry Building you turn left) along the Embarcadero to Pier 39, and then onto Fisherman’s Wharf (this is about a 30 minute walk – the center of Fisherman’s Wharf is about another 10-15 minute walk past Pier 39).  You might like to take a slight detour and check out the Musee Mechanique  (http://www.museemechanique.org/) which  is a museum of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines (it’s free but costs some change to play the games).  Continue past Fisherman’s Wharf, through Aquatic Park (you will see a large grassy area on your left and one of the cable car roundabout – there is a little cove on your right – you pass though some outside stadium seating on your left – sometimes people are sitting around playing music) and when you reach the cresent shaped pier (also known as Aquatic Pier) turn left and climb the steep hill into Fort Mason.  At the top of the hill you will see some steps on your right, walk down and then turn left, follow the road around to the large grassy area, knowns as the Marina Green (the Marina Green is about another 20 minute walk from Aquatic Park).  You can walk along the path on the bay side of the Marina Green then it will take you back to the roadway where you walk by the marina (docked sail boats) on your right.  Keep walking until you come to another field (usually there are people hanging out, maybe playing vollyball), and turn right and walk towards the bay (probably another 30 minute walk).  Here you will find a walkway that takes you alongside the bay all the way to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge (takes you through the Presidio) – It’s about 1-1/2 miles from this point.  One way walk from the Ferry Building to the Bridge is about 5 miles, lots of things to do, to see and eat along the way.  Remember to bring a sweater or sweatshirt / coat and your camera.  It can be quite windy along the Bay so you might also want a hat or scarf.

Here is the link to Trip Advisor that Aniya provided by email:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60713-Activities-San_Francisco_California.html

Sights to See Outside San Francisco

  1. Muir Woods: http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm – for those who want to go on the group sightseeing tour on Friday 21 September we will visit here in the morning.  This is a famous state park, just north of San Francisco, with very tall redwood trees.  It is named after a famous naturalist, John Muir, who helped save the remaining redwood forests in Northern California as well as Yosemite.
  2. Napa Valley: our plan is to go to the Napa Valley for sightseeing and wine tasting.  Exact wineries we will visit still to be determined.  There are lots of options – here is a link to the tourist site Aniya put in an email:  http://napavalley.com/
  3. Monterey: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/ – there is an excellent aquarium in Monterey which is about 2 hours south of San Francisco – need a car to get there but if you are in the Bay Area for a couple days this may be a worthwhile visit.
  4. Stinson Beach: http://www.nps.gov/goga/stbe.htm – north of San Francisco (about 20 miles) is an excellent beach that locals and tourists go to – just adding to the things to see list in case you are a beach person.  Northern California beaches do not have the same vibe as those in Southern California – but this one is special.  Be aware that the water here is quite cold – you will not see many swimmers.
  5. Point Reyes: http://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm – another national park that is north of San Francisco.  We like to go up here for hiking and oysters.
  6. Yosemite: http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm – the most famous national park in California.  It is over 3 hours from the Bay Area by car.  If you are spending more than a few days in Northern California this is well worth the visit.

Returning to San Francisco Airport

We will sort out how everyone gets to the airport after you are in the Bay Area – believe everyone is taking the same flight to Houston.

Arriving in Houston

The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel is about 20 miles from the Houston Intercontenintal Airport (the aiport is north of downtown Houston).  We will take a shuttle together from the airport to the hotel – WILL UPDATE WHEN ARRANGMENTS HAVE BEEN FINALIZED.

Here is a link to the Houston Hotel where the conference is / where we are staying:

 http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/houmw-the-woodlands-waterway-marriott-hotel-and-convention-center/

 

Global Manufacturing Engineers – My Upcoming Summer in Kazakhstan

This post, which I intend to periodically update over the next 6 weeks or so, is primarily intended for the six Designs Engineers from Global Manufacturing (Refining) who have accepted two-rotation loan assignments to support our SGP/SGI Turnaround that occurs in August 2012.  You are welcome to share this with your family and friends so they realize you are not going on some exoctic boondoogle, but instead will be helping out at a “far away” facility that has many similiarities to the one you work in right now.

Preparation for your Rotations

You must complete and pass a medical examination, submit both Visa and RoK Letter of Invitations, and complete a TCO badge request before you can travel to Tengiz.  As you know, this information was provided in your Job Offer Letter (JOT) and follow-up communicatin which is handled by our Expat Counsler.  We have traded numerous emails about this subject – send me another email if you have any further questions.  There are also Expat and Tax orientations you should complete before your first rotation – all this in emails you have received.

Within the “Post Acceptance Outreach” email you received from the Expat Counselor, after you accepted your job offer, you received a document titled “Tengizchevroil Visitor Arrival Guide.”  Please read this guide – the following is intended to supplement this guide and provide additional information to help you in your initial travel.

Travel Arrangements

Make two sets of round trip reservations from your originating airport to Atyrau, Kazakhstan.  The first leg ends in Amsterdam (AMS) and the second leg goes from AMS to Atyrua, Kazakhstan (GUW).  You are allowed to book the travel via business class.  Many people use KLM to get to Amsterdam as this is their primary hub – KLM is a partner with Delta.  But you can fly other airlines as well – you just need to get to Amsterdam by about 10 am in the morning.

There is an Air Astana flight that departs from AMS to GUW every day (at least Monday through Friday) at 12:20 pm.  This is the flight we all take to get in, so you need to make your reservations ASAP to get a seat on this flight (they are expected to fill up around the turnaround time).

Use Carlson Wagonlit travel in Kazakhstan.  I sent you separate information via email regarding making two separate reservations for this rotation.

You are allowed $150 for incidentals associated with the travel; will be paid in your paycheck – you do not need to keep receipts for this incidental costs (i.e, taxi to / from originating airport, miscellaneous meals, etc.).

Getting to Atyrau, Kazakhstan

Once you have done this trip a few times you will know the ropes; but since you will only make two trips over here the following is intended to smooth the way and minimize your stress while you get in and out of Tengiz.

If you have more than one bag check it all the way through to Atyrau (airport code GUW).  You are allowed one carry on; most people have a carryon and a backpack that they can take on both the international flight (from your originating airport to Amsterdam) and the flight from Amsterdam to Atyrau.

Amsterdam Tips

When you arrive in Amsterdam go to Tansfer Station T-5 (also known as the Menzies Transit desk) to get checked in for your Air Astana flight to Atyrau, Kazakhstan.  T-4 / T-5 are at the beginning of the D gates (Concourse D).  There are two “halves” to T-4 / T-5; the T-4 front desk is for KLM transfers and the T-5 back desk is for the regional airlines, Air Astana being one of them.  You may have already been ticketed all the way through but it is a good idea to check here to make sure you are on the flight to Atyrau.  (I always need to check in as they do not issue my boarding pass for Air Astana in San Francisco but have heard that others have recieved this boarding pass at their originating airport).

Once you are checked into your flight to Atyrau you can go relax in one of the airline lounges – since you are in business class you get this perk.  When you check in at the Air Astana desk they will write you a pass for the Menzies lounge.  If you travel on KLM (which I do) you are allowed to go use their lounge, which I prefer.  You just need to show the KLM lounge front desk your boarding pass for the flight you took into Amsterdam (hang on to it) – they may ask to see your next flight boarding pass but just tell them you have heard their lounge is better.  The KLM Crown Lounge (52) and the Menzies (Air Astana) Lounge (26 I think) are near the Departures 1 Area, down a long corridor from the D gates.

Here is a link to the Schiphol Amsterdam Airport website: http://www.schiphol.nl/index_en.html

The layover is typically longer on your trip in then on your trip out (at least it is for me).  Now is the time to shop for a few trinkets that you can bring back to your family.  There are no gift shops in Tengiz; not much in Atyrau either.  Anyway, you have a couple hour layover so may enjoy using the time to browse around the Schiphol airport.

Tip from Alex Delia: if you use the KLM lounge you are allowed to take a shower during your layover.  Once you into the KLM lounge go immediately to the desks behind the front desk, and ask to be put on the waiting list for a shower.   You may need to wait an hour or so but you eventually you will be called and given access to a private shower room.  Alex says this is definately the way to go.

The KLM lounge also has WiFi available – the code is on a placard on one of the back desks.  You will see many people hanging out with their laptops and other electronics throughout the lounge.  If any of your electronics are running low on juice this is the time to recharge them.  Remember, you need a European adaptor to plug in your electronics – suggest you pick up a pair at Radio Shack.

And Now to Kazakhstan

As mentioned in travel arrangements you will catch a flight from Amsterdam to Atyrau, departs at 12:20 pm and arrives about 8:30 pm local time.  Flight is about 4-1/2 hours.  While on this flight you will be given a “Migration Card” to fill out.  It is a small white form that is the size of your passport.  DO NOT LOSE THIS CARD as you need it to get out of Kazakhstan.  Here are instructions on how to fill out:

  1. Upper right where it says “No.”: enter your USA Passport Number
  2. Surname: enter your last name
  3. Given names: enter your first name
  4. Purpose of visit: enter “Work”
  5. Inviting person (organization): enter “TCO”
  6. Signature: self-explanatory

Arrival in Atyrau

This is a small airport; you get off the 767 onto the runway and take a bus to the terminal which is about a 2 minute ride away (you can see the terminal, they don’t let you walk due to safety concerns).   You will enter the airport along with the rest of the crowd, and que up for Passport Control / Customs.  People all rush off this bus and quickly get in line.  For your FIRST trip in do not rush, as you will need to get your Visa before you can go through the Passport Control line.  When you enter the terminal the Visa desk is immediately to your right – you will probably have to wait a few minutes before anyone will come over and issue you Visas.  You need to give them your Passport, your completed Visa application, TCO Letter of Invitation, passport photos, and your Migration Card.  Be patient, it might take a while.

Once you have your Visa you get in line to go through Passport Control / Customs (where everyone else lined up when they entered the terminal).  By the time you get your Visa the line should be down and it should take a few minutes to get through Customs.  There is a camera at the top of the wall behind the Customs agent – you need to look straight into it as they will take your picture.  The agents do not talk much, just slide them all your paperwork and look up at the camera.  On the other side of the Customs booths is the small baggage area.  You grab your luggage and then go through a luggage scanning area.  You do not need to take off belts or shoes, they are just looking for “contraband” or luxuries you may be bringing into the country to sell.  You may be pulled aside and have your baggage searched.  Please note that if you bring a laptop or Ipad with you they may ask for proof that you own it, and that you are not bringing it into the country to sell.  It is recommended that you bring a copy of your purchase receipt to show the Customs Agent in case you are asked.

I have heard that some people have been searched and questioned about any prescription medicine they are bringing in; again they are concerned about contraband or stuff that people can sell.  The suggestion is to put anything you need in non-labeled containers, or label it as vitamins, allergy medicine, etc.

Please note that the Atyrau airport has free Wi-Fi; if you have electronics that are Wi-Fi compatible then you can connect here.  Please note there is no Wi-Fi at the ATH or in Tengiz – this is the last time you can connect for the rest of your rotation, at least through Wi-Fi.  I use my Iphone to send a quick email to my family letting them know I have arrived safely in Atyrau.

Exiting the Airport / Spending the Night at the Atyrau Transit Hotel (ATH)

The ATH, which is owned by TCO is about a quarter mile from the Atyrau Airport.  Once you leave the luggage area you walk through the waiting area – there is a TCO “Greeter” with a clipboard who will check your name off confirming you have arrived.  This person can direct you to where the TCO bus is that will take you to ATH.  Your first time in I suggest you take the bus so you get a sense of who the other TCO people are but you are welcome to walk if you prefer.  The ATH is across the street and at the end of the road on your left.

You will need to show your Chevron smart badge to enter ATH – if you take the bus it will stop and a guard will get on and scan the badges of all the passengers.  Make sure you have your badge in your carryon.  As you enter the ATH complex you see three buildings going from left to right: the far left building are offices, the middle building is the hotel including the Arrival Hall, and the right building is the canteen.  Go into the middle building, up to the desk, and they will assign you a room for the evening.  Depending upon how crowded the ATH is you will either get your own room or have to share a room.  All the rooms have two beds but if it is not too full you each will be assigned your own room.  Specifically ask to be placed in the C Block – this is typically where management is located an you normally do not need to share a room.

Check at the Arrival Hall desk when dinner is served; you can at least get a sandwich and some fruit before you go to bed.  There is not much to the ATH – it is where all the rotators stay, on their way in and out of Tengiz.  You will be getting in around 9 pm so recommend trying to get some sleep – you can check out the city of Atyrau on your way out at the end of your first rotation.  Before you go to bed you can request a guest office to get on a TCO computer and check either work or personal email; you might want to do this so you can send an email home letting you know you have arrived.  For those of us here on a permanent assignment we do our turnover with our back-to-back (b2) in these guest offices.  Since you have no b2b you can just go to bed (some of us stay up until 2 am getting our turnover completed). 

I understand you can use a telephone in the Arrival Hall to make a short call home letting them know you are safe (I have not done this, use email instead).  Check at the Arrival Hall desk.  If they ask for a charge code use the Designs Engineering cost center, 20115.  You may also need this number to get food in the ATH canteen.

You are 10 hours ahead of Pascagoula, and 12 hours ahead of El Segundo and Richmond.

Travel to Tengiz

The next morning you get up and go back to the Atyrau Airport for your flight to Tengiz.  When you check in at the Arrival Hall desk ask about the time of the flight the next morning (there should be a placard at the describes the Dash 8 flight departure) – they will tell you when you need to be in the Arrival hall and then you will take a bus back to the Airport.  I recommend meeting in the Arrival Hall, and not walking to the Airport, because in case the flight is delayed they will announce this in the Arrival Hall, not at the Airport.  You also need to drop off your luggage in the ATH Luggage Room near the Arrival Hall as you are not allowed carryon luggage on the flight to Tengiz like you can on the commercial flights.  All the luggage is taken by train/bus to Tengiz – it arrives late that afternoon.

You will take a TCO prop plane from Atyrau to Tengiz – it is called the “Dash 8” and it is a 35 seater commuter plane (The Tengizchevroil Visitor Arrival Guide refer to this plane as the DHC 8).  Just follow the crowd as you go back through the Airport, go into a waiting area, and then take the bus out to the Dash 8 jet.  The flight from Atyrau to Tengiz takes about 40 minutes.

You will arrive at the TCO airfield which is adjacent to the TCO Village (TCOV) where we have offices and some residences.  You walk out of the airfield and to a waiting bus which will take you to Crew Change Hall in Shanyrak Village (SV) for you to check in and get your residence room assignment.  We will have someone from Designs Engineering (DE) to greet you at the Airfield on your first trip in and make sure we get you situated.  The DE contact will make sure you get checked into your room and then take you over to TCOV to the DE offices. 

Depending upon timing you should be going to lunch about this time; your DE contact will make sure you don’t go hungry.  You should meet the DE Supervisor (Labeeb will be on-rotation for everyone’s first arrival except the last person), the DE Admin Assistants and the DE SGP/SGI Lead Engineer.  After you have said your hellos we will probably take you out to the North Contract Compound (NCC) where the 2012 SGP/SGI Turnaround team is located.  From this point on we will integrate you with the team; you will be safely here and no longer need this blog.

For your reference, TCOV used to also be the residence location for most of management / technical groups here in Tengiz but they were all moved to Shanyrak Village (SV) in 2007 where you will be staying.  TCOV is where the primary Designs Engineering offices are located (in TCOV Building B6).  It is approximately a 15 minute walk between SV and TCOV, though there are buses that run between the two on a routine basis. 

Once you get to the DE offices in TCOV, please remember to give your Passport (which has the RoK Visa inside) and your Migration card to the FE Admin Assistant.  They will scan this information and then forward to the TCO Visa Services group.  This supercedes the information in the Tengizchevroil Visitor Arrival Guide, Immigration, item 5 (indicates you should contact the TCO Visa Department the next day).

In the TCOV DE offices you can also access computers and telephones, allowing you to call home as needed.

What to Bring

  1. Chevron Smart Badge
  2. Passport, Visa Application, Letter of Invitation, Passport photos
  3. Emergency Contact List
  4. Clothing for a week (jeans and casual shirts are fine; bring t-shirts too to wear under your Nomex).
  5. Electronics including European adaptors
  6. Backpack
  7. Water bottle if you like (it will be blazing hot in August)
  8. Mosquito spray
  9. Sunglasses
  10. PPE including work boots (we will provide hard hat, H2S monitor, safety glasses, etc. but please bring your safety boots and Nomex) – suggest you pack and send this as checked baggage your first rotation in.
  11. Toiletries / Prescriptions
  12. Swim suit (if you like to swim for exercise)
  13. Workout clothes (if you like to workout)

 SV Tips

Your laundry is done for you – 3 times per week.  You leave it outside your residence room door in a net bag (provided) around 5 am, with a laundry list check off sheet describing contents.  Your laundry is cleaned and returned that day.  You do not need to bring any more than a week’s worth of clothing due to this service.  They will launder and press any shirts you leave outside the door with a hanger.  Your towels and bedding are changed once per week; if you want the towels laundered more frequently just put in your laundry bag.

Your room will be located in one of the SV Modules or Domes.  We all them Domes but in reality the Dome is in the center and each of the residence wings are spokes from the Dome.  These are two story residence wings, filled with either double or single rooms.  Each of the SV domes (there are 5, numbered sequentially) has a canteen where you get your breakfast and lunch.  Wouldn’t worry about this too much – the DE representative will take you to your dome, get you to your room and then give you a quick tour so you know your way around.

Each Dome has a small market for sundries (ranging from snacks to shampoo) in case your forgot something.  Each Dome also has a small gym for working, and some general areas where you can play pool and get an alcoholic beverage.  Regarding alcohol, I recommend against it as you will be working 12+ hours every day, probably thoughout the turnaround.  There is a strict TCO policy that you can not have any alcohol in your system when you begin your shift; if this occurs you will be sent back to the States immediately.

Message from Andrew

Lets go Forty Niners! Even though you weren’t in the Super Bowl you still have another year so let’s keep it together and stay strong! GO! GO! GO!

Hello! This is Andrew. I have been reading my dad’s (Marc Evans) blog. I really enjoy it and it happens to seem that he has been enjoying Khazakstan, it must be very different from what we know. I like to watch videos on the internet and play video games. My favorite video game is World of Warcraft or League of Legends. You might’ve heard of World of Warcraft, but I doubt you have heard of League of Legends. I like both very much but I also like games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, I also like Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls IV.

Getting to the Plant from the Office – What are you complaining about?

In Richmond, there was a lot of complaining when we had to move people from the field offices to the Admin Building, moving people away from the process units they work in.  We had even more complaining when we had to move the Capital Projects and Drafting Department folks to the off-site building at Marina Way.  I tell people it could be worse but they did not hear me – moving to the new locations made it more difficult / more time consuming to do their job.

Well let me tell you how much worse it could be.  In Tengiz it takes ~45 minutes to get from the office to the process units.  The average engineer and supervisor takes the bus to the process units.  It takes little less than 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop from the Designs Enginering offices, and then just over 30 minutes on the bus to the process units.  If you have a meeting scheduled at the top of the hour in the plant, you must leave about 40 minutes before, and then you are a few minutes late for the meeting.  The buses are on a schedule (leave every 30 minutes for one plant, every 60 minutes for the other) so you need to time your site visits, and pay attention to the time.  There is a canteen out at one of the plants so you can grab lunch there if you have several things to do.

You can take a taxi but need to schedule in advance.  This usually works if you have several folks needing to see something in the field or all going to the same meeting.  You sometimes can arrange for the taxi to wait for you but they are so busy that many times you get the taxi out there and then take the bus back.

One thing I have noticed is that most people sleep on the bus or taxi.  I have a natural tendency to want to talk to people that I might not normally see, engage them in some work discussion.  For those that know me, I don’t handle silence well.  But now that I have been here a while I can see for those working 12, 13, 14 hour days, a little down time on the bus is to be expected.  So I bring something to read, or shut my eyes as well.  My problem is I just start to drift off when we arrive at our destination.

It’s So Cold My Eyeballs Hurt

Returning to Kazakhstan in mid-December I expected it to be cold, but it’s really cold.  I continue to walk between the living accommodations (SV) and work location (TCOV) each day, but when it is cold AND windy my eyeballs hurt.  I wear a sweatshirt, heavy jacket with hood, beanie, and gloves.  On a couple days I even wore my insulated coveralls (that you use to go into the plant with) home.  But you still need to see where you are walking.  I have resorted to wearing my safety glasses when I walk, to keep the wind from driving into my eyes.  I guess I could bring some ski goggles, but that would seem pretty nerdy.  So instead, if it is really windy, I take the bus.

Another Schedule-Driven Project

We had an unplanned shutdown of a propane dryer skid earlier this month – several pieces of equipment, piping and instruments damaged – have another “schedule-driven” project that I am involved in, if you know what I mean.  Not the biggest incident I have been involved in but we still need to go through all the steps of incident investigation, assessment, demolition, purchase materials before you know what is damaged, develop design packages before you know what needs to be replaced, and build everything back as quick as possible – just the way some of us like it – all phases all the time.  A couple small pieces of equipment will take 6 weeks to fabricate, and we will cut back some home run cables and install some intermediate I&E junction boxes; should have it all back together in early March.  Makes the time go fast.  What is different is no need to figure out who is working this weekend, who needs a day off – everyone works every day here.  But you do need to pay attention to who is rotating in and who is rotating out, need to make sure the various action items and work move forward.

The other interesting aspect is facilitating a daily rebuild coordination meeting with Reliability, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance and HES – lots of people, various perspectives, and two languages.  My solution is to use a conference room that has two in-focus machines and two tranlators.  I facilitate and scribe the meeting in English, have a translator handle the verbal translation, and then another translator who is following my meeting notes and converting it to Russian during the meeting.  It seems to be going well with this approach; I can see that the Russian speakers are reading the notes in Russian and are bringing up issues for clarification.   It also makes the meeting go faster because people can read the agreements in either language and we do not need to meticulously translate verbally between the two languages.

Christmas Dinner

I had Christmas Dinner with the Maintenance Manager and Process Engineering Supervisor tonight in dome 3 canteen.  Not many of the locals here celebrate Christmas but they do like holidays because it means people getting together and having a special meal.  So they decorate, and have a nice spread on the holidays here – there was shrimp and lobster, ham and turkey, and some good cheeses.  I usually eat my dinner in my room at night but it was a pleasure to socialize a bit, particularly on Christmas.  But now it’s back to my room, as tomorrow is another work day.  I worked most of the day on Christmas – facilitated a meeting, did some follow-up, wrote the meeting notes.  Just another day in Tengiz.

2011 Evans Family Holiday Letter

Greetings.  As some of you know we typically send out a “newsy” holiday letter, enclosed in our annual holiday card.  When the kids were little we were hard pressed to keep up with this but the last few years we reestablished this family tradition.  I’m excited this year to do this on-line; always wanted to have the option of tweaking the “letter” after the cards went out in the mail.  So anyway, here goes:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66828995@N03/6488509215/in/photostream

As you can see, the kids are getting big.  The picture is from our summer vacation (late June) where we visited NYC and Washington DC (vacation pics posted under links in this blog), just before I departed for my first trip to Kazakhstan.  We enjoyed the tour of the Mint, purchased a few trinkets in the gift shop, and then took pictures of each child in front of the “growth board.”  Please note that both Grant and Andrew cheated a bit – Andrew is actually a 1/2″ shorter than Claudia.

Zack: senior year at Miramonte High School.  He got his driver’s liscense at the beginning of the summer and returned as a camp counselor at UC Berkeley Strawberry Canyon summer camp.  He drives himself and brother Grant to school each day, plus helps with drop-off / pick-up of Claudia / Andrew (this 3rd driver in the house is essential when I am away working in Kazakhstan).  Zack has lots of friends, does well in school, and is enjoying his senior year including his Sports Medicine and Physiology classes.  He has already been accepted to four PAC 12 universities (did not apply to the UC system) and is close to accepting addmission to the University of Arizona.

Grant: sophmore year at Miramonte High School.  Gets along well with Zack (finally), also has many friends and does very well in school.  His favorite sport is lacrosse which means he goes to summer camps, plays box lacrosse (indoor) in the fall and field lacrosse in the winter/spring (February to early May).  2012 will be his second year on the Miramonte JV team – there is a great group of kids and coaches involved in Miramonte lacrosse – and we have become friends with several families we met through Grant’s participation.

Andrew: 7th grade at Orinda Intermediate School (OIS).  His sport is also lacrosse.  Andrew plays for a local club – they have four teams in his age bracket this upcoming season. He also goes to camps in the summer, participates in a once/week skills and scrimmage training in the fall, and then practices 2/week with 1 or 2 games on weekends during the season (again, Feburary to early May).  Andrew can do well in school, but he sometimes lets his responsibilities slip without constant “encouragement” from his parents (and with four kids and a half-time single parent household he sometimes is able to dodge our check).  He really enjoys reading – we both got Kindles this year and share books.

Claudia: 7th grade at Orinda Intermediate School (OIS).  Dance, drama and shopping – Claudia has lots of activities and probably spends as much time in the car going to/from than the other three kids combined. She was in both the fall and spring productions (Snow White and The Wiz) while in 6th grade and fall production of A Midsummer Night/s Dream in 7th grade at OIS; we expect she will try out for the 2012 spring play which has yet to be announced.  Claudia really enjoys dance, having taken classes the last couple years.  This fall she joined a new dance studio, takes classes three evenings per week and will start paricipating in dance competions in 2012.  Even with this heavy activity load she does very well in school – our last child is very responsible.

As far as Karen and I, we are both doing well.  Karen’s physical ailments are at bay this year, both her back and foot are repaired.  Together we joined a health club a few miles from the house and enjoy working out together when I am home.

Karen continues to work at Kaiser in Walnut Creek – still at an 80% schedule.  She volunteers at OIS once per month plus handles all the house / kid duties of our family without complaint.  Karen typically handles the many dentist/orthodontist/doctor visits but I help when I am home (4 visits alone this recent rotation home).  She has also had to step up and deal with computer, car and furnace problems while I am away.  The flip side is when I am home I help get the kids out of the house in the morning, pick them up after school, and get them to / from their various activites – all without the distraction / stress of juggling work responsibilities.  Plus I get to work on “weekend” home projects throughout the week when I am home – this last trip home completed what it probably would have taken me three months to do.  I know this may come across as sexist as Karen and many other working moms juggle work/life responsibilities without complaint, but for me I am much more engaged with my family when I am home off rotation.

Extended Family News

Karen’s brother Bruce and family (Courtney and Cooper) are well in Portland.  We all got together in October to celebrate Karen’s father’s marriage to Cynthia Bishop (he met her in Sedona after Karen’s mom passed away in March 2009).  Her father is in good health after two knee replacements and continues to travel extensively.

My mother continues plugging along – she is now 84 and had a pacemaker installed this summer.  With my rotation schedule I am able to take her many medical appointments – we joke that I see her more now that I am working in Kazakhstan.  My sisters Robin and Joanne and their families are well and continue to grow.  We currently have two grand-nephews (Christopher and Carson) and one grand-niece (Rose).

Well that’s it for now.  Wishing each and everyone who reads this far a happy holiday season and a great 2012.

Marc and Karen Evans

 

Meet the Designs Engineering Supervisor (October 2011)

A few days into my second rotation I realized I had to find a way to accelerate learning everyone’s names in my group.  I attended a group gathering (see Oilman’s Day) and I realized looking around the room that it would take me a very long time to know who everyone was if I continued down the path I was on.  My primary problem was that I do not interact daily with the majority of people in my group.  For the most part I interact with the Lead Engineers (first line supervisors), customers and my peers.  The actual work the individuals in my group perform is directed / coordinated by the Lead Engineers who report to me (and my back-to-back).  This assignment is similar to positions I previously held in the Richmond Refinery but since I had worked there so long I had a leg up, already knew many people each time I went to a new position, and just had to concentrate on the few I did not know.  But everyone in my group here at TCO is new to me.

On my first rotation I Interacted with each Lead Engineer several times, learning about thier positions, about the work we do in the group, and something about their career backgrounds.  I typically eat lunch with them several times a week and by doing so learned more about thier careers, about their family and their interests.  Since I interact with each Lead Engineer, usually daily, it is easy to know them – it is not an issue remembering thier names.  But as I sat there during the Oilman’s Day celebration, looking around the room realizing I couldn’t remember if the person sitting a across from me was Sabyrbak or Assylbak,  I concluded I could not just memorize everyone’s name from a picture on an org chart, or from a name on a list. I reflected that the key to remembering someone’s name is to know something about them.   To be able to remember who each person in my group was I needed to learn who they are.

Walking home from work after we had our Oilman’s Day celebration I resolved to do something different.  I decided to invite each person in my group to my office to give me a chance to get to know them.  I also resolved that I would complete this by the end of my third rotation.  So with a 120+ people in the group (including support staff not in our cost center) I needed to come up with a fast and effective way to do this.  I discussed my plan with my Lead Engineers on the first Sunday of my rotation (at our staff meeting) and obtained their input on how to proceed.

First I developed a form that I could use to take notes when I had the “get to know you” discussions.  Topics I decided to cover included where the person is from, something about their family, their technical background, their previous work experience, and what they liked to do when they are away from work (e.g., off rotation). 

I then began to schedule the meetings.  I decided the best way to do this was to block out an hour, and then schedule 4 people in successive 15 minute blocks.   Every position in my group has a back-to-back (b2b) so I first had to figure out who was in Tengiz during any giving week.  Our group maintains a master rotation schedule so I poured over this document numerous times to figure out when people were here.  I first concentrated on folks who were about to go off rotation so I could meet them before they leave.  I also decided not to schedule anyone right when they arrived, giving them a couple days to acclimate before meeting me.  Finally, I tried to make sure I met a similar percentage of people from each group during my second rotation.  Even though we have four Lead Engineer positions we actually have 7 supervisor positions (in addition to the Leads we also have a Lead Mechanical Designer position, a Lead I&E Designer position, and a 2012 SGP/SGI TA Coordinator position).

The first couple days I tried this I blocked out an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon – I found this to be very tiring and chewed up a good part of my day.  To ensure the meetings were successful I had to put some time aside to prepare for the meeting plus after the meeting I needed to take time to review my notes to ensure I captured key items that would help me remember who each person was (meeting people for two hours really took at least three hours due to perparations and note review).  After the first week of meetings I scaled back to a single one-hour meeting block in 5 out of 7 days of each week.

Prior to my meetings I would pre-populate the form I had developed, using the TCO White Pages.  The TCO White Pages are similar to the Corporate White Pages but also includes a picture of the person, how long they have been working at TCO, their shared email address and a link to their b2b’s profile.  The TCO White Pages also indicate if the person is a Chevron employee, TCO employee (e.g., Kazkh national employee), or a contractor.

My other preparation tasks were 1) get a map of Kazakhstan so that each person could show me where they are from / where they live  and 2) arrange for a translator/interpretor for those who did not feel comfortable speaking with me in English.  Immediately prior to the meeting I would review the forms of the people I was to meet in the next hour – I wanted to be able to greet each person who entered my room with a “Hello Saltanat” or “Hello Vladimir.”  I thought it would be bad form to say – and who are your again?

Here is a link to an example email that I sent out – INCLUDE LINK LATER.

So how did it go?  During my second rotation I met 67 people through these 15 minute “Meet the Designs Engineering Manager” sessions.  For the most part I met with people in my office at TCOV but also visited the “North Contractor Compound (NCC)” area where one of our turnaround engineering groups is located.   The group that works here takes the busto the NCC in the morning, and the bus back to SV in the evening.  It would have been inconvienant for them to visit me at my office in TCOV, so I set-up meetings at thier work site, typically making these visits adjacent to their weekly staff meeting so I could sit in on this as well.  The Lead Engineer responsible for this turnaround also attended – it was a good chance for both of us to meet the people of this group (many are new, working less than a year for TCO). 

In addition to the 67 individual meetings I had during the second rotation I had already gotten to know about 20 people from my group during my first rotation.  People I had already met included all the Lead Engineers, several of the Senior Engineers (primarily Expats) and our Admin Assistants and Translators.  As a result I now have met and know the names of about 75% of my group, with plans to meet the remaining 25% on my third rotation.  And I know many of the names of folks I have not yet had a chance to sit down with – It’s easier to figure out who you don’t know once you know most everyone.

What surprised me is how much I enjoyed these sessions.  My objective of learning people’s names was easily achieved (though I may need to refresh my memory from my notes each time I return to Kazakhstan).  I truly enjoyed learning who the people in my group are, where they are from, a little about their family, a little about their interests.

So even before I complee this activity I am convinced that I would do this again if ever faced with a future position when I am working with many new people.  Why?  Becasue I have learned much more about people than just their names.  I have learned that one person has a black cat named Lucky, another person recently had three weddings (one in her hometown, one in her husband’s hometown, and the third wedding in a mosque to please her Mother-in-Law), that another person was the captain of their University rugby team, another person enjoys drawing portraits (but was never trained to do so), and another person won a flat (apartment) in a bank lottery.  I learned that our group has many youngerst sons, that our group has people that come from all over Kazakhstan to work here, and that many in our group live with thier extended families or live close to their extended families. 

Their are additional benefits to this approach that I did not initially realize when I set out to learn everyones name.  One benefit is allowing the people in my group to get to know me; telling them a little about my family, where I am from, some of my career history.   By letting people know me I become more approachable – hopefully this will make people more comfortable around me and therefore more open to share thier thoughts and opinions.  Another benefit was demonstrated by several people commenting during our meeting that they appreciated the manager of the group wanting to get to know them.  I believe that people respond better to managers that they connect with.  I believe that people will take more ownership, more initiative, and more pride in their work when in an environment where their efforts are appreciated.  This is not to say that the existing environment of TCO Designs Engineering is poor; I am only trying to figure out how best to be an effective leader of this group.

To be honest, I was a bit worried that I bit off more than I could chew with this approach.  Meeting this many people in one rotation, especially my second one, delayed me in looking at some of the work processes we have here in TCO and slowed my attention to daily job responsibilities (like staying on top of email messages, tracking down issues related to budget and work scope, and gaining a better understanding of the field installations and the other groups here in TCO) – which I made up for by working 14 hour days.  But at the beginning of the second rotation I reflected on my strategy from my first rotation (see What to Focus On With Any New Assignment) where I wanted to focus on the people first – this is a clear effort of putting people IN MY GROUP first.

Finally, I realize 15 minutes is not much time, I am barely scratching the surface of getting to know people.  But this effort helps me build a foundation that will guide me as I attempt to manage and develop our large engineering group.  For now, I am pleased with getting to know everyones (or almost everyones) name.