Excellence Refined - 30 Years - Valero

2004. The Ardmore Refinery followed in 2005, as did
both the Corpus Christi plants. The Benicia and St.
Charles refineries earned VPP status in 2006, followed by
the Corpus Christi Asphalt Plant and Valero Aviation in
2008. Also in 2008, an unprecedented team of auditors
and Valero officials extended an honorary VPP honor to
the Jean Gaulin Refinery in Quebec. While Canada did
not have a VPP program of its own, the refinery was
recognized for having safety standards that reflected
the VPP mission in America. Since that time, several
VPP re-certifications have been earned. As of December
2009, 28 out of 150 U.S. refineries had earned Star Site
recognition. Ten of these sites proudly belong to Valero.
Commitment to Excellence
Management System
In 2008, a program was launched to reinvigorate
employees on safety and reliability. The Commitment
to Excellence campaign offered guiding principles that
Valero would use to achieve excellence in business, its
industry and in relationships with employees and the
community. From that, the Commitment to Excellence
Management System (CTEMS) was born. In a video aired
companywide in September 2008, Bill Klesse and Rich
Marcogliese introduced the new program and explained
its purpose. “As North America’s largest refiner, Valero is
poised to become a world-class competitor in the global
energy business. But to fulfill this vision and generate
industry-leading returns on our investments, we must
pursue excellence in all aspects of our business,” Klesse
said. “In the end, operational excellence is what will set
us apart from our competitors and make us strong in
any business cycle. We have a tremendous opportunity
to continue to improve our operating performance as we
move toward achieving our long-term goals.”
Marcogliese emphasized CTEMS’ ability to establish a
more uniform and comprehensive approach to planning,
executing, checking and acting to improve Valero
employees’ work activities. “It is not a one-time program
with a definable end,” Marcogliese said. “It is the way
Valero will run its business, and fulfill its commitment to
operational excellence.”
Valero’s Corporate Fire School is an annual event to hone emergency response skills and strengthen teamwork between refinery first responders. In an industry of heat,
steel and pressure, safety is critical to the health of Valero employees and the future of the company.
39 Valero Lines 3oth anniversary edition