Welcome to our December/January double issue of BIC Magazine — your Business and Industry Connection.
In reviewing the successes and hurdles of the year with my partner, we both agreed quickly one thing we were most proud of is the camaraderie and depth of our current staff. They have a strong work and moral ethic and get along well, providing a great environment. With a strong, enthusiastic and well-trained staff in place, it is not a surprise we had record successes for both BIC Magazine and BIC Recruiting this year.
I have been with BIC almost 15 years now, and though I have poured my best efforts and ideas into the company, a super majority of the credit for our success lies with others. Indeed, God has blessed our business and many people have had a hand building our company. As you hold this issue in your hands, my partner Earl Heard and our family would like to thank our incredible staff, financial partners, suppliers, our BIC Alliance members and you, our readers.
We at BIC are fortunate so many qualified individuals and associations recognize our publication as the right tool for information sharing and dissemination; it has been critical to our success. Thank you all for your incredible efforts to network and share information and insight with your peers, inuring to the greater good of our industry, and ultimately, our country.
For many years, BIC has carried editorial on behalf of various associations. The Texas Chemical Council, the National Institute for Storage Tank Management, the Society of Piping Engineers and Designers and the Associated Builders and Contractors, for instance, all provide regular columns in our journal.
In recent months, we have published contributions from other associations such as the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, the Western States Petroleum Association, the American Society of Safety Engineers, the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission, The Associated General Contractors of America, the Louisiana Chemical Association, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Subcontractors Association, among others.
Still further, many professionals within manufacturing and service companies make the extra effort to share their vast experience with you, submitting guest articles on a myriad of topics, such as leadership, safety, environmental issues, maintenance, purchasing, turnarounds and technologies to name but a few.
One more important contribution is the feedback of readers like you. The feedback of readers to our staff with ideas for articles and what you like about our publication and website is invaluable in making BIC a greater tool for the industry. We will be launching a new version of our website soon and really appreciate your assistance.
We also appreciate the feedback of readers like you to our marketing partners. Letting the advertisers know you saw them in the magazine has helped us keep so many of our long-term partners enthusiastic about continuing to bring you the latest in technology and services to make your life easier and better both on and off the job. You can find a list of our marketing partners on page 15 of this issue of BIC.
Of course, at the end of 2012 we set expectations high, and had specific goals and plans to reach new heights. This year is no different. Our goal next year broadly is to continue to be the connection of businesses and industry, linking readers with our marketing partners, employers and new hires, and linking investors with those desirous of investment. More specific goals exist, including expanding readership, expanding online, holding specific events, etc. But as I have said before, a goal without a plan is just a dream.
One component of our 2014 plan is a calendar of industrial events. Please note there is a BIC Planner inserted into this issue. It includes dates and contact information for most of the top industrial trade shows and conferences. It has been a popular annual tradition for BIC to print this planner. I hope you find it a helpful reference.
An important aspect of BIC is our coverage of conferences and industry association meetings and events. Just as so many folks have contributed to the success of BIC, I am a big believer in the value of contributing to the success of professional associations and have been personally active in associations both on a local and national level. We plan to participate in more than 50 events in the next year. Participation allows us to keep a pulse on the current issues in the process industries we reach, but more importantly, we can give something back to the industry. That experience is part of our 10,000-hour guarantee at BIC Alliance (please see page 14 for more information). I hope you will consider the same. What can you do more broadly to make our industry better for others? This looking outside of one’s self is a great Christmas thought. Let’s carry it on throughout the year.
In this issue of BIC, we bring you interviews with John P. LaRue, executive director of the Port of Corpus Christi; Michael McKee, vice president and refinery manager of Navajo Refining Co. at HollyFrontier Corp.; Josh Kubik, CEO of Baytown Ace Industrial Services; Chris Daniels, executive vice president of Evergreen Industrial Services; and Hector Santos, sales and marketing manager, Western Hemisphere at Equalizer International.
We also bring you the latest information on safety hot topics, turnaround planning, rail transport, environmental regulations, industry expansions, best practices and more.
May God give you the desires of your heart and may all of your plans succeed. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and peace be with you.
