Jesus Gonzalez, president and founder of JEGON Industrial Services, has been in the oil and gas industry for two decades and has owned his own company since 2011. BIC Magazine recently visited with Gonzalez to learn more about JEGON's history and where Gonzalez envisions the future of his company.
BIC: How long have you worked in the industry?
GONZALEZ: I started my career in the oil and gas sector in 1998 as a laborer for Austin Industrial. I was able to quickly move through the ranks in the company while I also attended night school to become a combination welder.
I became a welder in three months. My first job as a combination welder was with Zachry, working in different refineries around the U.S. During that same time, I joined a local union, working in multiple power plants across the U.S.
BIC: What led you to create JEGON Industrial?
GONZALEZ: With my background being in oil, gas, power plants, refineries and specialty welding, I wanted to explore my entrepreneurial spirit with a start-up business. In 2004, I created my first company, ABC M. Construction, and in 2011, I created JEGON Industrial Services LLC. The name JEGON came from the first two letters of my first name and the first three letters of my last name: JEsus GONzalez.
JEGON received its first certification under the National Board Inspection Code in 2013. In 2016, JEGON achieved four more certifications under ASME. We are also a member of the American Welding Society, making JEGON one of the highest-certified fabrication entities in the U.S.
BIC: What kinds of services does JEGON provide its customers?
GONZALEZ: We can perform specialty welding; fabrication and alteration; pipe repair and installation; vessel, drum and tower repairs/ upgrades; general mechanical; field fabrication; turnarounds; maintenance; and project commissioning and de-commissioning.
BIC: What are the values that drive JEGON? How does this set the company apart?
GONZALEZ: Building excellence and exceeding customer expectations with expertise, trust and quality.
Our logo is the sailfish. I chose this logo for several reasons. I come from a place that is the world capital of the sailfish. JEGON has seasoned people in management -- people who have 20-30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry -- so I came up with the idea of the sailfish to represent where I come from, our love of the outdoors and our people. We are old, beat up, busted, and the perfect representation of the people in our company is the sailfish -- that's the fish skeleton in our logo -- and that means we are a company with vast experience.
BIC: What are your plans for JEGON's future?
GONZALEZ: We want to become one of the best companies to work with nationally and globally. We will be able to accomplish that through our people, upholding our company values and using our expertise in the field.
For more information, visit www. JEGONindustrial.com or call (713) 946-1361.
