Dear business and industry friends, welcome to our June/July issue of BIC Magazine -- your Business, Industry and Community Connection. A lot has changed since I resigned as training manager from Hill Petroleum 35 years ago this month to launch BIC Alliance, the parent company of BIC Magazine.
It took from June 1983 until April 1984 for me to get BIC Magazine off the ground and another 10 years to get it on solid footing. I had always heard work would not kill us, and when I went bust in 1982 and early 1983, I decided to either find out by getting back on my feet or die trying. I also knew what I did for the rest of my life was going to be something I was passionate about: training and connecting others in business, industry and our communities for everyone's mutual benefit.
After much prayer and reviewing many of my journals, books and videos from my meaningful media library, I decided to focus this 35th anniversary issue on a topic near and dear to my heart and probably to yours: how to survive and thrive in a changing (and challenging) world. From the day we are born until the day we die, we face countless changes -- some positive and some challenging. How we adapt to these changes determines the quality of life we enjoy.
Another reason I've chosen the topic of change is because my wife, Bodi, and I are making another exciting and dramatic change in our own lives by relocating from our beloved city of Baton Rouge and state of Louisiana to League City, Texas, another city and state we have come to love over the past several decades. As we began preparing for these changes, we used many of the resources and Earl's "pearls" I have used over the past 75 years and that Bodi and I have used during our 51 years of marriage to make other dramatic and, in many cases, challenging changes over the years.
I learned decades ago to keep a journal and a resource library and to always make a list of what needs to be done and when. Among my prized possessions -- along with the journals, pictures, super 8 films and videos -- are books I have been collecting since I developed a passion for reading in the second grade. As I was going through these, I came across several of my favorites, including one by my friend Dr. Roger Fritz titled "The Challenge of Change."
I believe we all agree change is a part of our lives and how we adapt to change is vital to whether we and those we love and care about achieve maximum happiness, peace and success. As Dr. Fritz says in his opening sentence, I am convinced most of life's disappointments are caused by our resistance to change. If this is so, then perhaps this Publisher article may be something you want to read closely and share with others in your family, workplace and community. In fact, after reviewing all this exciting information and taking stock of how my life and those in my family and at BIC Alliance have been changed for the better by mastering the art of change management, I will be including this topic among the next "Earl's Pearls" videos I produce with our media partners at Provicom now that I have relocated to Texas.
To summarize Dr. Fritz's outlook toward change with an illustration from nature taken from his book, pearls are made by oysters -- not because the oyster is an artist but because a grain of sand gets into its shell and makes it uncomfortable. The pearl that results from the oyster's response is so beautiful that large industries have developed ways to irritate oysters artificially. Some oysters, of course, are lucky enough to keep the sand out. They live dull, contented lives until they are eaten or they die, but they don't produce any pearls!
We are like oysters. We perform best when we are somewhat irritated or challenged. Our grain of sand may be those who challenge old practices or question long-held beliefs or practices and come up with changes that are better. If we neglect adapting to change, we may still grow but will never be worth as much as if we would have developed pearls.
Now, to answer our question of how we can survive and thrive in a changing world. We learn in four ways: reading, watching, listening and thinking. At BIC Alliance, our mission is to connect who's who in business, industry and community with one another and our suppliers for the benefit of all. We do this through publishing BIC Magazine and through BIC Media Solutions, where we publish books to read and produce films, TV and networking events. We have also created a speakers bureau through BIC Media Solutions, help folks find the right people and the best jobs through BIC Recruiting, and help companies that want to buy or sell through IVS Investment Banking. In short, we help provide the four ways we learn: reading, watching, listening and thinking!
A few more "pearls" about change that will help make our lives happier, more peaceful and hopefully even more successful include:
⢠Be prepared for change regardless of how, where or when it comes.
⢠Accept change, and try to find something positive in even the most challenging situations.
⢠Give it time. Often, things that seem the worst can be a blessing in disguise.
⢠Realize opportunities. Think of your glass as half full instead of half empty.
⢠Move on. There is nothing to gain by complaining and whining. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.
Now, for some of the great news, articles and interviews in this issue: We interview Tom Yura, senior vice president and general manager of BASF's Geismar, Louisiana, site; Jennifer Abril, president and CEO of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA); Brent Evans, president and CEO of inoLECT; Bill Neeley, U.S. regional manager for Irving Crane; and Nelson Tamez, operations manager for PV Rentals.
We also feature a variety of important topics on improving turnarounds, controlling risk, the future of industry, responding to natural disasters and much more. We hope you will share this insight with your colleagues as we all learn from our own experiences as well as those of others.
Thankfully, decades ago as a youth and again when I went to rock bottom, I learned to think of problems as challenges and adapting to change as an adventure. I hope you will try doing the same, and I believe you will find greater peace, happiness and success as a result. Blessings to you and your family!
earlheard@bicalliance.com
BIC MAIL
Please send emails to kaye@bicalliance.com.
Andrew,
Thank you for your excellent communication skills and attention to detail when we worked on a feature article for our Channelview plant manager (April, pg. 11). The article was accurate and a great portrayal of a female leader in our industry (and I love to read about strong women in business). I appreciate how engaging you are in the process with a commitment to getting it right the first time. I can't wait to work with you again.
Jennifer Walsh
Head of Communications
Covestro Industrial Park Baytown
