Since its inception, Apache's growth has been focused and measured as it has carefully added skilled craft professionals and services, dramatically increased its capabilities, expanded its geographical presence, and continuously evolved its approach to safety.
Since the very beginning, the one constant with Apache that has remained is its pledge that "when a commitment is made, it is kept" - to its people and its customers. The company has remained steadfast in its commitment to keeping its people safe and healthy and continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be an industrial services leader. Now more than ever, as Apache steps into its new era of evolution, it is ready to step into the future and execute with excellence.
In recent months, there have been key strategic leadership additions and promotions within the company. Most notably, industry leader Stephen Hillier has come on board as Chief Executive Officer of Apache Industrial Holdings, David Schexnaydre was appointed Chief Operations Officer, Samantha Coker was announced as Chief Human Resources Officer and Spence Killian was announced as Chief Commercial Officer.
"At Apache, our goal remains the same: to be leaders in the industry and execute with excellence," explained Hillier. "As we step into the future of Apache, I am excited for what is ahead for both our company and the industry."
Our foundation remains anchored in safety
As Apache steps into the future, it will remain anchored in its belief that nothing is more important than the safety of its team. It remains committed in its belief that safety is a series of purposeful acts and thoughts of highly engaged and empowered craft professionals.
It is the recognition that although safety refers to the physical; mental health and being mentally engaged are just as critical to executing work without injuries or incidents of any kind.
“Ask any employee and you will hear their personal safety journey that has helped them identify the core items that motivate them to work each day without hurting themselves or their team. These conversations quickly become very personal which helps give us a glimpse into what truly motivates our amazing employees,” said Executive Vice President, HSES Tysen Lutz. At Apache, safety is not simply a conversation — although safety is a constant discussion point on jobsites, at meetings and gatherings, leadership site visits, or by the water cooler. Safety is about results — real, measurable and continually improving results. Apache, while proud of its safety success, remains steadfast that zero is the only acceptable outcome. True to its history and as it evolves into the future, the company has a plan to ensure that goal is part of every discussion while providing clients with an integrated delivery of services.
“Because of the lengths we go to select, hire and train each employee, we have an extraordinarily high expectation and belief that our skilled craft professionals will be the safest on any jobsite,” Coker said. “It is why we fully empower our team members to make decisions to ensure their own safety and that of everyone around them. It is why we have such a strong presence by our leadership at each site to reinforce our beliefs and support all of our team members and their actions.”
Commitment to veteran community
"We recognize it takes a little more to be part of Apache," said Ivan Dominguez, director of talent and recruitment, one of the many veterans of the company at the forefront of veteran efforts within the organization and in the community. "We expect our skilled craft professionals to not simply execute the job but execute it well and particularly we have found with the veteran community they only operate this way."
At the core of everything that people are, veterans are mission-focused and goal-oriented. Veterans overcome any obstacle they run into. Whether it is a task at hand or having to develop a company- wide strategy to provide customers with safe, innovative solutions, they always execute with excellence.
Apache is driving efforts to be the first choice for veterans and families of veterans when considering work in the industry. The company has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets program and has been awarded the prestigious gold medallion award, one of the few large employers to have received this in the U.S., let alone the industry. The organization has also been recognized by the states of Texas and Utah for being veteran-friendly organizations.
Apache supports multiple veteran organizations, events and community engagement partnerships that are at the forefront of honoring the men and woman who proudly serve and have served the country.
Foundation for transformation
Apache continues to invest in its people and customers by executing through extensive training and constant communication - both on and off the jobsite. The company is not only committed to the continuous improvement of its people, but it is also disciplined in the way it approaches the systems and planning to ensure that even with rapid expansion and growth, it remains industry's leader in providing clients with an integrated delivery of services.
Core to the evolving culture is a commitment to our craft professionals and our clients, an understood respect, and an absolute promise to always execute and deliver. Apache pursues execution excellence and provides safe innovative solutions to each project it undertakes while being visionary and aligning itself with where industry is headed.
At Apache, there is an understanding that culture starts before a person is even hired. Because of its well-defined human capital strategy, the company is careful and purposeful about who it hires, recognizing it takes a lot more than knowledge, technical skills and ability to become a successful Apache employee. It takes someone who values integrity over loyalty and an unwavering commitment to executing with excellence and delivering to its customers, over and over.
"I've been part of the Apache family for more than 20 years. I have watched many changes in our business, many new people, lots of growth and new lines of business, but what has always remained true is the way our company treats its people and our commitment to our clients," shared Vice President Delin Manuel. "The outcome is an improved work product and invested employees, like me, who not only work hard but genuinely believe in the company and the way we execute."
Investing in future leaders
Now Apache is looking to the future, and not only its own future but that of the industry and what it believes is required to serve customers most effectively. The combination of its 125-acre campus, 400,000-square-foot facility that includes its state-of-the-art Craft Training Center, and its National Center for Craft Education and Research (NCCER) curriculum-based, Department of Laborcertified craft apprenticeship program, Apache is making more than a statement about its vision for the future and that of the industry. Apache's apprenticeship program is running in numerous regions across the U.S. and has partnered with secondary schools, post-secondary institutions, and facility owners to bridge a gap and pave the way for the future leaders in the industry.
"Our commitment to workforce development and attracting talent to our workforce is what makes us industry leaders," said Director of Workforce Development Trey Grainer. The company is committed to not only paving a way for journeyman-level certifications, but developing future supervisors, superintendents, project managers and operations leadership who will lead the industry to a new era.
"As leadership, one of our top priorities is giving our people ample opportunities to learn and develop," said Coker. "Our success is directly tied to our ability to make Apache the industry's employer of choice. We need to work constantly to foster an environment where our people want to be and know they can thrive, and where they want to make a difference and grow within the industry."
Purposeful evolution
In the past year alone, Apache has been invited to work on many prestigious, high-profile projects across North America. Apache has continued to add to its expertise and impeccable safety records. The commitment from every area of the company is as clear as the outcomes it produces. As the company has codified much of the way it works and its unique focus on and commitment to its people and its clients, so too has it begun to evolve its vision of the future.
One example of this is Allform, a forming and shoring system that was internally developed by the company's team of engineers. The system seeks to reduce skilled craft professionals' fatigue and material costs while increasing productivity.
"Over the years, we experienced all the problems and obstacles that plagued forming and shoring projects. The Allform system is designed to address these problems with practical, efficient design," said Vice President of Operations Kenneth Chevis. "This one system provides endless solutions to our customers and helps craftsmen do their jobs more safely and efficiently."
Whether it is in the U.S. or Canadian market as the organization evolves into the future, Apache is driven by execution excellence and providing safe innovative solutions to each project it undertakes while being visionary and strategically pivoting to where the industry is heading.
For more information on Apache, visit www.apacheip.com or call (343) 241-5459.
