Meet Chanita Ward — Ergon Driver and Breast Cancer Survivor

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In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we are featuring a breast cancer survivor who has recently found a home among the Ergon family and is living life to the fullest while encouraging others to do the same.

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MEET CHANITA WARD

Ward is a driver for Ergon Trucking in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She joined the Ergon family in 2022 and agrees it is of the best career decisions she has made. “They actually treat you like family,” said Ward. “I love driving anyway, but as far as the company, this is the best company I’ve ever worked for.” Ward has been driving trucks for 18 years, beginning with flatbed trucks and eventually transitioning to tankers.

In 2013, Ward was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer and underwent a lumpectomy, one year of chemotherapy and 45 radiation treatments before going into remission in 2015. When asked her perspective following her stint with the disease, Ward said: “It makes you appreciate life a whole lot more. There were a lot of days I could barely even get out of bed. It makes you appreciate the little things like being able to cook, clean and take showers by yourself and having hair. It’s those little things you appreciate in life after you beat it.”

Now, in addition to participating in breast cancer awareness walks and other fundraisers, Ward encourages others to get regular checkups. “I try to encourage people to get mammograms and checkups for early detection,” she said. Ward is also part of a group that shares helpful tips for going through chemotherapy. “If you give somebody an idea of things that worked for you when you went through it, it may help them,” said Ward.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ward moved to Mississippi from Arkansas to work for Ergon Trucking. She has been overwhelmed by the support and family she has gained. She is also grateful to work for a company with a heart of service that puts forth consistent efforts to help others, including helping to fund the fight against breast cancer.

Since 2020, under the leadership of our Ambassador of Breast Cancer Awareness Larry Tomkins, the Ergon family has supported the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative, helping to fund research for a cure as well as partnering with companies to provide transportation for cancer patients who need treatments.

This year, Ergon has a goal to reach $175,500 in donations on behalf of the organization. If you’d like to join us in our efforts, consider donating here: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/ltomkins.

Paul Wentz – Regional Operator Exchange Program

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At Ergon, Purposeful Growth is a core value we strive to live out every day. Ergon management is committed to creating opportunities to further develop employees and set them up for professional and personal advancement. As part of efforts to support employee success, Ergon Terminaling Inc. (ETI) has developed the Regional Operator Exchange Program (ROEP).

The ROEP was initiated by ETI as a way to broaden the experiences of Operators by exposing them to the innerworkings of various terminaling locations. Through this program, Operators can acquire new skills and develop a well-rounded perspective of terminal operations, as one terminal may operate differently from another. Not only does this training help during emergency situations where employees may be needed at various locations, but it is a good opportunity for employees wanting to advance in their careers.

The first Operator to complete the program was Paul Wentz, Operator II, from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Wentz participated in the program for three days at ETI’s Knoxville, Tennessee, terminal. The goal for his exchange was for him to learn enough about the Knoxville terminal to be able to act as a temporary Operator if the need ever arises. During his time in the ROEP, Wentz participated in pump maintenance and replacement, including learning to replace an additive pump, asphalt loading, transfers and shutdown.

Wentz shared that he feels more confident and more equipped for his job because of the program, and that this experience reaffirmed his goal to one day become a Terminal Manager. Wentz commented, “I feel like even though operations may be slightly different at each terminal, the one constant is our commitment to keeping everyone safe and getting the product to customers as quickly and safely as we can.”

Additionally, Wentz felt fully supported by management during his experience and is now working closely with his manager, David Ogletree, to polish some of the smaller details of the program to make it a smoother process for future Operators who want to participate. Ogletree said, “This program is a great opportunity for our Senior Operators to experience the operations of other Ergon facilities and expand their knowledge and skills.”

If you want to learn, Ergon is willing to provide opportunities for you to broaden your horizons. That’s how we support purposeful employee growth.

Daniel Faller Named Division Manager of Alliant Construction’s Regional Office in Memphis

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Alliant Construction, a Division of Ergon Construction Group Inc., is pleased to announce Daniel Faller as Division Manager of Alliant Construction’s new regional office in Memphis, Tennessee.

Daniel has been in the construction industry for over 20 years and has comprehensive experience in all facets of the business. His different roles in the industry and involvement in diverse market sectors make him the ideal leader for Alliant’s expansion into the Greater Memphis area as well as other markets in the region.

Daniel grew up in the Memphis area and attended Mississippi State University where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Management of Construction and Land Development. He started in the construction business working with a local residential electrician while in high school and college.

While attending Mississippi State, Daniel met his wife, Rachel, and together they have four daughters and reside in Germantown, Tennessee. In his personal time, Daniel enjoys coaching his daughter’s sports teams and planning his family’s next trip to the mountains.

As a respected problem-solver, Daniel enjoys the various challenges of the construction business. He believes in a collaborative approach driven by clear communication and involvement from all team members. Recently, Daniel has obtained extensive experience managing large design-build projects in the industrial market.

Daniel stated, “I am incredibly excited to join Alliant Construction and looking forward to building on our team’s foundation of success as we expand our services into the Greater Memphis Area and additional markets in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.”

“Daniel is an exceptional addition to Alliant Construction and the Ergon family. Daniel is a highly regarded construction professional, and we are pleased he will help lead our expansion into new markets in the multi-state Greater Memphis region.”

– Nathan Witt, President of Ergon Construction Group

“We are excited to welcome Daniel to Alliant Construction. Daniel’s experience, integrity, and problem-solving approach to doing business make him a perfect fit for our team. We look forward to his continued leadership and success in the years ahead.”

– Andy Measells, Vice President/General Manager of Alliant Construction

About Alliant Construction
Alliant Construction, a division of Ergon Construction Group Inc., is a commercial general contractor headquartered in Flowood, Mississippi, working with private owners, developers, governmental agencies and other partners. We are committed to hard work and continuous improvement as well as the highest standards of safety, quality and service. Alliant team members have proven track records of success and integrity with considerable experience designing, estimating, building and managing projects. Individually and collectively, we take great pride in meeting and exceeding expectations.

About Ergon
Ergon is a family-owned organization comprised of a wide array of businesses. Established in Mississippi in 1954, the Ergon family of companies serves customers in more than 90 countries around the world. Business segments include Energy & Specialty Solutions, Pavement & Coating Resources, Integrated Services & Logistics, and Exploration & Production.

Ergon Terminaling Hosts Fox Township for Annual Drill

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Ergon strives to be a good steward of the environment and in our local communities. It’s a part of our goal of Doing Right — The Ergon Way. Magnolia, Ohio, is home to one of Ergon Terminaling Inc.’s (ETI) facilities and is where we conduct annual spill drills with first responders per the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration. “Drills are extremely important because of the nature of what we do and the product we work with,” said Craig Rohr, ETI’s Regional Manager North and drill coordinator.

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Part of caring for the local community is establishing relationships with first responders, like local fire departments and HAZMAT teams, and working together efficiently to address incidents that may impact people, businesses and the environment. “You only perform as well as you practice,” said Rohr.

During any incident, the relationship among first responders and other agencies or companies involved matters and can be the difference in the outcome of a situation. The drills are performed to help ensure that in case of an actual incident, the local team can be far more effective, having already established a working relationship and clear protocols.

On July 12, 2023, ETI conducted a spill drill with the Fox Township Fire Department. This drill consisted of a scenario created by ETI that the Department had to work through. During spill drills, participants are made aware of the necessary notifications to be sent or shared, the various roles of departments/personnel, and spill containment operations. Participants then undergo a simulation in which they have to model each step of the spill containment process as if it were a live event.

ETI plays a role in spill containment throughout Magnolia, depending on the proximity of the incident to our spill containment equipment. For this reason, ETI not only creates the scenarios but must also be involved to learn and recap how to adjust operations during the time of the event.

Participating in drills and responding to incidents are just a few of the ways Ergon is Doing Right to help protect the communities we serve. Lending a helping hand simply because we are in a position to do so is The Ergon Way.

Magnolia Marine Transport to Purchase NGL Energy Partners’ Assets

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Magnolia Marine Transport Company (MMT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ergon Inc., has signed a definitive agreement to purchase a substantial portion of the marine assets of NGL Energy Partners LP. The transaction is expected to close at the end of March 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

“This acquisition will further Magnolia Marine’s strategic plan to better serve existing and prospective new customers in the inland marine segment,” commented Joel Pastorek, Executive Vice President of Ergon Integrated Services & Logistics.

Founded in 1968, MMT is based in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with satellite operations in Wood River, Illinois. With a fleet of 27 towboats and 102 tank barges, MMT moves a variety of products throughout the Mississippi River system, most western rivers, and the Gulf Intracoastal Canal from Panama City, Florida, to Corpus Christi, Texas.

About Ergon

Ergon is a family-owned organization comprised of a wide array of businesses. Established in Mississippi in 1954, the Ergon family of companies serves customers in more than 90 countries around the world. Business segments include Energy & Specialty Solutions, Pavement & Coating Resources, Exploration & Production, and Integrated Services & Logistics, of which MMT is a part.

Contact:
Kathy Potts
Vice President – Marketing Communications
Ergon Inc.
kathy.potts@ergon.com
601-933-3000

Ergon Logistics Built to Handle Low Water Events

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Michael Carpenter is Senior Port Captain for Magnolia Marine Transport Company (MMT), in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Part of the Ergon family of companies, MMT operates one of the largest inland waterways petroleum transportation fleets in the United States. With 24 towboats and more than 88 barges, they transport asphalt, crude oil, process oils, fuel oil and additional products on the Mississippi River and intracoastal waterways of the Gulf of Mexico.

Due to the low water levels from recent dry weather and drought conditions, the Mississippi River is low enough to create transportation issues for cargo ships and barges, with many companies across the marine industry having to significantly slow down or even stop deliveries.

Carpenter spoke with Mississippi Public Broadcasting about the ways MMT is adapting to these extremely low river levels — https://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/dry-conditions-causing-low-water-levels-on-mississippi-river/. MMT’s operations plans ensure that security of supply is protected in situations like these where loads need to be lightened to reduce draft and traffic is slower due to low water or congestion along certain segments of the route.

Ergon is a global organization delivering products and services essential to manufacturing and infrastructure needs to customers in more than 90 countries around the world. The diversified logistics provided by a variety of businesses, including MMT, mean that when one area faces hardships, others are ready to step up to get the job done. In this case, when waterways are impacted, Ergon’s trucks and railcars can assist with transportation of products.

That same ability to adapt is one of MMT’s strengths. According to Carpenter, “Challenges are nothing new for MMT. We take them as they come. Whether it’s near record-high water levels, hiring employees for our growing fleet of boats and barges, or our present low water situation, adapting to an ever-changing environment is one of our major strengths.”

Public Awareness and Pipeline Safety, Priority for Ergon Terminaling

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A key responsibility for Ergon is operating our facilities in a safe manner — a manner which protects our facility teams, the local community and the environment.

This is certainly true for Ergon Terminaling – Magnolia, which operates a 38-mile, 8” pipeline (Magnolia Pipeline) that begins at our terminal in Magnolia, Ohio, and ends at Ergon-West Virginia (EWV) in Newell. The pipeline delivers crude oil to EWV through Carroll and Columbiana counties in Ohio, as well as Hancock County in West Virginia. Because this pipeline runs through privately held land and near residential areas, it’s imperative that we maintain open lines of communication with the local landowners and residents.

Public Awareness
In order to accomplish this, we developed a Public Awareness Safety Program. Through this program, Ergon Terminaling – Magnolia conducts annual public safety campaigns to reach the affected public living and working along the pipeline. This is to ensure residents understand pipeline operations and are aware of who to notify in the event of a pipeline emergency. Helping the public understand their significant role in preventing accidents caused by third-party damage and right-of-way encroachment will decrease the amount of pipeline hazards each year.

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The objectives of the Public Awareness Safety Program are to:

  • Improve public safety, property and environmental protection through increased public awareness and knowledge.
  • Make residents aware that pipelines are in their community.
  • Ensure stakeholders know how to recognize, react and report pipeline emergencies.
  • Educate emergency response agencies of the proper actions to take in response to a pipeline accident or emergency.
  • To educate excavators of the steps they should take to prevent third-party damage and respond properly if they cause damage to a pipeline.
  • To educate public officials of the presence of liquid pipelines in their community, hazards that they present and prevention measures to be taken in the event of a pipeline incident or emergency.

As part of the Public Awareness Safety Program, Ergon Terminaling – Magnolia also participates in the Ohio One Call Program, where landowners and residents can call to be notified of work along the pipeline.

Through our safety program, we are taking a proactive approach to minimizing accidents and third-party damage. This is an important part of our goal of doing right and protecting our family of employees and those in our communities.

Paula DeYoung Joins Alliant Construction as Preconstruction Director

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Alliant Construction, a Division of Ergon Construction Group Inc., is pleased to announce Paula DeYoung has accepted the position of Preconstruction Director. In this role, Paula will lead all preconstruction service activities while maintaining client, architect, and subcontractor relations through the design, budgeting and construction phases.

Paula has over 25 years of construction-related experience in the public and private sectors. Her most recent position, before joining Alliant, was Assistant Deputy Director and CCID Project Director for the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration.

A native of Clinton, Mississippi, Paula earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design from Louisiana Tech University. In addition to being a Certified Interior Designer, Paula is also National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) certified and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Accredited Professional (LEED AP) certified.

Nathan Witt, President of Ergon Construction Group, stated, “We are excited about welcoming Paula to Alliant. She is well-respected, both personally and professionally, and her track record of success speaks for itself. Paula’s presence sends a strong message about Alliant Construction’s commitment to being a market leader in anticipating and meeting the needs of our customers and partners.”

Kris Patrick, Ergon’s Chief Operating Officer, added “Paula is an excellent addition to the Alliant Construction team and Ergon family. Her attention to detail, exceptional customer service and solutions-driven approach to doing business fit perfectly within our organization. We look forward to Paula’s leadership and contributions in the years ahead.”

About Alliant Construction:
Alliant Construction is a commercial general contractor offering experience and expertise in designing, estimating, building and managing commercial construction projects. Alliant is a division of Ergon Construction Group, which specializes in general contracting, industrial maintenance and specialty construction services.

About Ergon:
Ergon is a group of privately held companies that operate under six primary business segments: Refining & Marketing, Specialty Chemicals, Asphalt & Emulsions, Oil & Gas, Midstream & Logistics, and Construction & Real Estate.

Contact:
Kathy Potts
Vice President of Marketing Communications
Ergon Inc.
601-933-3000
kathy.potts@ergon.com
ergon.com  | alliantconstruction.com

Ergon Team Walks 13K Miles Toward a Healthy Lifestyle

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On this National Walking Day, we introduce you to a new program Ergon Terminaling Inc (ETI) has implemented to help promote a healthy workforce. Read below as Steve Clark, ETI Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Specialist, expounds on this step in a healthier direction.

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At Ergon, we are family, and we look out for each other. The health and well-being of our employees are the top priorities for Ergon and our family of companies, and our goal is to have every employee return home safely at the end of each day.

Beyond Ergon’s safety initiatives, ETI wanted to encourage employees to be healthier and more active. We launched a new health and wellness program — Ergon Active —on February 14, 2022, inviting ETI employees and some departments from Ergon Inc. to participate. This voluntary program encourages teams to be more active through fun and friendly step/walking challenges on the MoveSpring mobile app. Each participant’s activity is logged in the app by syncing with the user’s Apple Watch, Fitbit, iPhone or similar activity tracker. To reduce any barriers to participating, we provided a FitBit free of charge to any team member wishing to join in.

Ergon Active began with 38 participants or Steppers and has grown to 82 Steppers and counting. Since the launch, Ergon Active Steppers have logged over 30,000,000 steps and more than 13,000 miles.

Added Benefits of Ergon Active
Through the MoveSpring app, ETI can share health-related information with participants. The app provides chat and friends features so Ergon Active Steppers can connect and encourage each other across multiple Ergon locations. So, in addition to promoting health, we are also upholding Ergon’s reputation as a relationship-driven organization.

We’re Just Getting Started
Going forward, we want to continue to create fun step challenges to align with our goals, but we also want to provide awareness of our other corporate health and safety initiatives. Stressing the importance of proper hydration and pre-activity stretching are two examples of where Ergon Active can help prevent common workplace injuries.

For more information about Ergon Active, or to learn how you can implement a similar program for your team, please email ergon.active@ergon.com. We’re happy to help.

Happy Stepping!

Women at Ergon Bring Solutions to the Construction Industry

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Ergon is proud to provide opportunities for women to join the Ergon family and advance in construction-related careers, one of the fields where women continue to be underrepresented.

For Women in Construction Week 2022, we’ve highlighted a few women who help move Ergon’s construction-related operations forward with quality, safety and customer satisfaction in mind. We hope to inspire and encourage all women to think outside the box and push past barriers when it comes to choosing a new career path.

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Meet Ergon’s Women in Construction

Many women have contributed directly to Ergon’s goals to meet needs, support families and serve customers in their construction/infrastructure related roles. Meet a few of them below.

Rosita Martinez – Ergon Asfaltos México

Rosita serves as Technical Manager for Ergon Asfaltos México (EAM), a subsidiary of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions. She joined EAM in 1999 and has since played a vital role in the development of asphalt and emulsion products and systems for roads within Ergon’s Mexico markets. Additionally, she is responsible for the coordination of the Pavement Engineering Division and other technical services, managing the Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QA/QC) program and managing intellectual property.

“Rosita has immense knowledge in all areas of asphalt and emulsions,” said Scott Watson, Senior VP – Technical Operations. “It is very difficult to have such a grasp of formulations, production, applications and performance evaluation, but Rosita has mastered them all.”

Rosita shared her experience working in construction in hopes of inspiring women who desire to do challenging, exciting and purposeful work to consider the field as well: “Working in construction offers constant challenges and opportunities since it’s a constantly changing field,” she said. “I enjoy testing and seeing the results of our work on roads. It’s also an exciting career that provides enormous satisfaction from being able to contribute meaningful work to improve infrastructure — something that impacts people daily.”

Catrina Franklin – Alliant Construction (Ergon Construction Group)

Catrina serves as the Project Management Assistant for Alliant Construction, a division of Ergon Construction Group. In this role, she is involved in many aspects of the business, including accounting work, estimating, operations, handling daily office duties and more. Catrina joined Alliant in September 2020 and has already had a huge impact on business operations.

“Catrina Franklin is a valuable asset for us,” said Andy Measells, VP & General Manager of Alliant Construction. “Because Alliant stays focused on delivering the highest quality customer and partner experiences, our service, speed, integrity and professionalism matter. And that’s why it’s so great to have an experienced team member like Catrina, who understands all the puzzle pieces, so to speak, and helps keep our operations running smoothly and efficiently.”

Catrina encourages women who are interested in learning new things and seeing concepts come to life to consider careers in construction. “Construction has been an exciting career for me,” she said. “Every day is different and I’m always learning new things. I love every aspect of it from estimating to operations.”

Amy Walker –  Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions

Since 2004, Amy has excelled as Area Sales Manager (ASM) for Mississippi — the home of Ergon’s headquarters.

For Amy, her job is about more than convincing various agencies to buy Ergon’s asphalt and emulsion products. It’s about building relationships based on exceptional service, technical support and education on best practices to advance the goal of improving America’s infrastructure. “Amy is very service oriented and is always available to answer questions, teach and help our customers be successful,” said Larry Tomkins, Ergon A&E’s VP – Southeast Region. “She has the unique ability to be able to connect with people, and her contribution to the industry and Ergon has been felt all across Mississippi.”

In her role as ASM, Amy has excelled at building relationships with county supervisors, road managers, county engineers, consulting engineers, representatives from Departments of Transportation and also city agencies. “We work together to assess the needs of the roads within their network, as well as assess proper application and site selection,” she said. “And I provide support to ensure a successful project and troubleshoot when needed.”

In addition to overcoming stereotypes in the construction/infrastructure field, Amy is also the first member of the third generation of the Lampton family to be appointed to Ergon’s Board of Directors.

Brandi Julian – Crafco

Brandi Julian is Director of Organizational Development (DOD) for Crafco, a subsidiary of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions and the world’s leading manufacturer of packaged pavement preservation products. “Implementing Organizational Development, which is a new initiative at Crafco, requires a leader who not only has the vision, but also the strength to educate and inspire employees to embrace positive change,” said Gary Johnson, Crafco President. “Brandi is that leader, and I cannot think of anyone better to guide us through the development and execution of this monumental effort.”

As DOD, Brandi plays a vital part in growing the construction industry by providing opportunities for employee retention, growth, development and performance management — opportunities she ensures are extended to groups, like women, who remain underrepresented in the industry. “I believe diversity of any employee base adds value to new thoughts and new ways of operating and improving processes,” said Brandi.

In addition to doing her part to ensure a competent and diverse workplace, Brandi encourages women to think outside the box when it comes to their careers and not limit themselves to traditional roles. “There are vast opportunities for women in the construction industry, and I would encourage women, especially those currently pursing degrees, to think outside of traditional female fields and roles,” she said.

Women of Ergon Breaking Barriers
This list doesn’t scratch the surface of the many female employees overcoming stereotypes within the various industries Ergon serves. If you’re interested in a company committed to respecting and providing spaces for the diversity of ideas and of people, visit ergoncareers.com.

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Construction Services at Ergon
Ergon provides specialized services within various sectors of the construction industry, including industrial and commercial construction, maintenance and related services through our Construction & Real Estate segment. We also produce, market and distribute asphalt, emulsions, specialty coatings and sealants for road construction and maintenance through our Asphalt & Emulsions segment.