Updates
Ergon Celebrates Customer Service Week
This week is National Customer Service Week, so we wanted to highlight a few of our amazing Customer Support Specialists.
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Customer Support Specialist Spencer Cole attended Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he studied business administration with a concentration in management. Spencer was a collegiate runner and now tries to turn his active lifestyle into family activities. Spencer and his wife, Lindsey, have been married for six years and have two boys, ages three and two, with a baby girl on the way.
“In this role, I am a point of contact for our customers, supporting them from the point of sale to delivery,” said Spencer. "It is my goal to help each order go as smoothly as possible to ensure our customers have exceptional experiences with Ergon.”
“I love my job because I get to help people each day,” Spencer added. ‘United by Service. Driven by Solutions.’ is not just a slogan at Ergon; it is key to my daily function. I am driven to find solutions for our customers, and I am part of a great team that exemplifies top-tier service.”
Thank you, Spencer, for your continued dedication to the Ergon family and our customers. We appreciate you!
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Jorge Ackerman is one of our amazing Latin America Logistics and Support Specialists for Ergon Refining Inc.
Jorge earned a bachelor’s degree in mining and engineering from National University of Engineering in Lima, Peru, a master’s in mineral economics from the University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration from Millsaps College.
Jorge is married with four adult children and two granddaughters. He loves hiking, visiting the sea and participating in outdoor sports.
When asked about his job, Jorge said, “My favorite part is providing win-win solutions for Ergon and the customer.”
“A hard-working atmosphere is part of the Ergon culture,” he said “At Ergon, everyone shows respect for each other and assists each other whenever they need to. It is a family-oriented culture, and I am proud of the work we do together.”
Thank you, Jorge, for your hard work. We appreciate you!
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Cameron Shows is another one of our Customer Support Specialists for Ergon Refining Inc.
Cameron attended Mississippi State University where he studied business administration with a major in marketing and a minor in business management. He has been married for four years to his wife, Kimmie. They recently welcomed their first child, Palmer, into their family. They are avid Mississippi State University fans and have their very own bulldog named Duncan.
“My favorite part of my job is the people I get to work with every day — the Ergon family and our customers,” said Cameron. “The amount of support I receive internally from everyone has a huge impact on how effective I can be at my job. I’m constantly learning something new and gaining insights about how to better serve our customers and our company.”
“Ergon truly is a family,” Cameron added. “Since my first day two years ago, everyone I’ve worked with has never hesitated to answer any of my questions or offer up assistance.”
Thank you, Cameron, for your hardworking efforts. We appreciate you!
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Meet Frandy Oberto, one of our amazing Latin America Logistics and Support Specialists for Ergon Refining Inc.
Frandy attended Virginia College where she studied business administration and management. In her position, she is responsible for optimizing the logistical operations to ensure the supply chain is efficient and effective throughout our Brownsville, Texas, terminals by coordinating, scheduling and monitoring the distribution of specialty oils.
“Ergon’s company culture is one that values strong relationships and family,” said Frandy. “Ergon is mission-driven, with relentless focus on excellent customer service while embodying the values we want to see in the workplace. With international offices and a robust team, we are able to work with passionate, growth-minded experts from around the world.”
Aside from working with amazing customers and colleagues from across the world, Frandy’s favorite part about working for Ergon is knowing she works for a family-owned company that shares the same culture, mission, vision and core values as she does.
Thank you, Frandy, for all you do. The Ergon Family appreciates you!
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Next, we'd like to highlight Ty Baker, Senior Customer Support Specialist for Ergon Refining Inc.
Ty attended the University of Mississippi where he studied marketing and political science. He spends most of his weekends traveling the Southeast, playing guitar in his friend’s band. Ty also has a recording studio at home where he writes and produces music.
Ty came to Ergon after working at Raymond James in Memphis, Tennessee, in Private Client Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor. Since joining Ergon, Ty says, “I love working in a dynamic environment. Our team interacts with so many different internal and external stakeholders. We are constantly faced with new opportunities to learn, and that in itself is rewarding.”
Ty shared that he loves working for a company that puts its people first. “I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad day at Ergon, and I credit that to the people and the culture,” he said. "This company treats you like family from day one, and that is not something you will find everywhere. Ergon embodies a culture that leads others to do things the right way regardless of circumstances.”
Thank you, Ty, for your dedication to the Ergon Family. We appreciate all you do!
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Meet Luke Robinson! Luke is a Customer Support Specialist for Ergon Refining Inc.
Luke attended Mississippi State University where he studied marketing. He has been married to his wife, Maddie, for five years. They have a two-year-old daughter, Eva, and a black lab named Charlie. Luke enjoys hunting when he is not spending time with his family and friends.
Luke started his Ergon journey as a Logistics Coordinator for Ergon Trucking. After learning the ropes there, a position opened within Ergon’s Customer Service Department, and Luke jumped at the opportunity to advance. Now, Luke works as part of a team that receives customer orders for lube oils and coordinates deliveries with various bulk carriers and Ergon’s rail team.
“Ergon still values true leadership and mentorship, and I appreciate that as an employee,” said Luke. “Since being at Ergon, I feel that you can learn something from everyone you speak to. With Ergon being so multifaceted, you gain perspective from people across multiple backgrounds with expertise in different fields.”
Thank you, Luke, for your loyalty to the Ergon Family. We appreciate you and your hard work!
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Tameka Moore is one of our wonderful Ergon Refining Inc.’s Customer Support Specialists.
Tameka attended Jacksonville State University where she studied accounting. Within her position at Ergon, Tameka receives customers’ orders, schedules loads with the terminals, dispatches orders to trucking, generates service reports and helps troubleshoot customer issues that may arise.
“My favorite part of my job is working with a supportive team and collaborating to deliver exceptional service. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities to gain experience, which keeps the job interesting and helps me grow professionally. I enjoy working for Ergon because the company fosters a positive and inclusive work culture where employees are treated with respect and kindness. Ergon provides many opportunities for professional development and advancement, which keeps me motivated.”
When asked what advice she would give to someone who wants to pursue a career in customer service, Tameka said, “A career in customer service can be rewarding. It allows you to make a difference in people’s lives by providing assistance and solving problems. The Customer Service Specialist needs to be well-versed in the product or service they are supporting, and they must always prioritize the customer’s needs and satisfaction.”
Thank you, Tameka, for all of your hard work. The Ergon Family appreciates you!
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Lincoln Kern is an outstanding Operations Specialist within Ergon Refining Inc.’s Customer Service Department.
Lincoln attended Mississippi State where he earned a bachelor's degree in history. He then went on to earn both a master's degree in higher education administration and a master's degree in administration of justice from Mississippi College. Lincoln has been happily married for five years and has a three-year-old child.
“My favorite part of my job is the interdepartmental work that I get to do,” said Lincoln. "Working through the challenges of bringing different groups together to accomplish a common goal — I get to learn more and more each day about different departments, even the ones outside of the Specialty Oils division.”
When asked how he came to Ergon, Lincoln said, “I interviewed and was offered the job which turned out to be the best decision of my life to get to work under Maribel Melo and to be empowered by her — to find myself and my passion for the work that I do today.”
Thank you, Lincoln, for all you do for the Ergon Family. We appreciate you!
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Alma Delacruz is another one of our amazing Latin America Logistics and Support Specialists for Ergon Refining Inc.
Alma attended Hinds Community College where she initially studied nursing, but changed her path and got her degree in business. Alma is originally from Cleveland, Tennessee, and has been married for six years. She has three children and a goldendoodle. Alma enjoys traveling with her family and takes her kids on many adventures. She also likes vlogging and sharing videos of what motherhood looks like in addition to things her family enjoys during the weekends.
“I enjoy interacting and building relationships with customers,” said Alma. “Because I work on the Latin America side, I get to interact with a lot of people who share the same language and culture as I do, and that makes me feel at home at times. This position involves a lot of problem solving that I also enjoy as well. Overall, in customer service, I truly appreciate how we all help each other out so we can all be better and learn more instead of competing against one another.”
Thank you, Alma, for your dedication to the Ergon Family. We appreciate you!
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Meet Michelle Pickett, another one of our incredible Customer Support Specialists for Ergon Refining Inc.
Michelle attended Mississippi Delta Community College where she studied communications. She started her professional career in banking, where she built strong relationships throughout the years that eventually led her to Ergon.
“When a position became available in customer service, I was lucky enough to be thought of as someone who could be an asset to the company and was referred as a possible candidate for the job.”
After deciding to change her career path after 20 years in the banking industry, Michelle had to rely on the people around her to teach her, slowly learning from them, asking for help when needed and hearing feedback when given. “While I’ve learned a lot from the people in my department and all the team members outside the office that I get to work with throughout the day, I still have more opportunity for growth, and I can’t think of a better group of individuals to share in the experience with me,” said Michelle.
Thank you, Michelle, for all of your hard work. We appreciate you!
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Meet Andi Pugh, Ergon Customer Support Specialist for Ergon Refining Inc.
Andi attended Hinds Community College where she studied communications. She is a mother of two, with a 12-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son, and she also has two dogs. Andi loves going to the gym, and she enjoys the outdoors — mainly fishing, hunting and traveling.
“My favorite part of my job is my coworkers/work family. Having a work family that has welcomed me with open arms and embraced me in the way that Ty Bailey and my team have makes it more enjoyable. The sales team, the customers and the camaraderie that comes with it make my job much easier. I can say for once, I love coming to work.”
Thank you, Andi, for all you do for the Ergon Family. We appreciate you!
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Our final Customer Service Week highlight is Jacob Lord, a Customer Support Specialist for Ergon Refining Inc.
Jacob attended Mississippi College where he studied business administration. He has been married to his wife, Sarah, since 2019, and they share a daughter, Magnolia Grace. They also have a Corgi named Bennie. Jacob loves spending time with his family, and he is also an avid fan of several sports teams: New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Braves and the Florida State Seminoles.
“My favorite part about working for Ergon is the workplace environment. It truly feels like a second family.” said Jacob.
“I took note of Ergon’s company culture from the first time I stepped through the door,” Jacob added. "From day one, Ergon has shown me what it is like to work for a first-class company who values their employees each and every day. Ergon truly cares about you as a person, and the family atmosphere further proves that Ergon is trending as one of the best places to work.”
Thank you, Jacob, for all of your hard work. The Ergon Family is happy to have you!