The Work Place is Changing (But Some Things Never Do!)

Smiling Business Man

Most of us work somewhere that does not resemble “our father’s” workplace of the past. The hallmark of the employee 20-50 years ago was to remain at a company for life. Now employers and employees may expect to change jobs 3 – 4 times over their career.  This can give the perception that certain virtues and values have disappeared. There are certain characteristics that are still sought by an employer. Loyalty. People change careers or may be hired as a consultant for a limited period of time. Loyalty still matters. People will always prefer to work with someone they trust and they know is with loyalty to the job. Loyalty is not measured by time alone.

Responsibility. Employers are still seeking people who are willing to take responsibility. It’s a sign of maturity and a leader, plus effective, hard workers typically shoulder responsibility.

Honesty. Telling the truth and living an honest life will never go out of style.

Courage. It takes courage to fight for what is right in a project or to speak up if an unsafe work condition is identified.

Taking Part In The MS 150

BPMS150_2014_FullColor_PMS

Our team made it to the finish line! But this was never just about 4 riders going 142 miles on bicycles from Houston to Austin on a weekend in April. Finishing was NEVER in doubt because your thoughts, prayers, and support ensured a level of commitment that did not allow for anything other than a successful completion of the goal. We sincerely thank you for participating with us. Together we have raised over $7,000 that will benefit those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and to find a cure. Total contributions from 14,000 riders and companies were $15.1 million!

We started our cycling journey Saturday just after 7 in the morning from Waller, TX. Our biggest concern was the projected 18mph headwind that would surely have a big impact on the bike ride. While the constant wind in our faces certainly added to the challenge of the day, we were pleasantly surprised when we finished the 74.2 mile, just before 4 in the afternoon…  This headwind was the strongest the MS 150 has seen in the last 7 years of riding. We heard stories about sag wagons (wagons that picked-up cycles along the way) with signs posting "Full" marked on the windows. Ultimately the organization had to revert to school buses to accommodate the amount of stranded riders.

Our support crew was tremendous!! Melissa O’Shea, Nicole Quinn, Christopher Heiskell and Delaney Heiskell were a God-send.

Our Sunday strategy was to ride the 68 miles together as a Team through the finish line in Austin, TX: cycling through the middle of Texas in the rain on a 2-lane country road, it was more than comforting but very challenging. As we expected, the finish line was a sight for sore eyes and legs, yet a surreal experience. We all were thrilled to have come so far in support of the many that suffer from MS.

We thank you for all of your support, thoughts, prayers, and financial contributions. This has been a truly rewarding experience.

Teaming Up With The Best!

For the 2014 Houston Rodeo, Champlain Group is teaming up with Pitmaker.  Pitmaker has been producing some of the best bbq grills and bbq smokers for the past 30 years. They have been competing in BBQ cook-offs for the past 15 of those. We are excited to be on a cook-off team with others that share a certain passion and love for what they do, just like us here at Champlain Group. For more information on Pitmaker click the link below!

http://pitmaker.com/

Rodeo

Increase In Demand For Oil in 2014

It is projected that the demand for oil in the world is expecting to increase slightly more in 2014.  OPEC, which is the second major forecaster to have this prediction, the first being the U.S., says that there will be a higher fuel use as the economic growth increases in Europe and the United States.  To find out more information on this topic, click on the link provided. http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/131584/OPEC_Joins_US_In_Predicting_Stronger_2014_Oil_Demand/?all=HG2

 

It's All About Safety!

Safety...Speak up!  

Safety is a huge issue in our business. Accidents are not good for our reputations and are costly. More than any other business, the oil and gas industry takes it seriously and provides education, plus takes action.

From "safety training" to "safety moments," we keep the issue of safety at the forefront of every day. But one area that may need to be reinforced is teaching people to speak up. All employees should feel empowered enough to say something if they see a threat to safety.

If you see someone performing a task in an unsafe manner, speak up or stop the action/work! It's not enough to maintain our own safety. The actions of others impact everyone.

Champlain Group to host at SPE Conference in San Antonio, TX

SPE is holding a Final Commissioning and Initial Startup Conference in San Antonio, Tx.  The conference starts on February 5th and concludes on February 6, 2013. In the final commissioning and initial startup (FCSU) phase of the project, the work of multiple teams over several years finally culminates in production. Though oilfield facilities are similar, there are always differences in technical details between projects. The goal of the FCSU workshop is to help address unique challenges.

The workshop agenda is organized to maximize audience participation and minimize presentation time. This workshop will bring together experts to discuss the challenges, lessons learned, and recent advances.

Champlain Group, Inc has been a sponsor of this conference for the past 2 years and will once again host an evening reception.

For more information, click here.