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St. Croix Residents Complete Training as Process Operators

June 22, 2005 – Twenty-five residents of St. Croix have completed training as process operators at HOVENSA L.L.C., and on Friday, June 17, 2005, they were given certificates of completion at a graduation ceremony held at the refinery. At the graduation, Marco Crovesi, deputy chief operating officer, told the graduates that they have achieved a milestone in their new careers. He urged them never to stop learning because education is an important aspect of their personal development and continuing education of all employees is essential for HOVENSA to achieve its vision to be the "the safest, cleanest and most environmentally responsible refinery in the world."
In his remarks, Pete Barba, HOVENSA vice president of refinery operations, told them to expect to learn something new every day in order to improve their skill as process operators. He pointed out that as process operators, when a graduate becomes certified on specific process units, the company in effect turns over to the operators control of over millions of dollars of equipment with the expectation that they will operate the equipment safely. Barba urged them to do the job safely or don't do it at all.
Steelworkers Local Union 8526 President Gerard Jackson continued the theme of safety. He counseled the graduates not to do a job unless they know the proper procedure and they follow the procedure.
Anil Poyah was recognized as the valedictorian. He is a native of Trinidad who met his wife, a Crucian, while he was studying for a degree in criminal justice in Florida. Poyah told the gathering that, as the son of a vegetable farmer and a housewife, he is honored to be the valedictorian. He told his fellow graduates, "We must challenge ourselves to be the best operators that have completed operator training."
A special award was given to Laurie Blackwood by Richard Smillen, HOVENSA vice president of environmental, health and safety, for having made the best presentation on safety during her training.
The twenty five graduates are: Inshan Ali, Laurie Blackwood, Brenda Davis, Patrick Delauney, Anthony Fatal, Godfrey Fredericks III, Anibal Garcia Jr., Ivy Gautier-James, Elisabet Hamilton, Brandon Hatcher, Raffick Hosein Jr., Jermaine James, Bernard D. Joseph, Eugene LaPointe III, George Lawrence, Yasmeen Massicott, Simon Mathura, Amos Matthew, David Nestor, Anil Poyah, Don Prime, Kevin Romain, Alejandro Tobienne, Victor Wilson and Demaine Wilson.

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