News

Some members of the B61-12 Life Extension Program (LEP) Last Production Unit (LPU) Team receiving their award. Photo by Michael Schumacher.

Two teams at Pantex have been recognized by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for their contributions to national security. The B61-12 Life Extension Program (LEP) Last Production Unit (LPU) Team and the High Explosives Additive Manufacturing Modification Team have been named winners of the 2024 Defense Programs Award of Excellence (DPAE).

This award recognizes teams or individuals who have made a significant impact in quality, productivity, cost-saving, creativity, or enhanced security.

The B61-12 LEP LPU team was also awarded the exceptional achievement addition to the DPAE. According to the NNSA, “The DPAE with Exceptional Achievement award recognizes only those efforts and accomplishments that result in a unique, extensive, unusual, enhanced, unexpected, or extraordinary contribution or achievement to the Defense Programs mission.”

Tanner Massucci, B61-12 LEP LPU team lead, expressed how the collaboration of Pantexans led to this honor.

“The team masterfully navigated numerous internal and external technical complexities throughout the production life cycle, ultimately mitigating operational impacts to the production line,” Massucci said. “This prestigious award not only acknowledges the successful culmination of a multi-year LEP but, more significantly, celebrates the unwavering dedication and exceptional effort demonstrated by Pantexans across the entire site to achieve this pivotal milestone.”

High Explosives Additive Manufacturing Modification Team Lead Ben Hickam said the group worked diligently to deliver the project and he is honored that the work has been recognized.

“This award recognizes the excellent work of the team to complete this project, which illustrates the contribution of the team as it delivers over 50 important projects annually, optimizing for tomorrow,” Hickam said. “It really does require a great team to accomplish our mission.”

Congratulations to both teams!

Some members of the High Explosives Additive Manufacturing Modification Team. Photo by Michael Schumacher.

AMARILLO, TX – The Pantex Plant has achieved a significant milestone in national nuclear security deterrence by completing the first production unit (FPU) of the W76 Mk4B. This accomplishment comes just over five years after the program began, highlighting the dedication to the United States’ nuclear deterrent by sites from across the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

Pantex completed the FPU three months ahead of schedule. The W76 Mk4B builds upon the W76, which is a
series comprising the largest percentage of strategic weapons in the U.S. nuclear inventory and is a key component of the Trident II (D5) missile system. This milestone is of immense importance, primarily because it represents a critical step in maintaining and enhancing the United States' nuclear deterrence capabilities

The effort was a collaborative achievement involving Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the United States Navy, and Lockheed Martin. Each entity played an integral role, navigating challenges that included component producibility, testing-hardware availability, and facility capacity. Effective communication and collaboration among the sites were crucial to overcoming these challenges and achieving the FPU.

“Reaching this milestone required a great deal of effort not only from Pantex employees, but thousands of workers at NSE sites across the country, including NNSA and Department of War personnel,” said Kelly Beierschmitt, president and general manager of PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC, the management and operating contractor for the Pantex Plant. “The success of this program has required the highest standards of safety, security, and quality from everyone involved. I personally want to commend these workers for their contributions to the effectiveness and completion of this milestone while ensuring our nation’s nuclear deterrence.”

“Achieving the W76 Mk4B FPU ahead of schedule demonstrates the NSE’s ability to accelerate mission delivery to meet the nation’s needs,” said Pantex Field Office Manager Jason Armstrong. “The collaboration among NSE labs, plants, and sites that led to this milestone is truly commendable and is what enables us to deliver to the Navy what’s required to meet our national security objectives.”

"As Pantex began working with the other sites on the program, we identified the opportunity to complete the FPU early, which benefits the nation by delivering the NNSA’s national security mission ahead of schedule," said Pantex W76 program manager Norbert Chmura. “Recently, Pantex successfully completed a number of production responsibilities early, which meant our facilities were available for an earlier start time on the W76 Mk4B. While that sounds easy, pulling a program forward requires additional effort from all of the NSE sites working on the program. The accelerated timeline is indicative of the great teamwork by all involved.”

With the W76 Mk4B FPU now complete, Pantex and its NSE partners continue to work together to navigate future challenges and strengthen the nation’s defense.

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PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC (PXD) is the management and operating contractor for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Pantex Plant located in Carson County near Amarillo, Texas. Pantex maintains the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. PXD is a joint venture led by a BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) subsidiary – it also includes Fluor; SOC, A Day & Zimmermann Company; and The Texas A&M University System.

For more information on Pantex, visit www.pantex.energy.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Steve Myers
Communications
(C) 806.236.2826
stephen.myers@pantex.doe.gov

Paramedics Camden Ryder and Zachary Ayala came to Pantex with several years of experience serving Texas communities. Photo by Michael Schumacher.

When a life-threatening medical event happens, you need help fast. That’s where the Pantex Fire Department (PXFD) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics come in. Over the past year, emergency responders have provided aid for chest pains, strokes, obstetrical emergencies, and motor vehicle crashes among many other urgent situations.

“There is a high amount of critical thinking and split-second problem solving involved in response,” Firefighter Paramedic Camden Ryder said. “Especially for decisions that must be made in seconds that potentially have critical consequences. When on scene, the adrenaline dump takes over, and you revert to whatever training you have, which highlights why we train so much — we have to be able to perform tasks like they are second nature to us.”

Emergency Medical Services Week is celebrated the third week in May, honoring the professionals who dedicate their lives to helping others like Ryder and Firefighter Paramedic Zachary Ayala.

“I don’t feel like it’s the heroic calls or the adrenaline-fueled ones that make the difference,” Ayala said. “In my experience, just being nice to the person you’re helping makes all the difference. The majority of the time that’s going to leave a lasting impression with the patient. It gets them to realize we are there to help them because we want to be.”

Pantex operates state-licensed ambulance services 24/7/365. All firefighters are basic EMTs, advanced EMTs, or paramedics. They are on call for immediate response to medical emergencies, fire alarms, or other emergent needs. It’s essential the team is prepared to respond to any emergency at any time.

“We are constantly going back to school, training, and taking classes,” Ayala said. “The ‘schooling’ to become a firefighter paramedic never stops.”

Both Ryder and Ayala came to Pantex with several years of experience serving Texas communities as first responders, bringing a significant amount of knowledge and prior hands-on training from previous jobs. This allowed them to quickly adapt to Pantex and hit the ground running providing coverage for the site.

“I got into this line of work accidentally,” Ryder said. “My fire career started as a summer job — nothing more. I had friends that were on the wildland crew.
They convinced me to apply; within a month, my career plans changed. I transferred out of the University of Washington to the Portland Fire Academy in Spring 2020. I have been in the fire service for seven years and EMS for five years.”

“I started my career at Baptist St. Anthony’s Health System,” Ayala said. “I have 15 years of EMS service. I volunteered for Randall County Fire Department and then went to The Colony, Texas and became a firefighter paramedic in 2017 before going to Canyon and now Pantex.”

While Ryder and Ayala have different backgrounds, they’re both now part of the nuclear family at Pantex, always prepared and ready to respond to urgent medical calls and providing care to Pantexans.

Darrin Davis learned about woodworking the same way many kids in the 80s did things — without parental supervision.

“My dad had a lot of woodworking equipment,” Davis said. “When I was a kid, I wasn't supposed to be using his equipment, but me and my friends played hockey in our front driveway, and we didn't have sticks. My dad just happened to have some 1x2s. So, without his permission, we got his miter saw, out cut the angles, glued and screwed them together, taped them up, and all of a sudden we had hockey sticks.”

As Davis grew, so did his skill. He leaned on experience from watching his dad, but he also tailored projects to his own interests.

“My dad was more into construction — like building houses, storage sheds, and things like that. I'm into fine woodworking, like furniture building and cabinetmaking.”

Woodworking comes natural to Davis, and he doesn’t hoard his expertise. He spent nearly 20 years crafting his legacy teaching high school woodshop. His experience made for an easy transition to Pantex, where he now trains production technicians (PTs) on weapons programs.

“I started at Pantex as a PT, but when I went through the weapons training, the program just felt like a natural fit because of my teaching experience. I knew I needed to do it.”

Whether it’s cutting wood or building bombs, Davis teaches that precision isn’t just necessary, it’s mandatory. While Davis doesn’t work with power tools at Pantex, he still draws from his vast experience to hit the nail on the head when it comes to accuracy.

“Attention to detail is really hammered into the weapons training classes,” Davis said. “It’s an important aspect in many areas of life, including woodworking. In weapons, attention to detail is a must. There's a lot of people counting on us to make sure these systems work. Just like with woodworking — one little mismeasurement, one little mistake, one little not-paying-attention moment changes the outcome.”

While Davis knows a lot, sometimes even the teacher learns something new.

“When I came out here, I learned — obviously — a lot of things I never knew, but also learned I have former high school woodshop students working out here … that was kind of neat to find out.”

Teaching benefited Davis as a weapons trainer in many ways, including giving him the ability to know how to tailor his lessons to individual students. In the same way every wood project he works on is unique, so are his trainees.

“Different people learn in different ways, so I'm able to vary my instruction from person to person to help them better understand the process. I know how to cater to each person’s learning style. And just like in high school, there's grading,” Davis said. “The PTs have to pass to get their qualifications in. We do our best to help them understand so they are confident when performing their job.”

Davis’ tools stay in his workshop at home, but he consistently draws from his toolbelt of knowledge acquired over his lifetime teaching and learning. When measuring his accomplishments in life, Davis can make a quick cut.

“As a teacher and an instructor, I get a lot of joy seeing students starting to get the process and how things work. You see a sparkle of understanding in their eye that makes you feel good, like you've done your job. I love that.”

Darrin Davis’ former high school woodshop students who now work at Pantex.

For Nuclear Enterprise Assurance Site Representative Jonathan Ibarra, Armed Forces Day is more than a date on the calendar; this day is a profound opportunity for reflection and appreciation, a day to honor the immense sacrifices made by service members past and present, and a chance to recognize the unwavering commitment required to protect our nation.

Ibarra's journey into service was sparked by patriotism and a desire to make a greater contribution. He began his U.S. Air Force career as an aerospace ground equipment technician, inspecting, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing diverse ground support equipment essential for aircraft operational readiness. As his career advanced, Ibarra took on leadership positions, supervising both the production support section and later the inspection, repair, and maintenance groups.

Ibarra fondly recalls his time stationed in Japan. It was there that he experienced not only an incredible cultural immersion but also the chance to become part of an extraordinary team.

"We were a group of individuals relentlessly dedicated to our mission, fostering an environment where everyone pushed each other toward excellence," Ibarra said.

He credits exceptional leaders during this period for providing invaluable lessons, support, and challenges that fostered his professional and personal growth. The lessons learned about teamwork, leadership, resilience, and adapting to adversity in Japan have profoundly shaped who he is today.

Now in the Air Force Reserve, he continues to leverage his expertise as a quality assurance inspector, focusing on evaluating maintenance processes, technical order compliance, and overall operational effectiveness.

The transition to a full-time role at Pantex, though, marked a significant evolution in Ibarra's commitment.

"My initial years on active duty were defined by the direct, immediate demands of military operations," Ibarra explained, highlighting the constant state of readiness, strict adherence to schedules, and the military chain of command. "Now, with my role at Pantex, the focus shifts to comprehensive, long-term systemic integrity, ensuring the highest levels of safety, security, and reliability for critical national assets. It’s less about the immediate ‘fix’ and more about the rigorous evaluation, continuous improvement, and the meticulous application of standards."

Leaving active duty was a difficult choice, but Ibarra was driven by a strong sense of purpose and pride in contributing to national security. Ultimately, it was a natural progression, transitioning his dedication from aircraft readiness to ensuring the safety and security of our nation's strategic assets.

"When I learned about Pantex and its critical role in the nuclear deterrent, I immediately recognized an opportunity to continue that sense of mission and purpose," he said.

The military instilled in Ibarra a wealth of skills and lessons he carries into his everyday life, both at home and at Pantex.

“Leadership and teamwork stand out as particularly significant; the importance of actively collaborating, truly listening to diverse perspectives, and effectively guiding processes is paramount in any successful endeavor,” he said. “These core principles not only define my approach to my work at Pantex but also influence my interactions and responsibilities in my personal life.”

Pantex received two awards for its life-saving blood donations efforts in 2025

The Coffee Memorial Blood Center mobile donor RV has been a mainstay at Pantex for decades… making it a convenient place to step up, lie down, and literally offer up a part of yourself to help save a stranger’s life.

For the second year in a row, Pantex has been recognized by the Coffee Memorial Blood Center as the top entity for blood donations across the entire High Plains region with 920 units of blood collected in 2025. The city of Dumas came in second, registering 635 units through their united drive efforts.

Pantex Administrative Support Assistant Sandra Lightfoot said, “This is the second year with Coffee Memorial doing awards that Pantex has been recognized as the No. 1 overall within our area for producing blood donations; Pantex was also No.1 in the Business Category that Coffee Memorial recognized.”

The Coffee Memorial Blood Center is an integral part in blood donations across the area and is part of Our Blood Institute (OBI) — the sixth-largest independent blood center in the nation, with 17 donor centers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas providing blood for more than 240 hospitals, medical facilities, and air ambulances across all three states. Coffee Memorial provides blood and blood products to the hospitals and medical facilities to all major hospitals in the High Plains region.

“The team at Pantex went above and beyond, hosting over 30 blood drives and collecting 920 units. This isn't just a number on a spreadsheet — it represents over 2,760 lives touched right here in our local communities,” Frausto Austin, senior account manager at Coffee Memorial Blood Center said.

Pantex averages three drives per month, with one at the PAC, JCDC, and Building 12-70 cafeteria parking lots. In the months of April, October, and December Pantex will host four blood drives, and this year the goal is 1,000 units of donated blood.

“If everyone would look at this act of giving just one unit of blood is that they are a hero and in fact saving a life. This simple selfless act gives a gift of hope in more ways than just one unit of blood. I would like to challenge everyone to donate if not every 59 days then at least four times a year. We need to average 62 units a month to meet that mark,” Lightfoot said.

When the fog clears and the strobe lights fade, Javier Meza steps into the ring with all the weight and expectations that come with being a national boxing champion. El Gallito, as he’s known by his followers, knows he’s ready for what comes next, a confidence that comes from constant training, dieting, and a tenacious desire to succeed. The rest is simply execution.

When the fight’s over and the confetti falls to the mat, the referee lifts Javier’s fist into the air again, signifying yet another victory for El Gallito. As he embraces the moment, he looks for the person in the cheering crowd, the one who’s been there since Javier first laced up his gloves – mom.

Mary Meza, an issues management specialist for the Pantex Infrastructure team, believed in El Gallito long before he’d earned the nickname and long before the famed Golden Boy Promotions offered him a professional contract. To her, he was her little boy.

Her time at Pantex has proven that the success of her son is no accident, and watching her work leaves little doubt as to where Javier gets his passion and drive. In her role, Mary helps to identify causes of certain events and helps to create action plans to reduce recurrence of those events. Supporting the mission is something Mary enjoys in her work, but her day doesn’t stop once she leaves the site. Once home, a similar mission continues – guiding her family to success.

Mary and her husband have two other children at home – a daughter and another son. Like their older brother, excellence is the standard. While Mary’s youngest hopes to follow in his older brother’s footsteps, her daughter is applying her talents to the medical field with aspirations of becoming a pediatric nurse.

In the meantime, Mary does what it takes to help Javier realize his childhood dream.

“I’ve always enjoyed the sport myself,” she said. “Back in 2010 my husband and I started training for exercise. The owner approached us saying he was about to start a kid’s class and wanted to know if we were interested. He started with just mitts and stuff with Javier who was eight at the time. I took him to a few more classes and the owner approached us again saying he wanted to train our son.”

What would come next was a whirlwind that neither Mary nor her husband would expect, including a rapidly learning and improving teenage boy with an insatiable desire to be a champion.

Since beginning his foray into the boxing world, El Gallito has been crowned a seven-time regional champion, a Texas state champion, and a national champion. He also made his Olympic trial debut in December of 2023, as well as earning his crowning achievement thus far, a professional contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

“People see all of the victories, but they don’t see behind the scenes; they don’t realize how much he puts into it,” Mary said. “I still remember taking turns with my husband getting up at five in the morning to follow behind him in the car with the headlights on him so he could run and still be seen by other cars.”

Despite all of the early mornings and late nights, Mary wouldn’t have it any other way. To her, the sacrifice pales in comparison to the feeling that comes from seeing her son do what he loves.

“You know, it’s pure joy and pride.”

But who would know that better than El Gallito himself?

“My mom is important to me because she has been there since day one,” Javier said. “She sacrifices so much for my siblings and me and she put her dreams aside for me to accomplish mine. God willing, I’m going to pay her back. I hope that she knows that I am truly thankful to have such an amazing mom. Her work doesn’t go unseen and I love her so much.”

As the Meza family prepares for an upcoming fight in Las Vegas, the work continues. On the mat, opponents fall one-by-one, and here at Pantex, Mary persists in doing her part to fulfill the mission. And when the day comes that the name “El Gallito” flashes in big golden letters on an arena in one of the world’s largest cities, Mary Meza won’t see him as anything different, just her little boy accomplishing his dream – Javier.

AMARILLO – Pantex, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s High Explosives Center of Excellence for Manufacturing, kicked off a new era of weapons maintenance and surveillance today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open its new High Explosives Science and Engineering (HESE) facility.

“The HESE is yet another important upgrade in our continued investment in modern technology,” Pantex Production Operations Division Director Carl Beard said. “The facility serves as another critical piece in fortifying Pantex’s role within the Nuclear Security Enterprise.”

The structure opened in May 2026 for operations; just over five years after construction began in November 2020. The HESE allows Pantex to continue to fulfill its vital role today, while positioning itself for the future.

"The new High Explosives Science and Engineering facility is a landmark achievement, setting an unprecedented standard for high explosives research and development crucial to national security,” PanTeXas Deterrence President and General Manager Kelly Beierschmitt said. “This state-of-the-art facility not only exemplifies American ingenuity but also demonstrates our unwavering commitment to mission success. My sincere appreciation to all the Pantexans and others who made this happen."

The new facility combines activities performed at 15 aging facilities, and refines the space for the development of technology supporting the plant’s weapons maintenance and surveillance mission. The building consolidates several groups under one roof, allowing for more efficient collaboration.

“The HESE will enable Pantex to continue delivering on our mission to provide the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile to the Department of War in support of national and global security,” said Pantex Field Office Manager Jason Armstrong. “This facility will also allow us to optimize for tomorrow as we develop new and innovative ways to accommodate and meet future weapon modernization and production demands.”

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PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC (PXD) is the management and operating contractor for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Pantex Plant located in Carson County near Amarillo, Texas. Pantex maintains the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. PXD is a joint venture led by a BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) subsidiary – it also includes Fluor; SOC, A Day & Zimmermann Company; and The Texas A&M University System.

For more information on Pantex, visit www.pantex.energy.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Ashlee Estlack
Communications
(C) 806.662.4687
ashlee.estlack@pantex.doe.gov

In Liz Baumgardner’s family, you’re either a nurse or a mechanic... but tuning up cars didn’t sound as rewarding as tuning up people.

"I was a rebel and didn’t want to be a nurse," Baumgardner said. "But after helping my mom and sister study, and realizing I really liked helping people and talking to people, I saw that I could make a difference in people’s lives."

National Nurses Week is celebrated May 6 - 12 annually to recognize nurses’ invaluable contributions to society. Baumgardner earned her nursing license in 2010 and worked as a registered nurse in Amarillo for several years before coming to Pantex as a secretary in Explosives Technology. While she loved that job, Baumgardner felt a calling to go back to nursing. For the past year, she’s worked in the Occupational Health Services (OHS) clinic with great appreciation and empathy for the Pantexans she treats daily.

"I worked up North for three-and-a-half years, so I understand what it takes to leave work and come to the JCDC for a physical. Our site is so unique in the way that it is set up; I feel lucky having the experience working on plant site, because I can extend my appreciation for people showing up to our clinic to be seen and give them the best care possible."

Baumgardner’s day starts before 7 a.m. when she arrives at the clinic alongside her coworkers and gets all the medical machines turned on and calibrated before preparing to see patients. Patients come into the clinic for a variety of things, including getting labs drawn, performing physical therapy, obtaining hearing tests, and more. Medical staff also attend to any on-the-job injuries that happen.

"If you get stung by a bee, get a laceration, or get dizzy on the job, any of those types of things that could happen during your daily work, we are here to make sure patients are safe and taken care of in support of the company," Baumgardner said. "Our clinic has the capability to do a variety of things to care for our workforce."

Sure, Baumgardner loves the sunny side of nursing like taking care of others, but she also enjoys getting to give shots and performing blood draws... just not for the reason you think.

"Drawing blood is what I was most scared about when I went to nursing school," Baumgardner says. "I can be dramatic when it comes to needles — I’m terrified. But that’s what motivated me to be really good at it. I like to excel at things not everyone is good at. Now, I love starting blood draws because I overcame that fear so I could care for others."

There are four nurses, three nurse practitioners, and two physicians in OHS all working to provide a multidisciplinary health defense to safeguard our skilled workforce. Since it’s an occupational clinic, their duties are both similar and different from traditional clinics in many ways. Outside clinics typically deal with acute care, while nurses in OHS conduct long-term basic patient care and perform immunizations, flu shots, and tetanus shots when applicable.

"We all just show up and do what we have to do to take care of our patients," Baumgardner said. "We rely on each other. Everyone on our team is phenomenal at what they do. If someone is not there, the others pick up the slack."

Baumgardner said her team just wants to make everyone feel welcome — and feel better in the medical department. During National Nurses week and throughout the year, we thank them for their dedication to taking care of others.

"I love being a nurse," Baumgardner said. "The best thing you can do for someone that day is make them smile. If I did that, I did my job. I love helping people, and this career gave me the confidence to realize I’m capable of doing anything I put my mind to."

Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Eric Sandifer work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who he is, what he does, and why he is proud to be a Pantexan.

We all have someone we look up to, but Eric Sandifer looks down for inspiration.

"I have been most inspired by my kids," Sandifer said. "My youngest is a senior at Randall High and is about to graduate. All three of my children have really blossomed as they are entering adulthood and are finding their place in the world. It makes me really proud as a dad to see what they are doing and of the future they are making for themselves."

Sandifer learned during his time serving in the U.S. Army to find leaders he admired and to imitate and learn from them so he can provide a good example for others. This has clearly worked for his thriving children.

"I've done that my entire professional life," Sandifer said. "I try to be the example for others in my group that I mentor. It's vital to what we do. I want to pass what I have learned in my time here to the next generation of Environmental employees and keep the department strong."

Sandifer is an Environmental Projects senior specialist primarily working on the remediation of legacy contamination. After 13 years at Pantex, he says it's great to learn from others in the way they do things, but also recognizes that sometimes there are new and better ways to get the job done.

"When you first come on, you might have great ideas of how you can change and improve things," Sandifer said. "Pantex is a big ship and it takes a lot to change its course. Learn how your department and system works first, then suggest ways in which it can be improved. Learn how the wheel works before you try to build a new one."

Why is pride in the workplace and the work you do important?
The work Environmental Projects does is important because it fulfills regulatory requirements that allow the plant to remain operational. Pride in my workplace and what I do is what keeps me going when things get difficult.

What has been your proudest moment at Pantex to date?
My proudest moment at Pantex was when I was an environmental remediation technician. We had gotten all three of our facilities and all 70+ extraction wells operational at the same time. It was the first time ever and I am not sure if it has been done since. They are complex systems with a lot of components, so it was quite an achievement.

What do you think makes Pantex so special?
One thing I have learned is that pretty much everyone I have dealt with at Pantex has been helpful. Now, their answer might be “No” when you are trying to get approval for something, but everyone has been helpful in finding some solution.

Why is communication important for your team to succeed?
Good communication is vital in our group, whether it is between my colleagues, with my contractors, or with other people at the plant. It keeps us informed of what is happening, what needs to happen, and how what each of us are doing might affect other operations or projects.

What's your favorite outside of work activity and why?
My favorite activity is woodworking. I make and sell items at the Canyon Farmers Market, and I have made a lot of furniture for my family. I love the planning, troubleshooting, and completing projects. I love the process of knowing what you have, where you want to go, and figuring out how to get there.