2023 Annual Meeting

Sunday, March 19 - Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Grand Hyatt San Antonio
600 East Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205

Please click on the session titles below to view the full session descriptions. Please note all times are CST.

Schedule of Sessions and Special Events


Sunday March 19, 2023

12:00 pm - 07:00 pm Registration

04:00 pm - 05:30 pm Future Leader Welcome Reception - Lonestar Ballroom EF

05:30 pm - 07:30 pm Welcome Reception


Monday March 20, 2023

07:00 am - 05:00 pm Registration

07:30 am - 08:45 am Continental Breakfast

Government Relations Breakfast - Lonestar Ballroom EF -
An Insider's Guide to DC: What’s Next? Navigating the Year Ahead

Join Jake Sherman for his candid analysis about what’s driving politics and policy inside the nation’s capital. His unique perspective comes from more than a decade of covering Congress, political campaigns, the White House and working in the Washington press corp.

Price: $75

Open to registered attendees only. Tickets must be purchased by February 23.
 
Jake Sherman photo Jake Sherman
Founder, Author, Co-Author
Punchbowl News
Biography

09:00 am - 11:30 am General Session - Texas Ballroom, 4th Floor - Chairman's Welcome - Jeff Ramsey, President & CEO Flint Hills Resources LLC, AFPM Chairman of the Board

President's Report - Chet Thompson, President & CEO, AFPM

The Causes and Consequences of the Russia-Ukraine War - Michael McFaul, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014); Stanford Professor and Hoover Institution Senior Fellow; Washington Post Columnist; NBC News Analyst
Join Michael McFaul as he first explains the drivers of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. He then assess the results of the war so far, speculates about how it might end, and explains why we should care. To answer these questions, McFaul combines analytic and historical insights from his thirty years of academic research and government experience on Russia, Ukraine, and the United States with unique insights from his personal interactions with Russian President Putin, Ukrainian President Zelensky, and U.S. President Biden.

China and the USA: How the 21st Century Unfolds - Admiral James Stavridis is Vice Chair, Global Affairs of The Carlyle Group and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Rockefeller Foundation.
Admiral Stavridis, an expert on China who spent over half his career in the Pacific Fleet, takes the audience through the history and culture of China and describes how the US and China have emerged as the two crucial superpowers of the 21st century. He describes the ongoing conflict between the nations in trade, tariffs, intellectual property, global influence and the “hotspot” of the South China Sea. The Admiral then lays out a prescription for avoiding a conflict with China in the decades ahead, with predictions of the evolution of the global landscape as it will be influenced by the US-China relationship. A must see experience to understand the big issues ahead for the world.
 
Mr. Jeff Ramsey photo Mr. Jeff Ramsey
President and CEO
Flint Hills Resources, LLC
 
Mr. Chet Thompson photo Mr. Chet Thompson
President and CEO
AFPM
Biography
 
Michael McFaul photo Michael McFaul
U.S. Ambassador Russian Federation
Biography
 
Admiral James Stavridis photo Admiral James Stavridis
USN, Retired, Vice Chair, Global Affairs and a Managing Director
Biography

11:30 am - 01:00 pm Monday Lunch

Women in Industry Reception - Lonestar Ballroom EF - Secrets of a Strong Mind: How to Build Inner Strength to Overcome Life's Obstacles

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to be stronger willed? Do you want to find better ways to overcome the obstacles in your life? Come ready to learn the strategies on how to embrace challenges and empower the leader in you.

Open to registered women attendees only. RSVP by March 17.
 
LaRae Quy photo LaRae Quy
Speaker
Biography
 
Ms. Jenny Hebert photo Ms. Jenny Hebert
Vice President, Business Transformation
Ketjen Corporation
Biography

01:00 pm - 01:45 pm The Future of Investing - Texas Ballroom, 4th Floor

01:45 pm - 02:45 pm Oil Markets, Refining & the Energy Transition - Texas Ballroom, 4th Floor - 2022 was a volatile year for the oil markets and a challenging year for energy supply. As economies emerged from the pandemic, demand for gasoline, diesel and other refined products increased – but the loss of refining capacity in the U.S. and around the world created challenges in supplying that demand. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upended traditional supply patterns and China’s withdrawal from the global economy amid continued COVID lockdowns added additional pressures. Join us for a conversation about what’s ahead for U.S. and global refining. Will the competitive strength of U.S. refiners endure as refinery capacity outside the U.S. expands? How will global efforts to manage carbon emissions affect refiners around the world? What does the future of refining look like?
 
Mr. Debnil Chowdhury photo Mr. Debnil Chowdhury
Vice President, Head of Americas Refining
S&P Global
Biography
 
Ms. Sarah Emerson photo Ms. Sarah Emerson
Head of Research & Market Analysis/President
ESAI Energy
Biography
 
Mr. Alan Gelder photo Mr. Alan Gelder
Vice President Refining, Chemicals & Oil Markets
Wood Mackenzie
Biography
 
Ms. Susan Grissom photo Ms. Susan Grissom
Chief Industry Analyst
AFPM

02:45 pm - 04:00 pm Bank of America: 2023 Outlook and the Golden Age of Refining - Texas Ballroom, 4th Floor - Please join Bank of America experts for their insights into the refining, chemical, and commodities markets, including an overview of their forthcoming update to their “Golden Age of Refining” investment thesis. Panelists will discuss their outlook for the sector and offer Bank of America’s perspectives on performance, trends, and key questions investors are asking as they analyze our industries.
 
Kalei Akamine photo Kalei Akamine
VP of Oil and Gas Equity Research
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Biography
 
Steve Byrne photo Steve Byrne
Chemicals Equity Research
Bank of America
Biography
 
Warren Russell photo Warren Russell
Director of Commodity, Global Research
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Biography

04:00 pm - 04:30 pm General Session - Safety Showcase Intro - Texas Ballroom, 4th Floor

04:30 pm - 06:00 pm Safety Technology Showcase and Reception - Lonestar Ballroom ABC - Hosted By: HASC

Walk around and experience both the immersive learning tools AFPM has developed and the various technologies AFPM members are using to improve safety performance at their sites.


We're proud to feature:
AFPM
Walk the Line simulation and Fired Heater Virtual Reality
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Utilizing technology and immersive learning tools for emergency
response training and planning
Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Leak Detection Sensor Network
HASC
Transforming Safety Training Through the Safety Essentials Suite
and Innovating for Industry by Integrating VR into Traditional CBTs
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Acoustic Imaging for Leak Detection
PEMEX Deer Park
Drone Program
Phillips 66
Electronic Work Permitting Process
Valero Energy Corporation
Electronic Work Permitting System

06:00 pm - 07:00 pm Chairman's Reception - By Invitation Only


Tuesday March 21, 2023

07:00 am - 12:00 pm Registration

07:30 am - 08:45 am Industry Leadership Breakfast - Texas Ballroom, 4th Floor - IEF’s Perspectives on Energy Security and Transition


RSVP by March 17 required.
 
Joseph McMonigle photo Joseph McMonigle
Secretary General
IEF
Biography

09:00 am - 10:00 am Lessons Learned from a 2018 Explosion in an FCC Unit - Lonestar Ballroom A - The Chemical Safety Board will present its findings and recommendations from its April 2018 FCC Unit Explosion and Asphalt Fire at Husky Superior Refinery investigation, published in December 2022. Two FCC experts will then discuss industry resources that can help refineries apply process safety lessons learned to their own FCC units.
 
Mr. Richard Grove photo Mr. Richard Grove
FCC Process Expert/FCC Enthusiast
Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Biography
 
Mr. Ziad Jawad photo Mr. Ziad Jawad
Director FCC Technology
Phillips 66
Biography
 
Ms. Melike Yersiz photo Ms. Melike Yersiz
Chemical Incident Investigator
U.S. Chemical Safety Board
Biography

The Ownership Mindset: Turning Paycheck Players into Top Performers - Lonestar Ballroom C - Owners act and think differently than employees. To an owner, a business is more than a source of income. It’s part of their identity. They view its success as their own. But what if you could inspire your employees to tap into the ownership mindset? In this inspiring keynote, Kerry Siggins shares how she led her company in making a dramatic shift in mentality from an employee mindset to an ownership mindset and how doing so turned paycheck players into top performers
 
Kerry Siggins photo Kerry Siggins
CEO
Stoneage Holdings
Biography
 
Ms. Ann Benoit photo Ms. Ann Benoit
Director, Global Customer Technology
W. R. Grace & Co.
Biography

Why Aren't These Numbers Working for Us? - Lonestar Ballroom B - Renewable electricity is a hot topic, seems like there is an investment announced every day/week. Industrial customers are interested to understand supply options, but cannot seem to make the numbers work.
Does your leadership team ask how everyone else is making the numbers work, or what are we missing?
Join us for a discussion of the evaluation and development process for on-site renewable generation projects.
Topics will include local power market drivers, changing regulations & tax incentives, scale, interconnection, end of life, purchase versus investment, and other considerations.
 
Matt Hobson photo Matt Hobson
Principal
Energy Edge Consulting
Biography
 
Keith Lightfoot photo Keith Lightfoot
Manager, Commercial Development
Biography

09:00 am - 11:00 am Board of Directors Meeting -
By Invitation Only

10:30 am - 11:30 am Human and Organizational Performance - A Leader's Role - Lonestar Ballroom C - Human and Organizational Performance principals are being adopted at several companies throughout the refining and petrochemical industries. Human Performance is the next frontier for improving safety performance. But what does that mean for the leader? How must their mindset change around accountability? This session will discuss the HOP principals and the leader's role in transformational change.
 
Mr. Fritz Kin photo Mr. Fritz Kin
Director of Refining Safety, Security & Emergency Response
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Biography
 
Mr. Thomas Myers photo Mr. Thomas Myers
VP, Health, Safety and Environmental
Cheniere Energy
Biography
 
Brook Vickery photo Brook Vickery
Vice President and Manufacturing Manager
Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Biography

Pursuing Circularity – The Current State of Advanced Recycling and the Opportunity for Refiners - Lonestar Ballroom A - Plastics are vital to addressing society’s largest challenges, including improving medical outcomes, access to fresh and healthy foods, hygiene and sanitation, modern communication, transportation systems, infrastructure, and employment. Unfortunately, plastic waste is entering the environment at alarming rates due to poor global waste management. Refiners and petrochemical manufacturers are seeking ways to develop more sustainable operations including ways to eliminate plastic waste in the environment and develop a truly circular economy for plastics. As society strives to create a more circular world, new and evolving technologies are being developed to achieve this systemic transition to a circular economy. This panel will explore the current state of advanced recycling and recovery and examine the growing global demand for more recycled products. This panel will also identify opportunities for the refining and petrochemical sector to utilize advanced recycling as a leading technology solution that can successfully help to address plastic waste and circularity challenges.
 
Clint Thompson photo Clint Thompson
Chief Commercial Officer
Nexus Circular
Biography

Sponsored Content: Honeywell UOP - Lonestar Ballroom EF - Powering the Future of Refining and Petrochemicals

The last 3 years have shown a growing social drive for ESG and acceleration of the energy transition. While the transition may be accelerated, even with development and deployment of emerging technologies, hydrocarbon fuels will be required for many years to come. With this recognition, there will be increasing pressures on fossil fuel refiners to both maximize profitability and decarbonize at the same time. This will require refiners to implement a continuum of near-term tactical, to longer-term strategic investments. While we work to reduce energy intensity, there is a common agreement that moving towards bioeconomy and switching to renewable feedstocks to produce both fuels and raw materials is key for companies and governments to succeed in their transitions and achieve their climate targets. Carbon capture, utilization and storage is proving to be a critical component of reducing emissions in key applications where CO2 is challenging to avoid. Once CO2 is captured, the next logical step is to then leverage that material as part of the solution for true carbon circularity. In this workshop, we will discuss client examples that span the range from carbon avoidance, carbon capture and carbon utilization.
 
Mr. Keith Couch photo Mr. Keith Couch
Senior Director - Business Development
Honeywell UOP
Biography
 
Mr. Kevin M. O'Neil photo Mr. Kevin M. O'Neil
Senior Business Leader
UOP - A Honeywell Company

What is a Digital Twin? - Lonestar Ballroom B - The purpose of the presentation is to show how to implement such a DT facility in tune with corporate strategy over an extended but defined time frame.
 
Eduardo J. 'Wayo' Dozal Ph.D. photo Eduardo J. 'Wayo' Dozal Ph.D.
Business Analysis and Planning Manager
PEMEX Deer Park
Biography
 
Brent Railey photo Brent Railey
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
Biography

12:00 pm - 02:00 pm Annual Luncheon - Featuring:
AFPM Distinguished Safety Awards
The Distinguished Safety Award (DSA) is AFPM’s most prestigious award. The DSA recognizes member companies that have attained an exemplary level of safety performance. Recipients are chosen by a selection committee comprised of members of the AFPM Safety and Health Committee. Join us for the announcement of the 2022 award winners!

Keynote Presentation

Price: $125

Open to registered attendees only. Tickets must be purchased by February 23. No tickets or same-day seating will be available on-site.
 
Michael R. Pompeo photo Michael R. Pompeo
70th United States Secretary of State

02:00 pm - 03:00 pm Community Engagement - Adding Value Inside and Outside our Fencelines - Lonestar Ballroom B -
NO PRESS

Refineries and petrochemical facilities are critical to cultivating thriving communities. Serving as the foundation of local economies, they are also active partners in programs to advance education, health, safety, and environmental protection. Through these programs and open and transparent communication, they are building trust and lasting partnerships with the people that live in their communities. Hear how our industries are establishing goodwill and supporting their neighbors, and how these activities benefit our workers, from the people who live it every day.
 
Adam Gattuso photo Adam Gattuso
Government Affairs & Communications Leader
Monroe Energy, LLC
 
Michael Karlovich photo Michael Karlovich
VP-Corporate Communications
PBF Energy Inc.
Biography
 
Erica Miller photo Erica Miller
Corporate Communications Manager
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
Biography
 
Jake Reint photo Jake Reint
Vice President, Public Affairs
Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Biography

Sponsored Content: Ketjen Corporation - Lonestar Ballroom EF - Ketjen: The Future of Catalysts Is Here
 
Mr. Raphael Crawford
CEO
Ketjen Corporation
 
Ms. Christy Anderson photo Ms. Christy Anderson
Americas Technical Service Manager, Hydroprocessing
Ketjen Corporation
Biography

The Ring of Who, What, and Why of Renewable Credits - Lonestar Ballroom A - The presenters will examine the driving forces behind renewable transportation fuels, the process to produce them - from the feed tanks to final finished fuel - and the improvements that can be made to lower CI ScoreCarbon Intensity. Regulations and incentives to lower the carbon intensity of fuels continues to become more prominent and stringent every year. Processing and blending renewable fuels makes sense economically and environmentally but can present operational challenges. This session will dig deeper into how renewable fuel producers can tackle these operational challenges within various areas of the process value chain to maximize profitability.
 
Delbert R Grotewold photo Delbert R Grotewold
Renewable Fuels SME
Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Biography
 
Mr. Sergio Robledo photo Mr. Sergio Robledo
Senior Technical Manager
Unicat Catalyst Technologies
Biography

03:00 pm - 04:00 pm How to Attract, Recruit, and Retain Great Employees - Lonestar Ballroom B - Dr. Anderson will explain what he has learned from research and thirteen years of helping organizations hire and keep the best employees. He will help audience members understand the critical components of creating a culture that empowers its employees and attracts the best talent, how to create hiring processes that weed out the pretenders to help you get to the best candidates. Dr. Anderson will also discuss the importance of the annual review and how it helps create a culture of excellence that “A” players demand. Finally, Dr. Anderson will talk about the necessity of holding accountable, and possibly terminating, problem employees that harm your culture of excellence.
 
Mr. Steven Anderson Ph.D., MBA photo Mr. Steven Anderson Ph.D., MBA
Leadership Consultant
Integrated Leadership Systems
Biography

IRA 2022: Renewable Fuels Challenges and Opportunities - Lonestar Ballroom A - Renewable fuel incentives continue to evolve with the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This new legislation provides opportunities for renewable fuel manufacturers, such as expanded and more lucrative credit programs, but also establishes new challenges including linking credits to established carbon intensity targets. We explore these new programs, potential impacts on existing manufacturers, and the anticipated effects on the broader renewable fuel market and new investments.
 
Mr. Bill H. Keesom photo Mr. Bill H. Keesom
Managing Consultant
GreenStar BCS
Biography
 
Jerry Price photo Jerry Price
Managing Director
GreenStar BCS
Biography
 
Mr. Thomas Hale Chunat photo Mr. Thomas Hale Chunat
Biography

Sponsored Content - Lonestar Ballroom EF