Meet APM Maintenance and Logistics Leader, Charlie Stewart!
Est. Read Time: 10 minutes
This month’s spotlight features APM Maintenance and Logistics Leader, Charlie Stewart! We are so excited to spotlight Charlie and congratulate him on his upcoming retirement! Read more to get to know his career journey, valuable learnings, and perspectives on success and leadership.
Charlie started his career as an apprentice in the Millwright Local Union 2232 in 1977, and completed his training in 1979. From that point on, he was a Journeyman and worked out of the Local Union Hall before he got called to work for APM (when they were known as ADA Maintenance and Construction) as a Turbine Mechanic in the 1980s, and never looked anywhere else since he enjoyed working on Turbines and knew this is what he wanted to do in his career going forward. He worked as both a Journeyman Millwright and as a Second Line Supervisor before being offered a full time Superintendent role in 1984. This means Charlie has worked with APM for over 40 years!
Beginning his journey as a full time Superintendent, he worked in the field running crews working in all areas around the Houston, Corpus Christi, Dallas, and the McAllen or Valley area. But when jobs were slow, Charlie would come to the APM Tool Center to work for the Tool Manager, making use of his welding skills and machinery expertise to prepare for the next round of outages or seasons. He also helped rework tools and develop new tools that were used in the field on turbine jobs. Additionally, he worked on several long term project jobs for APM and GE Vernova spending 5 years as a certified welder for the North Houston Power Plant Project as well as the usual Gas Turbine and Steam Turbine overhauls or repairs in the normal work areas. He worked at the Port Of Houston for 9 continuous years maintaining several GE Vernova Gas Turbines and Generator Sets and all their equipment, staying there until 2015.
APM was just finished building the Training and Development Center in Pasadena in 2015 when Charlie’s tour at the Port Of Houston was done. Charlie was then asked by the past Training Director if he would be interested in working at the Training Center as the Turbine Deck Manager. He took the job and has been here since the doors of the Training and Development Center, or as it is known today the LDC, have been open. When the Training and Development Center changed its name to the Learning and Development Center, his title changed to the Maintenance and Logistics Leader, the role he fulfills today!
Outside of work, Charlie is involved with his Local Union as an Officer for the past 20 plus years, first as a Warden and then he worked his way to the President of his Local Union. He has always believed the only way to “Build something better or maintain it is to use Union Millwrights.” Charlie has been a Union Millwright for 40 plus years and will continue to support his Local Union.
“The most Valuable learning from my years at APM is never believe that it will always be easy and always ‘THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX’. Safety is and always should be the first and last thing on any mind as Safety is the most important thing in itself. Never take Safety for granted and always be Proactive in safety and not Reactive.”
What’s one thing that surprised you about working with APM?
APM has always been in the forefront about safety and has always been the contractor of choice because they not only talked the talk but walked the walk as well. If you had any safety issues, you were only a phone call away from all the help you needed to make sure it was the Right Call.
What is a typical workday for you?
A typical day of work for me was always being the First at the LDC and the Last at the LDC, as I felt it was my Home and I wanted it to be the best it could be and I was not going to rest till I was sure I achieved that. I would start at 7:00 am and would leave when I was sure the building was empty, no one else was there, and everything was ready for the next day.
What energizes you at work?
I was always energized by the People who would constantly tell me the LDC looked great and that they were amazed that only one person took care of so much and that everything they always needed was either there or was on its way to facilitate the Training that was ongoing. I constantly provided help to GE Vernova, FieldCore, or any Vendor or Superintendent that may need something from the LDC as my main goal was to make sure that APM was the only Contractor of Choice and if I could provide it, I would make sure it was available for all.
What do you find the most challenging in your role?
The most challenging thing about my role was never knowing what was going to be needed for certain training classes until the crews arrived at site and then getting them the supplies or tools they needed to complete the training in a matter of hours sometimes. But we never turned away any training that was needed, we just made it happen and got what we needed.
What do you like most about working with APM?
What I liked about working for APM was the people around me at the LDC. Everyone at the LDC were a TEAM and we worked as a Unit. If one person needed any help then we all helped to get it done and we never gave it any thought as the LDC was our workplace and we were sharing that with others so they could benefit from what we had to offer.
What courses, certifications, or programs did you complete?
So I was always the first to complete all my Required Learning as I knew it was part of my job and part of my training and took pride in getting it all accomplished and behind me.
I am a APM GE Certified Welder, GE Certified Level 1, 2, and 3 Overhead Crane Operator, GE Mobile Crane Operator, Certified CPR and AED Instructor and User, STS Trained Supervisor, Collaboration and Diversified Professional, Certified CRD Technician and Nuclear Vessel Reassembly and Disassembly Technician, and Certified Fork Truck Driver.
Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?
I was influenced the most by my Dad as he always told me if you are working for anybody, always give them 110% and never give them any less. It will make you a better person and people will always remember who you are. Help everyone that you can, as they may not ask for it, but if you give it, they will accept it.
How do you prefer to spend your days off?
My days off were always full as I have 8 Grandkids and enjoy being around them as much as possible but my most favorite thing is Bass Fishing and I got the boat to prove it LOL. I enjoy going to the lake and sitting there in my boat hoping that a fish doesn’t bother me. It’s just that time on the boat or the bank with kids and family that never gets old and you enjoy it the most.
How do you balance your career at APM and family?
Balancing career and family is always a hard one to get correct, but you have to give both the same care and tact and try to equal them out as much as possible. In the end results, if you can say you did your best and do not hesitate to say it, then you have done exactly as you should have.
What advice do you have for prospective APM candidates?
My best advice to give any APM candidate is to say this; When you make that decision to step toward the goal of being an APM Superintendent do not take it lightly. Give it 110% and never give any less and always strive to be and do your best because in the real world all anybody really expects is the best and nothing less. But when you make mistakes, and you will, never let them beat you down, use them as tools to develop a better and stronger you. You can teach an Old Dog new tricks and they will learn, I am proof of that as I never stopped learning and continue to learn every day.
What is a non-work-related accomplishment that you’re proud of?
The greatest accomplishment that I am the most proud of is walking out into the LDC Deck area and looking around to see the Units and Mockups that are in that area and to know I had a hand in getting them in there so that all could learn and be better Millwrights and Leaders.
Charlie’s Top Life Highlights
My best accomplishment that I would be glad to share is the fact that I have been involved in my Millwright Local Union for the past 40 years and have worked my way to President, have served on the Reginal Council for the Carpenters and Millwrights, was a Delegate for my Local Union, and was given an engraved Gavel for my dedication and service to the Millwright Local Union when I retired.
My Top Three highlights are:
Meeting my wife in church in 1973 and then being married in 1975 after I graduated High School and staying married for 48 years (yes to the same woman).
Being a strong and proud Local 2232 Union Millwright for 40 years and the President of Local Union 2232 for the last 15 years
Going through and surviving triple bypass surgery
Charlie’s Favorite Quote
“Always expect the unexpected and think outside the box.”
Charlie’s Definition of Success
When Visitors, Vendors, Superintendents, or even Corporate Officers come to the LDC and ask “where’s Charlie.”
Charlie’s Perspective on Leadership
True leadership to me is knowing that I am only a cog on a gear, and that the gear would not go round without all the other cogs there helping the one cog along. It takes the whole TEAM of gears to make something happen.
Charlie’s Nickname
Chaz Mo
Charlie’s Motto
Treat every person with respect and never forget where you come from, and No or Can’t are words that are not in my dictionary.
Charlie’s Surprising Fact
People would be surprised to know I am a softie, a big gentle bear.
People would also be surprised that I Umpired Baseball from ages starting at T Ball all the way to High School and College Level in the Houston area and was chosen to work several World Series in the Houston area. I got to call an actual game at Minute Maid Park for several area High School Teams during one of those World Series events.