Employee Spotlight | Meet Senior Quality Program Manager, Ron Mayor!
The final Employee Spotlight for the month of June features APM Senior Quality Product Manager, Ron Mayor! Ron officially joined APM in 2016 and has an impressive 45-year career where he ascended the ranks of the industry. We are so excited to spotlight Ron and congratulate him on his upcoming retirement! Read more to get to know his career journey, valuable learnings, and perspectives on success and leadership.
What are some roles you have at work and outside of work?
· Husband
· Father of 5 with a combined family
· Grandfather (Papa) to 6
· Great Grandfather to 1
· Quality Manager, involved with welding and code compliance
· Served as a Trustee for the Boilermakers Western States Joint Apprenticeship Committee
What led you to this industry and how did you first learn about APM?
After serving in the Air Force and spending 3 years working at the Climax Molybdenum Mine and taking some college and welding courses, I started my Apprenticeship with the Boiler Makers in 1979. I started working as a Superintendent in 1989 for Combustion Engineering - continuing as a Superintendent through three company name changes (CE, ABB, and Alstom) until May of 1999. In May of 1999, I helped open the Alstom Power Rocky Mountain Service Center. For the first year and a half, I ran the rebuild department rebuilding Coal Pulver Journals and other mechanical products. In January of 2001, I took over the Tubing and Pressure Part portion of the Service Center. We produced quality pressure parts and assemblies for power plants all over North America and worldwide for the Navy. In the Spring of 2015, I returned to Construction and APCom Power as a Superintendent. GE bought us in November of 2015. That is when I came to APM as a Resource Manager. In May of 2019, I became the Senior Quality Program Manager.
· 45 years as a Boilermaker
· 36 Years a Superintendent or other management position
· 25 years with Alstom, followed by APM
When did you begin working with APM and how many years have you been working with APM?
June 2016 … it has been 8 Years.
What’s one thing that surprised you about working with APM?
When I first started with APM I was surprised how company leadership, especially Jake Locklear welcomed the new people from Alstom and made everyone feel like a part of the APM family.
What is a typical workday for you?
· Answering questions regarding Welding, Weld Procedure, and ASME National Board Code questions for the Field
· Reviewing Job Packages for jobs that have been completed
· Participating on pre-job planning
· Working on Non-Conformance Reports and Root Cause Analyses
What energizes you at work?
Knowing that with the assistance of our field crews, we can help provide a quality job for our customers.
What do you find the most challenging in your role?
Trying to educate our shareholder and some supervisors that just because you have always done a job a certain way, it does not mean it is the correct way. There are ASME and National Board codes that are mandatory to follow. The shareholder procedures mandate ASME code - sometimes this requirement is misunderstood.
What do you like most about working with APM?
Most everyone I work with takes pride in doing the job right the first time, and making sure everyone goes home in the same physical condition that they came to work with.
How has APM helped you in your career development?
APM has allowed me to continue my career and reach the ultimate goal of retiring with pride.
What is your proudest moment with APM?
Renewing ASME and National Board certification for both APCom Power and APM. This was a challenge when I took over this quality role.
Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?
Gary “Red” Wilcoxon … He was my Foreman when I was an Apprentice, General Foreman when I was a Foreman, and Construction Manager when I was a Superintendent.
How do you prefer to spend your days off?
Working around our home, lawn care, working on old cars in our shop, and participating in car shows that fundraise for charitable causes.
What advice do you have for prospective APM candidates?
Remain faithful to the ultimate goal of maintaining a quality job while keeping our workforce safe. Follow your gut!
What is a non-work-related accomplishment that you’re proud of?
The ability to have provided a stable and secure future for my wife and myself.
Favorite quote?
“Hope is not a Strategy.” – Jeff Skipton.
Do you have a nickname at work?
In my younger years, it was “Run-Run”.
How do you define success?
Completion of tasks to the best of your ability, while keeping quality and safety at the forefront of the project.
Motto or personal mantra?
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
People would be surprised if they knew:
I am a big Allice Cooper fan.
Top three life highlights?
1. Marring the Love of my Life, Deanna
2. Living long enough to enjoy this part of my life
3. Being able to participate in the life of my grandchildren and great grandson
What does true leadership mean to you?
Having coached the people around me so they know what is supposed to be done to deliver a quality and safe job.