Employee Spotlight – Meet APM Boiler Operations Division Manager, Laurie Laube

This month’s #employeespotlight features APM Boiler Operations Division Manager, Laurie Laube! Read more to get to know about her career journey, top life highlights, and interesting hobbies and achievements.

This month, Laurie celebrated 35 years of dedicated service with our company and its affiliates! WOW!

Join us in congratulating her on this remarkable accomplishment. We are so thankful for her dedication to our APM mission … you make us better, Laurie! Thank you!

What are some roles you have at work and outside of work?

At work, I am the Operations Division Manager for APM Boiler, which consists of two legal entities – APComPower, Inc. in the US and Atlantic Plant Installation Canada Inc. in Canada (obviously!). I also currently serve as the President of the National Association of Construction Boilermaker Employers (NACBE), as the Vice President of the Boilermaker Association of Greater New York (BAGNY), as a Boilermaker MOST Trustee and as a member of the Industrial Relations Committee for The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC).

Outside of work, I am married to my wonderful, supportive husband, Steve, and have four grown children - Danielle & Tynan (twins), Connor and Jasmine. I am also very close with my siblings. We are a tight-knit family and spend time vacationing together. There’s always a family event happening!

What led you to this industry and how did you first learn about APM?

My original career aspirations were in journalism and publishing; I was an editor of a Real Estate Magazine. Way back when in 1990, ABB (which had just acquired Combustion Engineering) had a position I applied for in a newly established department called Proposal Publishing. I had never even heard of a Boiler, let alone things like Pressure Parts and Pulverizers. My plan was to only stay at ABB for 18 months. However, 35 years, three company purchases and ten positions later, I’m happily integrated into APM. I’ve held leadership roles in Material Parts, Service Center Operations, Project Management, Project Engineering and have been in Construction for the last 11 years.

When did you begin working with APM and how many years have you been working with APM?

I began working with APM during the Alstom integration, which began in late 2015. I just celebrated my 35th anniversary on August 13th, with the last ten of those years working with APM.

What’s one thing that surprised you about working with APM?

I was initially surprised by the number of yearly person-hours worked (at the time it was just approaching four million) by a relatively small company. 

What is a typical workday for you?

As others have said, every day is different. I try to get a jump on my emails (always a challenge for me), while managing the daily interruptions and participating in conference calls. My goal is to remove roadblocks for our teams.

What energizes you at work?

I love helping develop people to their full potential. It’s the MOST satisfying part of my career. I believe I’ve had a hand in the success of those I’ve either hired or helped hire for our company – John Baierlein, Danielle Carilli, Ed Deitman and Lisset Lopez, to name a few. Their contributions to APM’s overall success are nothing short of noteworthy. In fact, one of the top ten highlights of my career is when Ed Deitman won TAUC’s very first Safety Professional of the Year Award in 2024.

What do you find the most challenging in your role?

In my role, the most challenging thing has been the continual education of GE Vernova and APM regarding the services that Boiler offers and remembering we are here. We can help. We are different than the majority of our other APM Divisions in that our work is not on the Turbine or the Deck.

What do you like most about working with APM?

I so appreciate the people that work at APM and the true commitment to safety, quality, and execution excellence. This is a company that takes safety seriously and it shows in the Superintendents we attract and the craft that prefer to work for a company that “Empowers the People who Power Life.”

How has APM helped you in your career development?

APM has provided development opportunities over the years directly related to leadership competencies.  All leaders can continue to improve their skills and learn things about themselves; the courses I have attended have done just that for me.

What courses, certifications, or programs did you complete?

In 2006, I earned my master’s degree in communications & project management. I am also a Six Sigma Green Belt and believe in Lean Management and standards implementation. The Project Management courses provided the foundation for all the work we do today.

What is your proudest moment with APM?

My proudest moment is when APM Boiler US achieved three straight years of zero recordable injuries and APM Boiler Canada achieved a full year of zero recordable injuries. I am proud, blessed and privileged to lead this entire team, a team that regularly demonstrates exceptional Safety and Operational Leadership.

Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

I have had several major mentors in my life that influence how I approach my work. The first is my father. He was a proud IAM member working as a Quality Lead Man at Pratt & Whiteny Aircraft. He taught me the importance of hard work, and also the value of making my own mistakes and learning from them.

 The second is my very first boss, Paul Fitzgerald, at Parts Incorporated. He exposed me to every area of the business from manufacturing and inspection to quote development and office management, ensuring I understood how every person’s role was important and related to company success.

And lastly, my friend and mentor, Jeff Skipton, former APCom President. Jeff was challenging to work for and had high expectations of everyone; he also rewarded excellent performance. People used to laugh when I said I chose to work for Jeff four times in my career.

How do you prefer to spend your days off?

I love to travel. I have been lucky to visit multiple countries the past few years (Italy, Ireland, Scotland, and some beautiful places for work in Canada - Newfoundland and Nova Scotia).  I especially enjoy doing anything outside – hiking, running, skiing, backpacking, boating!

How do you balance your career at APM and family?

It’s a lot easier now that my children are adults!! 

What advice do you have for prospective APM candidates?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you have the question, someone else does as well.

What is a non-work-related accomplishment that you’re proud of?

I continue to be proud of raising my children while working full time and pursuing my college degrees. I earned my associates, bachelor’s and master’s degrees while working. I led, and hope I continue to lead, by example. All four of my kids are graduated from college and are productive working citizens.

One detail people would be surprised if they knew …

I am an avid backpacker. I have backpacked as late in the year as the first week of November (and got snowed on) and as high as elevation 12,000 (hard to start fires at that elevation).