EMPLOYEE NAME: Mitra Kashanchi
JOB AT CHEVRON: Hydroprocessing Unit Business Manager
YEARS WITH CHEVRON: 24 years with Chevron; 1.5 years at the Richmond Refinery
Tell us about your job at Chevron.
As the Refinery Business Manager for the Hydroprocessing Unit, I am responsible for delivering and supoprting the refinery business plan, by ensuring safe, reliable and profitable operations in the Hydro division.
What does the Hydroprocessing Unit do?
Hydroprocessing is the refinery unit that uses hydrogen to convert part of crude oil into clean gasoline, jet and diesel fuel and other transportation products through a process called hydrocracking.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Empowering people and witnessing their contribution to the success of our business and having them become the future leaders. I enjoy solving problems, delivering results, meeting new people and learning from them. It’s important to keep learning.
What’s your favorite part of working for Chevron?
I’m proud to work for a company with exceptional values that are reflected in our company vision, The Chevron Way. It sets our vision, values and strategies to make the right decisions for our people, the environment, our community and our business. The clarity of The Chevron Way makes it easier to perform every task the right way, every time.
What was your first role with Chevron and how did you originally find out about the job?
I started as a chemist at the El Segundo Refinery. I was recruited after attending a career fair at California State University, Long Beach.
What qualifications or education did you need to get the job you have now?
Having a college degree is not a requirement to be a Refinery Business Manager. You need to have a commitment to get results the right way and willingness to learn about advanced technical processes, along with the ability to listen and to trust subject-matter experts.
Based on your experience what’s something about the refinery that people in Richmond might find interesting?
People might not know that the Richmond Refinery was the first large refinery in California.
What’s your favorite part about the refinery’s annual Community Tour Day?
Tour Day is a great opportunity to answer the community’s questions and share our commitment to take care of our business, focus on safety first, and minimize risks to the environment and our community.
Name one fact that you shared with residents during Tour Day.
People believe we only make gasoline for cars. In fact, we make a number of other transportation products that are critical to this region, including 65 percent of the jet fuel used by Bay Area airports and 100 percent of the lubricating oils that are manufactured on the West Coast.
What’s a common misperception about Chevron in the community that you want to clarify?
I don’t think people realize how much thought we give to every decision. We are committed to safe, reliable operations and being part of our community.
