By Mike Aldax
Gerardo Ibarra, known affectionately to his colleagues as “G,” launched his career at Chevron Richmond three decades ago with the basic goal of supporting his family. Today, with his daughters grown and through college, his mission has evolved into protecting the health and welfare of his fellow workers and the community he calls home.
In 1993, Ibarra was working at UPS and living in the Iron Triangle at the corner of Harbour Way and Macdonald Avenue. With a baby on the way, he visited the Richmond Employment Development Department (EDD). A caseworker there worked with him for 30 days to help him apply for a position at the refinery. Ibarra notes he was one of 1,500 people taking the entrance test. He successfully secured a spot in a hiring class of only a dozen people and officially started his career as an operator on July 18, 1994.
Ibarra rose through the ranks to become a head operator. He appreciated the flexibility the refinery offered in both roles and schedules, which allowed him to be a present father.
“Because of shift work, I’ve done so much with my kids in school, like field trips,” he said. “It really helped me engage with them.”
His three daughters eventually graduated from Bishop O’Dowd and St. Mary’s College.
Today, Ibarra is a workforce safety specialist on the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) team, where he urges coworkers and contractors to prioritize their well-being. He serves as a visible presence in the field, advocating for “Stop Work Authority,” a policy that allows any worker to halt a task they deem unsafe without fear of consequence.
“The basic message is, stop what you’re doing,” Ibarra said. “Don’t get hurt. Your opinion matters.”
He finds that his years of operational experience allow him to connect with workers on a peer-to-peer level, ensuring that safety is a shared conversation rather than a top-down directive.
This role follows his time as an environmental field coordinator, where he collaborated with technical teams to minimize the refinery’s environmental footprint. For Ibarra, safety and environmental protection are personal.
“I have family that live here,” he noted. “I have aunts, uncles, cousins that live right outside this gate.”
He takes pride in the fact that many contractors prefer the Richmond site because of its rigorous safety standards, often hearing from them that they feel safer here than at industrial sites in other states.
Though he now lives in Pinole, Ibarra remains an active advocate and volunteer in Richmond. He speaks out against outdated perceptions of the city, noting its scenic waterfront and the endurance of local businesses, such as a long-running taco truck at 21nd and Macdonald. He enjoys volunteering, whether it is walking dogs at the Milo Foundation or judging a local robotics competition. He also uses his bilingual skills to talk with Spanish-speaking residents during community events, such as Chevron Richmond’s Community Tour Day.
As Ibarra approaches 32 years at the refinery, he views his career as a testament to the opportunities available in his own backyard. He encourages anyone interested in a similar path to step out of their comfort zone and apply, just as he did three decades ago.
For “G,” the goal of his work remains straightforward.
“If we’re in a position as a company or as a person to make somebody’s life just a little easier, that resonates,” he said.
