Russell Rosete’s career at the Chevron Richmond Refinery began in plant operations, but even back then in the late 1970s, he had a special passion for technology.
“I always thought computers were the future,” he said.
While one could say Rosete saw the future, he could not have predicted the impact that he himself would have on Chevron Richmond and the local community. Over the years, Rosete built Chevron Richmond’s IT infrastructure from the ground up—growing its server environment from just a few machines to over 100, and implementing pioneering tools that became models for the entire company.
But among Rosete’s greatest accomplishments is the connections he’s created in the local community. Because of him, hundreds of computers Chevron no longer needs were donated to underserved members of the local community, including through a partnership with the nonprofit Stride Center. He developed a reputation for helping to launch careers for aspiring IT professionals from underserved communities.
It’s a legacy that Rosete is only beginning to consider, now that he is retiring from the company on July 1. He marvels that his career began as an operator, a wholly different role.
“You can actually change your career entirely and stay within this company,” Rosete said. “I’ve been blessed. It’s been a wonderful career.”
Connecting Chevron
Rosete’s journey began when he was in high school and took a career-readiness program sponsored by Chevron called the Regional Occupational Program, or ROP. Though that would transition him into a plant operator at the Richmond facility, Rosete never lost sight of his true interest. “It is where I always wanted to go,” he said, recalling the moment he turned down a promotion in process engineering to pursue a role in the refinery’s budding IT department.
Rosete’s work helped transform Chevron’s digital operations. He developed systems that not only improved communication across refinery locations, but also laid the foundation for predictive maintenance and data analytics. “The biggest thing about IT is information—getting the information to the right people as quickly as you can,” he said. “It’s about efficiency and being able to fix potential problems before they happen.”
Connecting the community
As Rosete saw hundreds of computers being replaced during Chevron Richmond system upgrades, he had an idea: donate the surplus to community members in need. “I said, ‘Hey, can we donate some of these to the churches and schools?’” That effort grew into partnerships with groups like Street Tech (later renamed the Stride Center), where Rosete helped launch careers for aspiring IT professionals from underserved communities.
“I would hire them short term for them to get experience,” he said. “And then they could hopefully get a job somewhere else.” Many did. One former trainee is now a server administrator at the refinery; others went on to IT jobs across the Bay Area.
“These guys know what they’re doing,” Rosete said proudly of the students who overcame the odds to thrive in a competitive industry.
Rosete also served on advisory boards for local colleges, helped rewrite outdated IT curricula, and advocated for the inclusion of tools like Power BI to give students access to high-demand skills. “Now you just opened another set of doors for these people to apply into,” he told college administrators.
Unplugging? Not quite.
Even as he prepares for retirement, Rosete’s passion for learning hasn’t slowed. “I’m always in this actual learning mode… I just like this stuff,” he said.
Upcoming plans include skiing, bonsai tree cultivation, French cooking classes, and continued community volunteering.
Rosete credited Chevron for allowing him to pursue his passion for IT without ever needing to leave the company—something he emphasized as a major reason he stayed for decades.
“Chevron promotes and supports you moving forward, growing and even changing careers,” he said.
That support helped to generate a lengthy career of connection, innovation, and purpose that will power Richmond for generations to come.
