Chem395:Acme employees

Acme Chemical Company

Chemistry for the 21st Century

Jesse Federman: Environmental Manager

Qualifications: BS in Environmental Studies (2003), MS in Pollution Control (2005).

Joined Acme: 2006

Experience before Acme: One year as Assistant Environmental Manager at an Amoco petrochemicals plant.

Jesse is fairly new to Acme, and he is eager to make a good impression. He is enthusiastic about his work, and he believes passionately in the need for pollution prevention. He has argued strongly since he came that the company needs to modernize its approach, by adopting initiatives such as ISO 14000, and it now seems that his voice is now being heard. But Jesse is diplomatic, and astute enough not to "rock the boat" by asking for too much too quickly.

Jesse is a hard worker, though he doesn't like visiting the smelly corners of the plant, as he does worry about what toxic fumes may be present. This undermines his reputation among the plant workers, who tend to perceive him as one of the "office guys", but they do value his advocacy on their behalf for improvements to their working environment. He also earned a lot of respect after his success in persuading management to build an enclosure for the BCC process, which had been a regular source of smelly fumes in the north end of the plant. Jesse is well liked among the administrative staff, but the lab manager resents his intrusions, and the two have clashed over enforcement of EPA rules in the laboratory.

Chris Murphy: Production Manager

• Education: BS in Chemistry
• Joined Acme: 1994
• Experience before Acme: Shift foreman (5 years), shift manager (10 years)

When he joined the company in 1994, Chris Murphy brought 15 years of production experience, and he was responsible for much of how the new plant (1999) was designed. He is respected as a “no-nonsense” manager, though this means that he can lose patience in meetings where people begin to digress or when no progress appears to be made. He is a “company man,” very dedicated to the company’s success, and this explains his willingness to work on the environmental committee, despite his reservations about whether or not it will actually do anything worthwhile. He believes that some environmental improvements may be necessary to meet EPA regulations, but he doesn't want such things to hurt the company's profits. He prides himself on the fact that the plant has an excellent production record, with little "down time" in the reactors. He is liked by most of the plant workers, though he drives them hard. He gets on well with the lab people, but is less popular with some of the newer administrative staff.

Bob Johnson: Lab Manager

• Education: PhD in organic chemistry from UC-Davis
• BS in chemistry from U-Wisconsin at Madison

Bob Johnson has been with the company since 1993, having worked at the original plant (now closed). He is responsible for developing the TAC process, which now provides a large portion of the company’s income. Bob hates having to go to meetings, as he would rather be working in the lab. However, having been manager for five years, he has begun to accept that sometimes he needs to be involved, and he grudgingly accepts that the safety improvements and ISO 9001 have brought some benefits. He is also becoming interested in “green chemistry,” as the challenge of designing processes that are safer appeals to his inquisitive nature. He is a good friend of Chris (production manager) who is another one of the “old guard” of long-time employees. He can be rather intolerant of the newer staff, particularly those in sales.