Jay Culver is the director of the incumbent workforce at the LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology. He has 26 years of experience in the industry. Before this, Culver worked at OxyChem as a process technician, training specialist, and training supervisor. He also worked as a training specialist for Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia before joining San Jacinto College.
Contact CPET
Leaders at the Center for Petrochemical Energy and Technology (CPET) are key to its success. They help create lessons and teach, training workers and getting the next generation of skilled professionals ready for careers.
Leading the Charge at CPET
Jim Griffin, Associate Vice Chancellor, Senior Vice President - LyondellBasell Center
for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology
Jim has over 30 years of experience in the petrochemical industry. He's seen how job needs have changed and how workers now need degrees and certificates. Jim started his career as a an environmental, health, and safety engineer in Illinois, after writing his master’s thesis on chlorine safety. He’s also held several leadership roles, including:
- Chairman of the Board for EHCMA
- Corporate Director and Plant Manager at various chemical plants
- Vice President of Manufacturing at Dianal America
- Manufacturing Director at PolyOne Corp.
Contact Jim at 281-542-2089 or James.Griffin@sjcd.edu.
Meet CPET’s Leaders
James Ragaisis
Dean of Business and Technology
James has worked in the industry for over 20 years as a consultant, teacher, and
leader. He is on the board of the Arizona Tooling & Machining Association Training
Center. He is also a member of the National Tooling and Machining Association Education
Team and the South Pasadena Rotary.
Contact James at 281-476-1806 or James.Ragaisis@sjcd.edu.
Contact James at 281-476-1806 or James.Ragaisis@sjcd.edu.
Tom Stang
Director of Petrochemical Technology
Tom has 42 years of experience in the industry and has worked for several major
companies. Before joining San Jacinto College, he spent 15 years at Dow Chemical,
where he worked as an engineer and led operations and improvements in infrastructure.
Contact Tom at 281-542-2042 or Thomas.Stang@sjcd.edu.
Contact Tom at 281-542-2042 or Thomas.Stang@sjcd.edu.
Joe Zwiercan
Department Chair, Petrochemical and Energy
Joe has more than 30 years of experience in construction, contract and plant maintenance,
logistics, accounting, fire, medical, HAZMAT, and core rescue. He’s the Education
Co-Chair for the North American Process Technology Alliance (NAPTA) and is a member
of the Instrument Society of Automation (ISA), NAPTA, and the Texas Education Agency
(TEA) for the State of Texas Energy Advisory Committee.
Contact Joe at 281-998-6150 ext. 1352 or Joseph.Zwiercan@sjcd.edu.
Contact Joe at 281-998-6150 ext. 1352 or Joseph.Zwiercan@sjcd.edu.
Jeff Pearce
CPET Coordinator of Education and Workforce
Jeff works on CPET’s marketing, recruiting, and outreach. He helps students build
soft skills and connects them with professionals. Jeff is on the Scholarship and Communications
Committees for Petrochemworks. As a former college coach, he helps teachers work better
together.
Contact Jeff at (281) 542-2027 ext. 1413 or Jeffrey.Pearce@sjcd.edu.
Contact Jeff at (281) 542-2027 ext. 1413 or Jeffrey.Pearce@sjcd.edu.
Kelly Groaning
Training Coordinator, CPET Incumbent Workforce
Kelly Groaning has an Associate's degree in Chemistry from San Jacinto College
and a Bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Houston, Clear Lake. She
has worked in different jobs at a masterbatch plant, such as Inventory Specialist,
Lab Tech Coordinator, Process Specialist, Logistics Supervisor, and Scheduler. Now,
she works as a Training Coordinator at San Jacinto College.
Contact Kelly at (281) 478-2709 or
Kelly.Groaning@sjcd.edu.
Contact Kelly at (281) 478-2709 or
Kelly.Groaning@sjcd.edu.
Shawn Dickerson
Department Chair – Petrochemical & Energy: PTAC and EH&S
Shawn Dickerson is an Air Force veteran and the new San Jacinto College Central Campus
Department Chair. Shawn brings more than 10 years of industry experience to his role
as a process operator in the areas of utilities, distillation, and cryogenics. Shawn
was a process technology instructor at the College for two years before his position
as Chair. As a former instructor, he strives for students' success. He is also a member
of the North American Process Technology Alliance (NAPTA) as well.
Contact Shawn at (281) 478-2712 or
Shawn.dickerson@sjcd.edu
www.facebook.com/SJCCPET
Contact Shawn at (281) 478-2712 or
Shawn.dickerson@sjcd.edu
www.facebook.com/SJCCPET
The CPET Team
Experts from across industries make up our advisory councils. These groups help shape
curriculum and represent the very best of the petrochemical, energy, and technology
fields.
Randy Boeding, R Boeding Group, LLC
Bob Bradshaw, INEOS Olefins and Polymers USA
Heather Broussard, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
Chad Burke, Economic Alliance Houston Port Region
Omar Chapa, Kaneka North America LLC
Don Empfield, Jr., Turn2 Specialty Companies
Cathy Gill, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
David Gosnay, LyondellBasell
Mike Gremillion, ISC Constructors, LLC
Jeff Hackney, Emerson Automation Solutions
Scott Hardegree, Kuraray
Monty Heins, Dow Chemical
Brandon Mabile, ECHMA
Charles Neal, Kuraray
Joshua Nehlig, TPC Group
Zach Philips, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
Stacy Putman, INEOS Olefins and Polymers USA
Tifanie Steele, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
Carla Thompson, Turner Industries Group
Dennis Winkler, Winkler Public Relations
W. L. “Bill” Baker, Pfeiffer & Son Ltd.
Brock Bihm, Mr. Electric
Laurie Bricker, Trio Electric
Michael Corrigan, TECO Westinghouse
Terry Droege, TDEC, Inc.
Phillip Jones, ACCESS Electric, Inc.
Meredith Mauricette, Trio Electric
Steve Piatt, ABACUS Plumb. AC & Elect.
Brandon Slaydon, ABACUS Plumb. AC & Elect.
Charles Smith, Thurmon Construction Co.
Carla Thompson, Turner Industries Group
Ronnie Tinsley, Direct Electric
Bill Ward, Wesco Systems, Inc.
David Wilson, Southwest Signs
Arturo Zuniga, AED Green Lighting
Phillip Arroyo, Altair Strickland
George Ayala, Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery
Richard Bass, Kuraray
Mary Buchanan, Noltex
Don Cox, Total Safety
David Folmar, Starcon
Kimberly Mason, Associated General Contractors
Greg Mills, Shell Oil
Laura Nichols, Phillips 66
Amy Parent
Jason Rosenboom, Cajun Contractors, LLC
Ed Scheinberg, University of Houston- Downtown
Seth Wilkins, Cajun Contractors, LLC
Owen Farmer, NASA/Johnson Space Center
David Fredrichsen, Worley
Jesus Gonzalez, JEGON Industrial
Jeff Gourley, Draco Global Solutions
Keith Grogan, Bureau Veritas North America, Inc.
Jim Gustafson, Acuren Inspection
Lupe Hernandez Jr., Worley
Will Huff, Greater Houston ASNT (itRobotics)
Don Locke, Hellier NDT
Dave Menne, Olympus America, Inc.
Robert Ott, McDowell Safety & Health Services
Michael Prior, Quality Institute of America (QIA), Inc.
Chris Rahe, D&C Inspection Services, Inc.
Chris Rodriguez, Olympus America, Inc.
Allen Sanders, AMERAPLEX Corp.
Donald Savage, Turner Industries Group
John Stoll, ARC Specialties
Juan Alberto Villarreal, Austin Industrial
John Willis, Eco Services Operations
Scott Witkowski, Republic Testing Laboratories, LLC
Gene Beebe, Vector Controls & Automation
Gary Cowart, Dow Chemical
John Gardner, Siemens
Rachelle Henson, W.R. Grace
Gregg Kennedy, Ineos Olefins and Polymers USA
EJ Malek, Puffer-Sweiven
Andrea Shiloh, East Harris County Empowerment Council
Gina Sweeney, Certified Staffing
Jeff Tilley, Flint Hills Resources
Benjamin Ford, Air Products
David Gosnay, LyondellBasell
Carrie Hebert, Ineos Styrolution America, LLC
Rachelle Henson, W.R. Grace
Dennis Johnson, GoJohnson
Kaci Johnson, GoJohnson
Herbert Lee, Kaneka North America, LLC
Terry Phillips, W.R. Grace
Stacy Putman, Ineos Olefins and Polymers USA
Claudia Ramirez, Kuraray
Charles Saunders, Ineos Styrolution America, LLC
Mark Staes, LyondellBasell
Ronald Wills, Air Products
