PROFILE: SI Group shift leaders went from contractors to company men

FREEPORT

SI Group Global Manufacturing, which manufactures chemical intermediates, specialty resins and solutions, has been in Brazosport for more than 50 years by different names. But during its time in Freeport, quite a few names haven’t changed.

Gary Yerina is one of them.

“I got hired in ’81 after putting in an application,” Yerina said. “I had worked as a contractor for a local electric company and I thought the future was to get a more permanent job.”

Since then, the 59-year-old Yerina has moved up the ranks from trainee to shift leader, and is now a mentor to many.

“It was inevitable because shift leader is the very same position my mentor had when I first started,” he said.

“When I got hired, I was only 22 years old and the other people from my shift were at least 35 or older,” he said. “There were only five guys on my shift, so we were all pretty close. I learned a lot from all four of them and looked up to the shift leader.”

Wes Schmidt also started out as a contractor. A friend who was employed at SI Group convinced him it was a great place to work. That was 32 years ago.

While a process tech back in 1986, today Schmidt is a shift supervisor.

“Back in ’86, my wife and I were in the process of having children and we needed medical,” Schmidt said. “It’s a great company that treats you like family.”

Schmidt noted some of SI’s benefits include paternal and maternal leave.

“My happiest day was when my wife called me from the hospital to tell me she was in labor with our second child,” he said. “I met her after work and was back at work the next day. While we didn’t have maternity/paternity leave back then, now for the dads it’s two weeks and moms get longer.”

Yerina’s mentoring days started out early in his career, recruiting Steve Glidden 28 years ago.

“Gary put in a good word for me and they hired me,” Glidden said. “Currently, I’m an operator, but they’re transitioning me into Gary’s shift leader position for when he retires.”

Glidden’s favorite part of his career at SI Group has been his opportunities to travel.

“They sent me to Korea about eight years ago,” he said. “Occasionally they send operators around the world for training or starting up other plants. My job was P.H.A. — process hazard analysis, which means to minimize the hazards. Once they built the plant, Gary and I went there to help them start it up. I turned 50 over there.”

Yerina, Schmidt and Glidden wouldn’t trade their experiences or camaraderie for anything.

“If I had to start over in my 20s, I’d do it all over again,” Schmidt said. “The future looks good for the industry down here. Lots of conscientious, detail-oriented younger employees who are just joining the workforce.”