Robert Downstream

Downstream and Renewables Manager

Downstream

 

United States

1. What is your profession? Or if you are retired, what was your profession?

Consultant

2. What are your areas of expertise?

3. Current employer:

Top secret information

4. Previous employers:

Motiva Enterprises LLC, Shell Oil Products US, Shell Wind Energy, Shell Chemical

5. How did you end up in the Energy Industry?

I wound up in the Energy Business by chance. As a young college student I took a job as a plant operator at the Shell distribution terminal in Doraville Ga and 33 years later I retired.  

6. Why do you like working with Start-Ups?

I believe the startup phase is the most exciting and most fun part of a new business. It is complex and challenging but there is no better feeling than when you deliver the project. I also enjoy teaching and helping people and having worked in so many differing business units I have a lot of knowledge I can share.

Okay, now for some fun things about Mr. Downstream…

7. What are three of your interests outside of work?

• I enjoy golfing, made all the better when travelling to a beautiful destination.

• I have a boat and my wife and I spend every weekend we can on the lake.

• Travelling, my wife and I have visited 12 countries and counting.

8. What are your top 3 accomplishments (personal or professional)?  Don’t be shy!  Give ‘em to us.

• My personal accomplishment has been raising my stepson. He is entering his junior year of college and has maintained a strong GPA and I hope that my guidance has helped him and I hope to continue guiding him when he asks.

• Professionally my biggest accomplishment would be creating and delivering the LNG supply chain for N. America. This was an enormous undertaking as the business had never existed in Shell, the knowledge didn't exist, the premise wasn't well understood across the functions and vendors in the industry had never experienced Shell's drive for zero HSE incidents. I built my team, developed the operating model and then brought all the functions along and we delivered 100% of our objectives on time and on budget and had a lot of fun along the way.

• I have led many huge projects in my career but one in particular was extra fulfilling not because of what we delivered but because of the comments my team made to me once we finished the project. The team shared with me when the project started that everyone of them told me that what I was trying to do could not be done, but in the end it was not only completed but we didn't experience any issues. They further said that that felt lucky to have someone like me to push them to do what couldn't be done.

9. If I were a superhero, my superpower would be               .

I don't think I would want a single power as that would make me one dimensional but I would want the ability to reason, mentor and lead others.

10. When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a                 when I grew up.

That was a long time ago but I probably wanted to be a fireman.

11. If I weren't so damn good at what I do now, I'd probably be                 .

I always wanted to be a Marin Biologist.

12.  My favorite song is               by            .

"Sitting On the Dock of The Bay".

13.  If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd          .

I always wanted to start a half way house for the homeless. I would have dorm rooms and a wardrobe room so they could interview for jobs and once they found a job they would have fresh clothes for each work day and after 6 months of employment and saving money they would then move out on their own.

14.  The best piece of advice I've ever been given is                              .

All things in moderation.