Retiree Spotlight

Many Chevron retirees live very active lives, embarking on new adventures and sharing their time, skills and knowledge with others. We share some of their stories here, in an effort to recognize them for the example they set and inspiration they bring to others

If you or someone you know wants to be featured in the Retiree Spotlight, use the contact form at the end of this page

Jeff
St. Clair

As a long term Board member and volunteer at Ark of Highland Lakes, Texas, Jeff St. Clair is proud to practice the leadership, problem solving and teamwork skills he learned during his 35-year career at Chevron. Jeff and his wife Pam became involved with the organization in 2022, when it was known as the Highland Lakes Crisis Network. “I was impressed by the organization’s support for communities affected by natural disasters and by its motto, ‘Love God, love people,’” says Jeff. The organization’s concern for the dangers of flooding in its core area of Burnet and Llano counties helped lead to its renaming as the Ark of Highland Lakes in early 2025, A few months later, the renaming proved especially fortuitous, as Central Texas experienced its most devastating inland flooding in almost half a century. The Ark responded with compassion and efficiency that would have impressed that earlier Ark denizen, Noah. “The people of Burnet and Llano counties were especially hard-hit by the flooding, which came in two waves, causing fatalities and significant property damage,” says Jeff. “The damage was extreme and we were needed everywhere.” Immediate needs included doing the muck-up work on houses, apartments and mobile homes; and raising money for individuals who lost jobs, cars, and other possessions. The Ark is working to raise another $5m for home rebuilds/repairs. One of Jeff’s areas of responsibility involves the Ark’s Warehouse, which provides food, supplies and other necessities to needy families and individuals. “At the warehouse, we have more than 200 volunteers receiving supplies six days a week from the Hill Country and cities in and out of Texas,” says Jeff. “Anyone in Burnet County who is impacted can come to our warehouse for clothes, furniture, food, cleaning supplies and other items.” Jeff also co-leads the Ark’s Transformational Living program, which helps provide housing for single Moms and children while assisting single mothers to “set goals, accept the need for accountability, and get out of poverty.”. The Ark’s effectiveness during the recent flooding led to its selection by the Burnet County Commissioner as fiduciary for monetary donations to assist in the recovery. Jeff is proud that other Chevron retirees from the region can provide financial support through the company’s Matching Gifts program. Jeff makes clear that the Ark’s mission isn’t limited to catastrophic incidents, such as the recent flooding. “Throughout the year, we also support impoverished individuals with a range of needs, from food to dental care.” Local dentists and technicians have donated their time to provide basic dental needs to hundreds of clients at no cost. Prior to joining the Ark, Jeff and his wife devoted six years to supporting the Highland Lakes Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA). Jeff and Pam managed seven cases involving 18 children and assisted CASA at numerous community events. The organization needed volunteers with skills to represent children across a wide spectrum of needs, including abuse, neglect, and cases in which parents were incarcerated,” says Jeff. “We regularly met with the children, their parents, school counselors, therapists and lawyers to prepare to represent them in court.” He continues, “I’m proud that I had the ability to connect with the children and hear their stories without ever changing the facts. One memorable circumstance involved a mother with four children who had been incarcerated and was being denied custody. Jeff became involved in helping the woman get her life back in order. “We worked together and she did everything she needed to regain custody,” Jeff recalls. “I’m still in touch with her and it’s gratifying to see how she’s helping her kids be successful.” He adds, “I’ve been fortunate to have this kind of opportunity to work with people, whatever crisis they’re confronting

Bill
Long

When Bill Long moved to California’s Marin County as a Chevron employee in 1969, he quickly realized his calling as an advocate for the area’s quality of life. Since then, as a volunteer for various organizations, his leadership has left a legacy of open spaces, trails, parks, clean water, recycling and waste reduction for generations to come. One of his most noteworthy contributions has grown out of his service on the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council as a member of its board for more than 30 years, including about 15 of those years as chair. When Bill joined the organization in 1994, California’s Bay Area Ridge Trail extended for 165 miles. Today, it spans almost 415 miles, and Bill isn’t done yet. He hopes to help extend the trail for another 100 miles or more. And he is currently working with U.S. Representative Jared Huffman of California to have the trail designated as a National Scenic Trail – a rare designation shared by just 11 U.S. trails singled out for their recreational opportunities and for the conservation of the significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of the areas through which they pass. “Preserving and enjoying Marin’s open space has been my passion ever since I arrived here more than 50 years ago,” says Bill. While pursuing a rewarding career at Chevron, Bill found time to devote numerous hours to volunteer activities, which grew out of his early love of sailing and hiking and his more recent role as a Boy Scout leader, One early activity involved his work on the ballot measure that successfully created the Marin County Parks and Open Space District in 1972, after which he served on its commission for ten years. More recently, Bill played a major role in the 2008 creation of the Marin Open Space Trust, which works with public agencies to protect natural lands from development. The trust helped preserve a Pacheco Valle meadow, Bald Hill in Ross and, more recently, about 100 acres in Fairfax. “Those have all been very satisfying because at the end of the day, after you’ve done all the work, it’s not just a stack of paper; it’s a piece of property for the public to have and enjoy,” Bill says. “By creating the Open Space Trust, we were able to work with local communities and acquire land that can be turned into public parks.” Bill has also been an advocate for clean water, taking an active role as a Board member of the Novato Sanitary District. “After I joined the district’s board in 2000, we recognized the need to build a new wastewater treatment plant,” says Jim. “Because of my engineering background, I was helpful in planning and completing the design of the plant, which was built on top of the old one.” Bill also advocated for water recycling and was instrumental in the creation and success of the North Bay Water Reuse Authority. The program, which began in 2002, involves a collaboration of 11 public agencies to recycle water, build capacity and increase the resiliency of the area’s water supply. “During this period, I became an informal lobbyist, making 10 trips to Washington, D.C. to seek support for new wastewater treatment plants,” says Jim. His volunteer activities have earned him various accolades. In 2003 the Chevron Retirees Association recognized him for his work on the Bay Area Ridge Trail and other environmentally related projects. And in February 2025, he was recognized as the City of Novato’s Citizen of the Year. During a ceremony in his honor, County Supervisor Eric Lucan said, “Bill has been a dedicated volunteer and advocate for Novato for over 50 years, leading initiatives that have improved environmental sustainability, flood control and open space preservation. His contributions in Novato, Marin and the greater Bay Area benefit us all now and will be felt for years to come.” As he ponders his many achievements, Bill continues to have new goals for the trails, the open spaces, and the quality of life in Marin County. His goals are tempered by the fact that “at age 88, I recognize my limits.” Still, his impressive years of volunteerism suggest that he’ll continue to find a way to advance his goals for the region.

Tom
Crowe

A winner of CRA’s 2025 PSA Award, Chevron retiree Tom Crowe has provided critical support during emergencies and disasters as a highly committed volunteer for the American Red Cross of Kern County, California. Over the past nine years, Tom has dedicated over 4,700 hours to support the Red Cross’s mission, while unfailingly demonstrating his core goal of “wanting to help people in their time of need.” Nothing demonstrates Tom’s commitment more than the role he has played at Red Cross shelters during a succession of destructive fires in the Bakersfield area from 2016 to 2025. He recalls his experience as a volunteer in 2016 when the area was hit by the Erskine fire, the state’s second largest conflagration of the year. “Early that morning I got a call to drive one of the organization’s emergency response vehicles to a shelter where I then worked every day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., helping to make sure the survivors had blankets and cots and got served three meals a day. The hardest part of all was dealing with their mental anguish as many of them coped with the loss of everything they owned.” He continues, “Helping people through this difficult psychological period is another area in which the Red Cross excels, as they provide survivors with case workers and keep track of them after they leave the shelter.” For the past two years, Tom has also made presentations designed to teach people how to prepare for and respond to disasters such as house fires, wildfires, earthquakes, and flooding. He delivers one of the presentations, titled Pillowcase, to children in the 3rd to 5th grades. “I bring along an actual pillowcase and ask them what they’d need to put in it to be safe during a natural disaster.” A second presentation, titled Be Red Cross Ready, is designed for adults. These programs have been very successful. During 2023 and 2024, I made over 54 presentations to 1200 students and 539 adults,” Tom says. “When I give the presentations, I ask questions like, ‘If a tornado hits, where would you go? What would you do for food?’ And what’s apparent is how unprepared most people are for disasters.” A strong component of Tom’s presentations, especially those he gives to adults, is the role the Red Cross can play in maintaining their safety. “I tell people, ‘If you have a problem, call the Red Cross.’” For his role, he has been a three-time recipient of the Red Cross’ Disaster Preparedness Award, given to a volunteer who has made outstanding contributions in furthering the organization’s preparedness program. In 2021, Tom also received the Operations Award, which is given to volunteers who show exceptional commitment and service to in-fleet management. Tom explains, “The Red Cross has three vehicles and an Emergency Response Vehicle in Bakersfield. My specific duties include maintaining these vehicles and making sure they are available and in top condition at any time they are needed.” Another of Tom’s responsibilities involves installing smoke detectors. “I led a group assigned to install smoke detectors on a weekly basis,” Tom explains. “I also worked on 'Sound the Alarm' events where a large group of Red Cross volunteers would install smoke detectors in a large community. The smoke detector program has been very successful. ln two years, we installed 2,301 detectors in 649 houses, making 2,874 people safe.” Tom’s interest in volunteering was sparked during his years of working as a petroleum engineer for Texaco in Bakersfield. There, he began volunteering at the local homeless center, serving meals and tutoring high-school-age children in math.Following the Chevron-Texaco merger, Tom worked for the newly formed company on rotational assignments in Angola and Nigeria. “In Africa, I learned that Chevron is really committed to helping others,” Tom says. “During my time there, I volunteered at an orphanage, where I helped to build houses and worked with the local kids on their studies.” When Tom retired in 2016, he recalls, “I felt good after having helped other people and knew I wanted to work for a non-profit. I was introduced to the Red Cross through an acquaintance who had a high position there.” He quickly took on assignments with the Red Cross and learned about the organization’s effectiveness and geographic reach. “When a natural disaster occurs, the Red Cross can set up a shelter anywhere in California within two hours,” Tom says. “And when they need extra volunteers, they canvas for extra volunteers as far away as North Carolina.” Working the Red Cross has enabled Tom to say proudly, “Every day I’m helping someone.”

Marty
King

A 2025 recipient of CRA’s Public Service Award, Chevron retiree Marty King is passionate about his volunteer service as pilot for those in need of medical care far from home. “There’s a unique kind of magic that happens when you combine a passion for flying with a desire to make a difference,” Marty says, describing his two decades of “compassion flying,” originally for Angel Flight South Central and since 2008 for Pilots for Patients. “Each flight isn't just a journey through the skies; it's a lifeline, a beacon of hope, and a testament to the boundless possibilities that unfold when people come together for a greater good.” Marty’s passengers live in a wide range of mostly rural homes spread across Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana and are usually being transported to the Houston Medical Center. “With Pilots for Patients, I bridge distances not just geographically but emotionally, connecting patients with critical care while alleviating the burden of frequent travel to the medical center,” Marty explains. “There is anecdotal evidence that removing the stress of travel allows for better patient outcomes. Imagine being told you have a terrible disease, then having to navigate Houston traffic, especially if you're from a small town in West Texas or Northern Louisiana. Houston traffic is even stressful for me!” Marty’s fascination with flight developed early, encouraged by his father’s role as an Air Force instructor. After he earned his pilot’s license in 1979, he often rented planes to hone his skills and to visit his father, who had moved to Arkansas. “I really enjoyed flying,” Marty says. “It felt natural for me to be sitting in the cockpit of a plane traveling at 120 miles an hour.” Marty experienced a dramatic change when he bought his first plane in 2004 from a friend who was also a pilot for Angel Flight South Central. “He introduced me to the incredible work and need, which started my journey in compassion flying after I began volunteering for Angel Flight South Central,” Marty explains. His dedication to compassion flying continued when he became a volunteer for Pilots for Patients in 2008. He even managed to continue his volunteerism during the four years in which he worked in Angola for Chevron’s Energy Technology Company’s automation team. With a schedule of 28 days at work and 28 days off, he was able to return regularly to Texas, where he continued transporting patients to the Houston Medical Center. “Pilots for Patients is more than an organization; it's a community bound by compassion and a commitment to service,” says Marty. “The dedicated team—from coordinators to fellow pilots—works tirelessly to ensure that every journey is safe and meaningful. Being part of this network has enriched my life, offering camaraderie and a shared purpose that's both motivating and fulfilling.” Marty describes the process of compassion flying as “elegantly simple yet profoundly impactful.” He explains that patients or their families reach out to Pilots for Patients, and flights are coordinated based on location and availability. At the outset of each flight, Marty interacts with his passengers, helping to make them comfortable and encouraging them to experience the joy of flying. “I typically fly twice a month, traversing routes that take me across our beautiful region—from quaint rural towns into airports I would not normally visit. Safety and comfort are paramount; every detail is attended to so that my passengers can focus on their health and well-being. Once I drop the passengers off at a Houston airport, Houston Ground Angels transports them to their hospital appointments or hotel accommodation.” Marty’s plane is a 1981 single-engine Beechcraft A36 with a cruising speed of 170 knots (195 MPH) and a range of 1,200 miles with a full load of 100LL aviation gas. On a clear day, he can fly using Visual Flight Rules, but he usually flies by Instrument Flight Rules and relies on air traffic controllers, which requires changing radio frequencies as he travels across various jurisdictions. “Owning a plane is kind of like owning a boat in that a certain amount of periodic maintenance is required, such as when an engine needs replacement after accumulating 2,000 hours, which is equivalent to 390,000 miles. “I live in Friendswood, Texas, at an airpark, Polly Ranch, and our small neighborhood consists of many other pilots, some of whom have more than one plane,” Marty says. “Our ‘garages’ are hangars, and our ‘back yards’ all connect to a small runway, which makes it very convenient to store our planes and get up in the air quickly.” The testimonials from patients and their families are a constant source of inspiration. One note that stays with Marty reads: "Your generosity has not only carried us to medical care but also lifted our spirits when we needed it most." He says, “These words reinforce the profound impact that compassion and service can have on someone's journey.”

Arthur Trochesset

February 9th, 2025, was a very special day for James Arthur Trochesset. On that day, he turned 100 and was honored by the state of Mississippi with a Proclamation, HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 13 COMMENDING MR. JAMES ARTHUR THROCHESSET ON THE AUSPICIOUS AND BLESSED OCCASION OF HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY. The proclamation was signed into law and presented to him by Mississippi Speaker Pro Tempore, Manly Barton, who was Arthur’s co-worker at Chevron’s Pascagoula Refinery and later became his state representative. His proud escort to his birthday celebration from his little town was a dozen members of the local veterans' motorcycle group. By now, Arthur is used to celebrating “firsts.” He was a member of the original crew when the refinery opened in 1963 -- a memorable occasion for Chevron. When the refinery began operations, it was the biggest and most modern refinery in the industry. And Arthur was a solid contributor to the refinery’s early operations. He first worked in the ISO-1 (ISOMAX) plant before moving on to ISO-2, Chevron’s patented process to convert heavy material into jet fuel. He spent his last four years with Chevron as head operator in Crude-2, the crude distillation unit that is the heart of the refinery. Arthur was also instructor in these plants and taught many new employees to be operators. Arthur says that he retired in 1986. At that time, the company was offering an attractive severance package. In retirement, he still retains a connection to the refinery, since his two sons (one now retired) and two grandsons found employment there. There are more potential recruits from his offspring - 10 children, 19 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren! After Arthur retired, he volunteered for five years at the local food kitchen, Our Daily Bread, as a driver delivering meals to shut-ins. He and his family subsequently moved to the village of Helena, Mississippi, where he kept a large garden, from which he often shared his produce with Our Daily Bread, family and friends. He also retained his deep love of fishing. His daughter Mary Guardia recalls, “My dad has lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for his whole life. He was an avid fisherman. He always had boats, several of which he built himself. This wasn't just for sport. Many days after work he would head down to the beach with a cast net to catch mullet for his large family to eat for supper. He also spent time shrimping, oystering, and crabbing. He loved camping with his family, which always included fishing too.” At 100, Arthur retains vivid memories of his service with the Merchant Marines in World War II. He was just 17 when he graduated from D’Iberville High School and tried to join the Navy but was rejected for being too young, A year later, he tried again before finding an opening in the Merchant Marines. “I spent four years sailing around the world on several different ships,” says Arthur. “That included my experience on the Liberty ships, which had a low survival rate in the war. On one ship, my job was to catch the spent shells coming out of guns and throw them overboard,” Arthur continues. “I was given asbestos gloves to grab the hot spent machine gun shells as they came off the ships’ guns and fling them into the ocean. In fact, I never caught one. Instead, I let them fall to deck and then picked them up and tossed them overboard.” He recalls, “My last trip was to New Guinea. Our ship was sitting off coast near an airbase, when an enemy plane dropped a bomb that landed just feet from his ship. One of our fighters took that plane out.” Following in Arthur’s footsteps, three of his six sons -- Zachary, Jim, and Gerald -- joined the military. Zachary served in Vietnam, continuing his father’s experience of serving his country under fire.

Glenn Fortner

As a retiree, Glenn Fortner has savored the many chances to share his varied interests with others. A life-long hobbyist, he already has a workshop full of plastic planes, ships and other models that he built at different ages. He now sits patiently with his grand-children as they put together models, many of them of World War II toy armaments. He also enjoys sharing with them his wide-ranging collection of pocket knives. “Watching my 13 year-old granddaughter paint and do the camouflage on a military model gave me great pleasure,” Glenn says. He is also encouraging his grandchildren to collect baseball cards, as he did from his youth on. “At one point, I had about a million baseball cards before I quit doing it,” Glenn says. “Now and then, my wife Mara complains that we have no more room for all the things I’ve collected.” Both Glenn and his wife have been dedicated community volunteers since his retirement in 2019. “As I am an avid reader, I learned of the Permian Basin Adult Literacy Center needing volunteers to help teach non-citizens to speak English,” Glenn says. “I learned that with the large group of oil companies in the area, there are a lot of individuals from other countries who have come to the U.S. to work in the oil industry, and they and their spouses know little or no English. In fact, there are 46 languages spoken in the Midland school district, specifically because of this. I applied as a volunteer to see if I might be helpful.” He continues, “Fortunately, one of my sons has a Masters in languages and was able to ease my challenge of teaching people who spoke no English. I also drew upon the learning and development skills I’d gained at Chevron.” One of the exercises for his class of 20 students was to assign sections of a book to individual class members, who would then read, however haltingly, from their portions. “I wanted to have the students talking instead of just listening to me,” Glenn says. “It helped them understand the language on more than one level” His next challenge has been to teach and mentor people with Dyslexia through the Permian Basin Adult Literacy Center. “I have had to study the Dyslexia training course to do this, and I am currently two years into teaching a 62-year-old woman who never went past the 9th grade,” says Glenn. “Helping someone understand what words mean has been a rewarding experience for me as well for as the lady I am working with.” He adds that “the center desperately needs one-on-one tutors, and I am working to get some more retirees into this volunteer work.” Another of his current volunteer efforts involves reading printed material to visually impaired people of the West Texas area. “The Recording Library of West Texas started me out reading newspapers front to back each week and gradually asked if I would like to read magazine articles,” says Glenn. “After some time, I was asked if I would like to read books. I naturally accepted and now I am reading books to them each week. As a lover of books, this is right up my alley.” Glenn and his wife share a love of biking, which has taken them on storied trails such as the Paul Bunyan Path in Minnesota and a trail through South Dakota’s Black Hills. “I have a book that lists the 50 best bike trails in the United States, and our goal is to bike through all of them.” He shared his picture on a 40- mile trail trip in San Antonio just before Encore went to press. The physical activity involved in biking blends well with Glenn’s more sedentary hobbies and the extensive volunteer work he has taken on. Heading a busy chapter Glenn has also served for the past 3 years as the president of the CRA Permian Basin Chapter (PBC), the first 1 ½ years while PBC was a satellite of the North Central Texas chapter and the past 1 ½ years as a full-fledged chapter. His wife Mara is secretary/treasurer for the retiree group, and together they serve as relief Meals on Wheels volunteers, who fill in when needed for other volunteers. One of Glenn’s favorite chapter-related activities involves supporting active Chevron employees in their annual Christmas In Action events, which the company has been involved in for more than 40 plus years. “Each year our committee reviews homes that are in desperate need of remodeling and touch-up and choose a couple of houses for the active members to work in the spring,” says Glenn. “You don’t have to be that skilled to participate, especially when we can learn from each other. And it’s not that hard to paint.” The chapter is also involved in the Festival of Trees, which is sponsored by the Adult Protective Society of the Permian Basin. Each year, members decorate a Christmas tree, which is then auctioned off for support of the society’s contribution to financially needy people in the Midland area. “All these activities are part of giving back while we still can,” Glenn says. “It’s very rewarding to have people say they appreciate what we’re doing for them.”

Dan Harris

Chevron Gulf of Mexico retiree Dan Harris always loved science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classes. While growing up in College Station, Texas, he whizzed through math classes to the point where, during his junior year of high school, he hopped on his bicycle and pedaled to the Texas A&M University campus to take a calculus class alongside college students. Nearly two years later, Dan enrolled full-time at Texas A&M to major in petroleum engineering. And it was there he discovered his true passion in a petroleum numerical methods course. This course introduced the fundamentals of petroleum reservoir simulation, which involves constructing mathematical models of subsurface oil and gas reservoirs. After graduating from Texas A&M with B.S. and M.S. degrees in petroleum engineering, Dan joined Chevron Geosciences Company (now Chevron Technology Company) in 1988 in Houston as a reservoir engineer. Over the next 32 years, he worked on key Chevron upstream assets and projects with increasing technical responsibilities in the United States, Kuwait, Indonesia and China. Dan closed out his career as principal reservoir engineer on Chevron’s groundbreaking deepwater Anchor project. But while he was working, Dan found another passion: inspiring students about the fascinating world of STEM careers. In the 1990s he started visiting high school math and science clubs as part of National Engineers Week. The first time he did this, he knew he found a calling. He said, “The students asked many great questions and were eager to learn about how the world works outside of the classroom, and I was thankful to share my knowledge and experiences with them.” Among the topics they discussed was how their algebra studies related to Dan’s work as a reservoir engineer. In one class, he recalled a student’s insistence on identifying how Dan found a single answer to a problem. He told the student, “Working in the field isn’t like school. There’s no perfect answer for reservoir engineering. We analyze a situation and come up with various possible ways of going forward.” Over the course of his career, Dan visited dozens of schools, leaving a lasting impact on many students. Dan’s most memorable visit was to the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, now known as Democracy Prep at Agassi Campus, in Las Vegas. He had heard about Andre Agassi's school in his autobiography Open, which in turn led him to look up the school's website. He intended to talk to the students about engineering careers. Founded by Andre Agassi, the legendary tennis champion, the school was established to address the needs of one of the city’s most underserved communities. “I’d read about the school on its website and contacted the principal, saying I’d be in Las Vegas and asking if I could come and talk to their students about math and science. It was a wonderful experience. The kids were studious and serious and excited by my real-world experience.” While visiting a school during his assignment in San Ramon, Dan was approached by a teacher who invited him to judge at a nearby science fair. The winners of this event advanced to the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which that year was conveniently held just down the road in San Jose. Dan judged both fairs and got hooked all over again. Reflecting on ISEF, he says, “It’s so nice to walk up and down the aisles to engage with the brightest high school students from around the world, thinking, ‘There’s hope.’” He’s judged nearly every year since and found many instances when “I could almost see a bulb light up over the head of a student who was so energized by our conversation, eager to get back to high school and incorporate takeaways into their research”. He continued, “Many of the students were already thinking about applying for energy jobs – or, increasingly, alternative energy jobs – and they were eager to get my perspective. For example, I’d show them a slide and say, ‘Look, each of these dots is an oil well that costs $1 million to drill. And it was my job to get $1 million or more of oil out of that well while protecting people and the environment.' He can converse, albeit not fluently, in six languages, and it’s always a thrill to see the reaction on a student’s face when Dan switches languages while judging. He explained, “One year there was a girl from Qatar who couldn’t stop laughing when I began speaking Arabic. Another year a boy from Malaysia belted out YOU SPEAK MY LANGUAGE! so loudly that everyone around us was startled, including me!” He prioritizes attending ISEF every year in mid-May, regardless of its location. ISEF was last held in Los Angeles, and the next one is scheduled for Columbus, Ohio. Dan remarked, "ISEF, along with local and regional science fairs, offers an excellent structure that accommodates any number of judges. The more judges, the better, as students consistently say that engaging with judges is the most enjoyable part of the fair. I believe judging is an ideal activity for retirees who have much to offer. And who better to inspire than young minds already passionate about STEM?”

Jim Ofcacek

As a lifelong resident of Louisville, Kentucky, Chevron retiree Jim Ofcacek is especially sensitive to the “people living on the margin” in his home city. After he retired in 2017, he quickly recognized the need to do more for the community. And he followed in the footsteps of his older brother Dennis, who had been an active volunteer on behalf of the homeless during his own career at Chevron. Jim found the right organization for his giving spirit when he began volunteering at The Franciscan Kitchen in 2018. The kitchen, which is run by a Louisville based branch of the Franciscan Friars, serves the needy and homeless in an impoverished neighborhood of Louisville. The organization operates solely on donations to buy food and receives surplus food from restaurants, catering companies, bakeries and grocery stores. Jim says that since he joined the organization, “I have done every job at the kitchen but drive the truck to all the facilities that donate food.” He estimates that since he joined, the kitchen has served more than 1 million meals. In addition, he says, “My wife Kathy and I donate monthly to The Franciscan Kitchen. I take advantage of the funds that are made available to me as a Chevron retiree through the Chevron Humankind program that matches our donations and provides $1,000 for volunteer hours.” Jim also encourages others to donate or volunteer to the organization during visits to his community. Monday is typically Jim’s day to work at the kitchen -- arriving early, helping with the cooking or setting up for the day’s influx and serving from the steam table. Most of the recipients are regulars, many surviving on welfare checks or other subsidies, and grateful for the nourishing meals they receive. Other recipients are one-timers, such as a young man who arrived on a frigid February day wearing only a T-shirt, overly large pants and socks. “He was shivering and in obviously desperate need,” Jim recalls. He not only provided the young man with a much-needed meal, but ensured the organization’s friars outfitted him with a full set of clothing. The kitchen, like businesses around the world, had to adapt its way of operating during the pandemic that began in 2020. Rather than serving hot meals directly to recipients, the volunteers provided carefully wrapped food that individuals could take away with them. The kitchen also had to cope with shortages of volunteers and an increased client base. But the staff drew upon the experience of an organization that had been founded in 1980 with a simple mission: “Feed the hungry.” Jim says that the kitchen is prepared to cope with whatever challenge it has faced by relying on “the great people 6 who work as volunteers, especially the cooks who are like angels.” During his years at the kitchen, Jim has relied on the problem-solving skills that he originally learned at Chevron, especially in his position as a lubricants marketer. Jim vividly remembers his experience of going down almost 1,000 feet into a limestone mine at a job site, where he evaluated the workings of a piece of mining equipment and recommended the most effective lubricant to use on it. In addition to his work at the kitchen, Jim devotes many hours each week to helping to raise his grandchildren. He has also become an avid traveler, visiting many of the United States’ national parks and taking a Viking cruise to Europe. The cruise stopped at ports from Paris to Prague. “The visit to Prague was especially memorable because I was able to see where my family came from,” Jim says proudly.

Jay Morris

During his impressive, varied career with Chevron, Jay Morris covered the globe, managing projects from the North Sea to Kazakhstan. When he retired in 2020, Jay looked for a way to give back to his local Houston community. He didn't have far to look. His wife Lynn, also a former Chevron employee, had become administrator of Faithful Paws Pet Therapy's Houston-based organization dedicated to providing unconditional love to residents of schools, hospitals, senior living centers and other organizations through pet therapy. When Lynn asked Jay to join him in an administrative role, he was moved by several of her experiences. One involved a Houston high school at which a shooting had occurred earlier in 2018. When Lynn and her dog visited the school, they received a strong emotional response from everyone from the student body to the football coach. "The value her therapy brought was very profound," Jay recalls. Faithful Paws was founded in 1997 with a mission to spread unconditional love through pet therapy. The organization started with six members and by 2020 it had grown to 150 members with their dogs, rabbits and cats. After Jay became the facilities coordinator for Faithful Paws, he had many first-hand opportunities to witness the powerful impact of pet therapy. His main role was to match facilities requesting visits with volunteers and working out the logistics of the visit. In 2023, Jay was named to the Board of Directors and became treasurer while remaining the facilities coordinator. And throughout the years, he has continued to conduct therapy visits with his dog Presto. In 2020, the Covid pandemic forced Faithful Paws to suspend its customary visits to more than 100 facilities. But that did not last long. Toward the end of 2020, facilities started asking Faithful Paws to return. The facilities knew the joy that pet therapy created, and they needed that joy after a difficult year. Since then, Jay and Lynn have completed over 450 visits with their dogs, Presto and Kyrie. By 2022, Faithful Paws had become Houston's premier pet therapy organization, with over 200 members visiting more than 150 facilities. In 2023, Faithful Paws interacted with over 15,000 people in the Houston Area. The Faithful Paws executive director retired in 2023 and asked Lynn and Jay, along with another member, to take over the organization and make it a standalone entity. The parent organization endorsed the change, and in 2023 Faithful Paws became a stand-alone non-profit 501(c)3 organization with Lynn as executive director and Jay as director. While helping run the "back room", Jay continues to go on visits with Presto. And his visits continue to yield moving experiences, which attest to the power of pet therapy. It takes a special dog to excel at pet therapy. "Some kids want to see a very calm dog," Jay says. "And others want to play with Presto's ears. I think I'm getting better at recognizing when my dog is unhappy and dealing with the situation." Jay recalls a recent visit to the memory care unit of a senior facility. "We were in a unit where the patients were no longer verbal, and it was difficult to bring them out of their shells. But I particularly recall one man who sat with Presto on his lap and broke into the biggest smile. For him and other residents of that facility, our visit had a powerful impact for the rest of the day." Jay relates similar experiences with autistic children, where the therapy visits helped to spark behavioral improvements over the course of time. "I recall parents saying, 'All my child did was to talk about that visit with the dog.'" Faithful Paws is also proving successful in helping corporate employees cope with stressful environments. "A lot of wellness issues have surfaced in many companies, especially since Covid," says Jay. "The companies are looking for ways to relieve this stress, and our visits have led to smiles, laughter and overall happiness in many organizations." Faithful Paws now has its own training program and handbook on Pet Therapy. The training now includes a researcher who provides insights into ways of avoiding mistakes with one's pet. Each training class meets once a week in two-hour sessions. Over the five-week program, dogs learn not to bark or sniff each other and to walk calmly on a loose leash. They also practice not reacting to distractions such as may be provided by a walker, food cart or unexpected sounds. Cats and rabbits are temperament assessed. And all trainees receive in-depth coaching in a class titled "Visit 101," covering approaching a wheelchair, getting on and off an elevator, and appropriate behavior for both human and pet members. The organization continues to grow will have 57 new members trained by the end of 2024. In his expanded role, Jay is responsible for organizational governance and developing the documentation to obtain approvals from the IRS and State of Texas to form a new corporation and become an approved non-profit entity. As treasurer, Jay oversees all bank accounts and accounting processes for Faithful Paws. This includes developing cash flow forecasts and future budgets. Jay is also working on the Five-Year Strategic Plan. As a retired Chevron project manager, these activities are right up his alley.

Tom Rush

More than 6 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer's and over 11 million family and friends provide their unpaid care. The Walk to End Alzheimer's, held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, is the Alzheimer Association's® largest event to raise funds and awareness for the organization's care, support and research programs. Chevron retiree Tom Rush (in his signature purple pant and shoes) has been volunteering for the Sacramento Walk to End Alzheimer's for the past eight years – shortly after he learned that his wife Linda suffered from the disease. After Linda died, Tom felt an increased sense of urgency about combating Alzheimer's and recognized the need for an attention-getting way to attract contributions. His solution was to paint his truck purple and add the Walk to End Alzheimer's® logo in bright letters on the side of the vehicle. Tom knew he'd found a winning sales pitch. When his Purple Sacramento Walk to End Alzheimer's truck hit the roads, the public responded. "Now people notice me and my devotion to the Alzheimer's Association, and what we're doing to eliminate this horrendous disease," says Tom. "When I drive around the surrounding neighborhoods, people give me a thumbs up, honk their horn, or take pictures. The truck gives us some much-needed exposure." Often, that exposure turns into contributions or volunteer support to combat the fatal disease. The contributions have helped Tom's Team Snail become the Alzheimer Association's® largest fundraiser in the Northern California area. For the 2024 walk, Team Snail raised almost $24,000, far exceeding the second fundraising team. The team's name was one that Tom, Linda and their friends had used nearly 30 years earlier when they participated in the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco. "We walked in the Bay to Breakers and we were slow," says Tom. "We decided to call ourselves Team Snail I have one of the best teams I could ever get together. I have family members nationwide who all sign up for Team Snail. I encourage them to start their own team, but they always come back to Team Snail." Team Snail isn't just made up of family members. Tom also recruits people he meets in the community. "I have 20 neighbors who are Team Snail members," said Tom. "I started pulling members from my barbershop. I went to a restaurant and introduced myself. Now I'm a regular and they, in turn, support us. I'm trying to get them to start their own team." Tom is also proud of the support he receives from many fellow Chevron retirees who have joined Team Snail. They include former Chevron employees whom Tom has recruited via Facebook. "I worked for Chevron for 25 years," said Tom. "I have a lot of friends on Facebook from Chevron. Once you put your story out there it's amazing what people will do for you." He proudly mentions that Chevron has been a sponsor of the East Bay Alzheimer's Walk for the Cure for many years. In addition to the attention-getting truck, Team Snail maintains an Alzheimer's information table in Sacramento, where members give out pamphlets on Alzheimer's disease. Tom says "We also hand out 'almost free' balloons because most parents will make a donation for the balloons. I personally match all donations made during the Table Drives, which usually range between $400 and $700. I'm proud to be the biggest contributor to Team Snails efforts. I donate at least 50% of each year's team total to our cause -- anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000, and I personally pay for all of Team Snail T-shirts, baseball hats, coasters, and paperweights the team sells to raise money, Team Snail sells paperweights, Alzheimer's coasters, baseball hats and Team Snail T-shirts. Anyone who joins Team Snail and donates $60 to the Alzheimer's Association® receives a Team Snail t-shirt. For a $100 donation, the contributor also receives the official Sacramento Walk to End Alzheimer's t-shirt. During Team Snail's peak recruiting and fundraising period from May through September, Tom spends more than 40 hours a week working on social media, calling or texting past team captains, selling tickets for scheduled events, organizing his neighborhood's fundraising efforts, and successfully meeting the team's goals for the year. During the rest of the year, Tom keeps things going smoothly with team members, "I spend a lot of time working on finding the cure, and it will pay off when we do," Tom says. "I appreciate all the support, as Alzheimer's and all other forms of dementia are relentless diseases that will not be stopped unless we stop them."

Dennis Walther

Chevron retiree Dennis Walther (one of two 2024 Chevron Retirees Association Public Service Award recipients) spent his early life on a farm in North Dakota, attending a one-room schoolhouse during six and a half years of that time. He had just graduated from high school when the family came to CA for their first family vacation to see their US Navy son before he left for his assignment in Japan. "I had an uncle who worked as a boilermaker for Standard Oil's Richmond Refinery and he said I should apply for a job there," Dennis recalls. What would a country boy do to find work in this new environment? He wasn't intimidated by the prospect. After all, he says, "When you grow up on a farm, you become well-rounded in the different trades." He was hired on as a laborer in 1960 and eventually worked his way up to managing major turnarounds at the refinery – a job at which he was so good that as a contractor he went to Kazakhstan to work at planning and to advise on turnarounds. While at the refinery, he also learned the value of supporting people in need. This was a lesson that would become ever larger as he grew older. During his years at the refinery, he participated in many periodic blood drives, beginning just three months after he joined the company. He expanded his support in 1990 after coming upon a local blood bank in his community. A member of the blood bank told him how the red cells, plasma and platelets were urgently needed for premature babies, cancer sufferers, burn victims and others, and Dennis was quick to volunteer. He has been volunteering ever since, recently marking his 300th time giving blood. "I have been very blessed during my life, and I feel I need to give to those less fortunate." says Dennis. "After all, giving blood saves lives. People who need blood need it now and it's easy for me to do so I do it. By volunteering and donating blood, I continue to be blessed and I am amazed how thankful many of the people are." Dennis received direct thanks from blood recipients and their families after an interview with him on CBS Channel 5 in San Francisco was aired nationally. He was particular touched by an email from a woman in Oklahoma whose son was being sustained for his auto immune disease by periodic injections of plasma pherisis. For her, Dennis became the epitome for all those who regularly give blood to help support human needs. The CBS report noted that Dennis' volunteerism was especially commendable – and vital – because of a continuing shortage of blood donors. Dennis' drive to support human needs also prompted him to become a volunteer for Meals on Wheels almost a decade ago. Initially, he and his wife Gerrie delivered food to 30 to 40 seniors in their community of Fairfield (Calif.) every Monday. "We averaged around 30 stops, so it took 3 to 4 hours, even though it was only about 35 miles." A change in their schedules occurred in 2021, when the pandemic limited the number of available drivers. "Because of the shortage of volunteers, we started delivering food three times a week," he recalls. By that point, they were serving a wide variety of food-dependent people, ranging from people with disabilities to multigenerational families. "In many cases, we were the only people with whom they had personal contact," Dennis says. "And it became natural for us to develop relationships with them. We also became their eyes, taking note of anything that didn't look right – such as a case of starvation – and reporting it to authorities." At the peak of the pandemic, Dennis and Gerrie were driving 100 miles a week. He estimates that over the past decade, they have delivered more than 26,000 meals. And, as with his commitment to blood donations, he has no plans to cut back on his volunteerism. Clearly, he and Gerrie are highly valued by the community. It should therefore be no surprise that Meals on Wheels of Solano County has just named them Volunteers of the Year.

Jerry Jackson

Chevron retiree Peter Schmidt describes his volunteer activities as “a quiet time in which to recharge my batteries.” This perspective has served him well, even when a multi-taloned, potentially dangerous raptor from the Lindsay Wildlife Experience is perched on his wrist. (Photo credit Paul Hara). The care of raptors has been Peter’s specialty ever since he began working as a volunteer at the center’s sanctuary for birds and animals in Walnut Creek, California, in 1997. Peter stresses that “these birds aren’t pets – and yet it’s possible to build a relationship with them.” His work with raptors includes cleaning up their area, feeding them and taking them for exercise. “They seem to recognize that I’m not someone who wants to clip their talons or other things they don’t like.” Peter originally joined the facility to replace his son, who had cared for raptors during his high school years and was leaving to attend college. Peter quickly found himself fitting into his role at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience, which provides the community with a mechanism to connect with wildlife that have been injured or are otherwise unable to be released to the wild. Today, he no longer works exclusively with raptors. “The administration wanted volunteers to extend their efforts to a wider group of birds, which meant that I had to develop a greater spectrum of skill sets.” He became particularly attached to Shadow, a great gray owl who often startled easily but relaxed in Peter’s presence. At Lindsay, he has also become involved in special projects, such as building an enclosure for an aquarium tank to house hermit crabs. “It was a good project for me since I like making things,” Peter says. Over 70 years of existence, the Lindsay Wildlife Experience had various names and locations, but the same purpose. It is the country’s first wildlife hospital, a zoological organization, and an educational museum specializing in native California wildlife. Since 1993, it has occupied a 28,000-square-foot space in Walnut Creek’s Larkey Park. There, each year, its veterinarians, husbandry experts, biologists, and teachers treat more than 5,000 wild animals; care for the 70 animal ambassadors who call Lindsay home; and educate approximately 100,000 people. Peter’s fascination with building things was one of the reasons he became a volunteer at Burning Man roughly 10 years ago. Burning Man Project, headquartered in San Francisco, is a network of people inspired by the values which include radical self-reliance, communal effort, civic responsibility, and “leaving no trace.” Each summer, the organization creates a temporary city in Nevada’s Black Rock high desert, where scores of individuals create colorful, transient sculptures and other art. As volunteers, Peter and his wife devote roughly 10 days each summer to helping to build the city. “My biggest interest in Burning Man is the community of people,” says Peter. “And the process of building the city each year involves uplifting vibes and a camaraderie to get the job done.” Peter and his wife design large flags and portable 6 furniture that contribute both artistic and practical qualities to the 10-day event. “The flags are our most dramatic contribution,” says Peter. “They’re designed to fit in with the event’s annual theme and they fly over Burning Man’s Center Camp Café.” The practical contributions include plywood benches for the café, which interlock and can be taken down and stored flat to minimize storage requirements in trailers. Peter also made a “Price Is Right” wheel for the emcee to use on the café’s performing stage - It lights up and rotates, then can be broken down for storage each year. He has also contributed used paint from the county hazardous waste recycling center, which the artists can reuse. A picture of the large group of volunteers who build the temporary city each year shows Peter in the center, in red. Working at the Black Rock plateau site posed early problems for the Schmidts. “It took us the first year to get used to the quiet and the hot, dry, dusty climate. Whenever we returned to the ‘real world,’ we had to wipe ourselves down with a vinegar solution to remove the limestone dust from our skin. But we adapted.” He also expanded his responsibilities, feeding some of the visitors and becoming involved with the local Rangers to patrol the city and provide help where needed. Peter’s enduring impressions of Burning Man include an appreciation for its art, its spectacle, its thematic creativity (such as one year’s event devoted to DaVinci’s Workshop) and its communal spirit. Peter’s earliest volunteer activity occurred during the years when he was working for Chevron Research Company. At that time, he served with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts while his sons were involved with the organizations. He remembers the “high adventure” of taking the boys camping in the Florida Keys. And he praises Chevron Humankind for its financial contributions to organizations for which Peter has volunteered for more than 35 years.

Jose Ayala

Chevron retiree Jose Ayala is passionate about his many roles as player, coach and administrator in supporting youth soccer in his hometown of Vacaville, California. “I love my town and I have great memories of when I first played youth soccer there almost 50 years ago,” says Jose. He revived his connection with the town’s soccer program in 2004 when he became coach of a team on which his son played. He subsequently switched to coaching his daughter’s team until 2012 – and a decade later he began coaching his grandson’s team. Jose smiles when he reflects on his wife’s occasional criticism for being too much the disciplinarian with their children. “I learned everything from my dad and I guess, like him, I expected more from my kids,” Jose says. “But they all ended up being good players who got a lot from the experience. For all of the kids, my own and others, the skills they learned will help them be successful.” Over the years, he has adapted his coaching style, becoming more patient while retaining his satisfaction at “getting along and enjoying the camaraderie and team bonding.” As a coach, he supported the young players in their studies, ensured that they had a way to and from the practices and games, and helped them develop their character. If financial support was needed so that a child could play, he found a way to make that happen using Chevron volunteer grants, personal donations, and Chevron matching funds. And he encouraged other Chevron employees to do the same. Jose helped gather between $8,000 and $10,000 a year to support the soccer league and soccer players. During his coaching years, he became treasurer of the Vacaville United Soccer Club and was named its president in 2013. Jose estimates he volunteered more than 4,000 hours, promoting all aspects of youth soccer in Vacaville. Outside all his regular presidential duties, he helped stripe the fields, repair nets, inspect the area to ensure a safe family experience, plan for opening day, and encourage efficient team movements to ensure that the games stayed on schedule. Realizing the impact the pandemic had on children, Jose led development of a compliant program that provided an outlet for all their pent-up energy (much to the relief of beleaguered parents). Jose brought a vision of the future as president of the soccer club. He saw many elements of his vision implemented, including a comprehensive referee program involving a referee assignor and a field assignor. He led the re-negotiation of the 20-year contract with the city that allowed the league to continue to develop and maintain the five-field soccer complex. He is especially proud of his efforts in reorganizing the town’s soccer administration. There had previously been two leagues, one for recreation, the other for competition. With the pandemic straining the town’s efforts to keep the sport alive, Jose helped negotiate a new structure, consisting of one club with a single board of directors. “They even adopted my theme: one club, one family, one vision.” With the merger, he became responsible for the competitive and recreational programs for more than 1,100 soccer players ranging in age from 5 to 19. Aside from his involvement in soccer, Jose occasionally supports friends who operate as guides to caribou and moose hunters in Alaska. “When the hunters arrive, we give them orientation, which involves a lot of flying around the area,” says Jose. “It’s beautiful to fly over the mountains and glaciers and see the northern lights every night.” Jose’s professional career spans 18 years in the grocery business and 20 years with Chevron’s Richmond Refinery, where he rose from apprentice mechanic to planner in the facility’s turnaround group. Since he retired in 2021, he has periodically returned to advise the refinery on upcoming turnarounds. “The first time, they needed me because I was the only available subject matter expert who could help coordinate the event. And I’m currently doing it for the third time."