Long dominated by men, and associated with middle-aged, gray-suited members of the “good old boy network,” the energy industry is now acknowledging the prevalence, contribution and achievements of its female workers. Many pioneering women have driven, and continue to drive, a change in the status quo.

From field work to human resources to executive officers, women are making a huge impact on this previously male-dominated industry.

Women are “moving and shaking” in the energy industry and, more specifically, at Valerus. For many women, the blueprint for success began with education.

True. Blue. Success.

News from Valerus September 2009

continued on page 2 continued on page 7

Ten Valerus Districts Achieve Safety MilestoneValerus’s exceptional level of professionalism and commitment to safety in our daily operations and manufacturing provide the foundation for our industry-leading quality and service. Proactive safety initiatives facilitate on-time delivery, a secure and reliable workforce and reduced costs and delays.

When it comes to the oil and gas industry, it’s not just a man’s world anymore.

At Valerus, we have many top-quality women in critical positions. Some of these women hold advanced degrees. The Valerus women contributing to this article hold a minimum of a master’s degree. These women mean business and are innovating forward: Alesia Black, fleet manager; Dawn Born, senior vice president and general counsel; Laura MacLoughlin, international HR manager; Lina Marquez, country manager – Mexico; Lyna Duong, accountant; Karen Caton, shipping and receiving clerk; Melissa Hopper, financial reporting manager; Patricia Martinez, director of international joint ventures and marketing; and Suzanne Ogle, vice president of marketing and investor relations.

Beyond their solid credentials, what do these women have in common? They are all critical thinkers, harnessing strengths and finding opportunities. They are adeptly changing the game and have become vehicles for Valerus’s and their own success.

The Formula for SuccessIt is universally agreed among these Valerus women that the formula for success begins with a thirst for learning. But it doesn’t stop there. There is no way around hard work and tenacity. Each of these women set her eye on a goal and put in the hard work to achieve it.

Alesia Black, fleet manager, believes that process plus accountability equals success. “Each of us has an idea as to what success amounts to, and we set our goals accordingly. To achieve your goals for personal success requires a process of tasks that eventually leads to their realization. Throughout the process of achieving these goals, it is important to have accountability both to yourself and to your team.”

For Lina Marquez, country manager – Mexico, the formula for success lies in extensive planning and communication. “My formula for success is to focus on methodically measuring project-planning milestones and communicating this message to my team members.”

Suzanne Ogle, vice president of marketing and investor relations, considers passion the fuel that ignites success. “In order to be successful, your actions must rise above excuses. You need to love what you do. If you look at successful people, it becomes abundantly clear that their achievements are directly related to the enjoyment they derive from their work. When you love something, you put your heart and soul into it, and those efforts create success.”

The Importance of MentorsWhether it has come in the form of encouraging words of wisdom or practical advice, the influence of mentors has helped these women avoid land mines, create balance and keep their careers on the path to fulfillment and success.

Karen Caton, shipping and receiving clerk in Palisade, Colorado, reflects on two influential teachers. “I wouldn’t have considered them mentors at the time, but as I think back, they definitely were. They had a big influence on me. Not only were they great teachers, but they were exceptional motivators. They always encouraged me to do my best, helping me figure out and deal with the rough spots and realize that things don’t always go as planned, and that’s okay. You do the best job you possibly can, keep it positive, learn what you can from your mistakes and move on.”

Lina Marquez has benefited from many mentors throughout her career, though it was her father who made the most significant impact. “My father has been a consistently nurturing mentor, both professionally and personally. I got started as a civil engineer at his firm, and he mentored me in all of the elements I would need for long-term success: perseverance, hard work and respect for my team and my clients.”

Both Suzanne Ogle and Alesia Black list their supervisors as their mentors. Alesia recounts the encouragement her supervisor provided her. “Throughout my career, he encouraged me to do whatever necessary to learn more about the business and the part I could potentially play within the organization. In my current position, I am doing a job I have not done in the past. He’s demonstrated confidence in my ability and that inspires me.”

Suzanne says of her supervisor and mentor, “I have an independent spirit and am rarely daunted. My mentor helped me harness the positive attributes of my personality and to temper those that held me back. I can very clearly remember him pulling me aside and saying, ‘You know, Suzanne, sometimes it’s easier to turn the knob than to kick the door down.’ The end result has been a mutually beneficial and lasting partnership that I value very much.”

Dawn Born, Valerus senior vice president and general counsel, commented that in her career, successful women all had male mentors because in law, there were few women partners. Consequently, she and other women pioneers relentlessly work to open doors by mentoring and encouraging other women, using their positions to effect change. Dawn is an active member of Texas Executive Women and the

Texas General Counsel Forum, both of which have the mission of encouraging the success of women in their fields of choice.“ I believe I am required to pass on opportunities as a way to give back for what I received,” says Dawn.

Transforming ObstaclesTexas minister Chuck Swindoll once said, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” In their journey, these women have all overcome obstacles to achieve success.

Lyna Duong, accountant, has experienced cultural obstacles. “One thing I like about the American culture is you can earn the respect of others. This is not the case in my culture. In Vietnam, where I grew up, if you are older or in a certain position, respect is bestowed upon you. I have found that in my career in America, being curious and professionally skeptical has helped me to learn many things that I didn’t know before, and to avoid, discover and correct mistakes and move past obstacles. I believe that the key to transforming obstacles lies in the desire to keep learning through self-improvement, diligence and professional ethics.”

Dawn Born views obstacles as simply a change of direction. “When I run into a brick wall that can’t be scaled, I turn around and find another path. If you can’t sell, buy; remember this adage. It has been my experience that whenever you want to do something and can’t, you can usually go east by traveling west.”

Melissa Hopper, financial reporting manager, believes that obstacles should be viewed as a learning experience. “I think the most important thing to do when you run into obstacles is

Women in Oil & Gas continued from page 1

Lina Marquez Laura MacLoughlin

Patricia Martinez Dawn Born

Alesia Black Melissa Hopper

continued on page 42 3

4 5

to determine how this situation can benefit you in the future. Maintain a positive attitude, don’t throw yourself a pity party and determine the best way to approach the situation.” Melissa remembers a particular experience where she did just that. “On an auditing job a couple of years ago, the manager went into labor a month early and no one was available to fill her shoes. It was my first year in charging jobs, and when she could no longer be involved, a lot of the more technical issues as well as the client communication fell on my plate. I could have cratered under the pressure, dwelled on how much more overtime I was going to have to work and ignored the client. If I had adopted that mentality, ultimately the job would have fallen apart and, most likely, the company would have lost a big engagement.

“Instead, I buckled down, found more efficient ways to do things, made myself available to the client and utilized the staff working for me. This gave me an opportunity to work directly with the partner on the engagement, which taught me a great deal, strengthened my communication skills, helped me develop more self-confidence and honed my Excel skills. I am thankful every day that I got that opportunity.”

Honing Skill Sets for Sustainable SuccessEvery team member at Valerus contributes to the company’s success by using his or her unique set of skills. From skillful expression to the anticipation of future needs and the solutions for meeting those needs, mastering your skill set is vital to being marketable and surviving in the workforce. Often, the progress of a career can be seen as the

ongoing acquisition and demonstration of a growing skill set. As people rise from being individual contributors to being managers or leaders, their required skill sets expand. Female leaders face a unique set of external challenges and personal dynamics, particularly in an industry where they are the minority. The challenge for companies lies in fostering skill-set development that allows women to be professional, assertive and focused while maximizing effective communication and collaboration.

When queried as to which skill sets they classify as necessary to be strong, competent leaders who earn the respect of their majority male counterparts while helping build a thriving organization, these Valerus women unanimously agreed: communication, hard work, diligence and keeping your attitude in check are integral to an effective personal skill set. For Dawn Born, remaining professional is important to communicate effectively in a male-dominated environment. She believes there are different communication styles inherent to men and women. “I have found being organized and presenting problems together with a solution is most effective.”

Laura MacLoughlin, international HR manager, believes that the application of a woman’s unique interpersonal skill set is important, rather than trying to emulate men. “The intuition that most women have is an asset and should be used to your advantage. By this, I mean developing rapport, being sensitive, listening, considering variables, anticipating, reading another person’s style and repositioning to achieve a common goal.”

Tips for WomenEvery time a woman succeeds in business, another woman’s chance of succeeding increases. With that in mind, each of the women in this article was asked what tips they had for other women to help them move toward fulfilling their aspirations. The number one recurring tip from women for women was, dress appropriately for work – it does matter. The second most-mentioned tip was to focus on the end result of your work: be prepared, know your product and material, and work hard. Third, take responsibility and make no excuses. Taking 100-percent responsibility for your actions, your thoughts, your behavior and your goals is the hallmark of people who succeed. Lastly, make wise personal financial decisions – it will impact how you view your paycheck and, ultimately, your professional worth.

Diversity and leadership variety are of strategic importance to Valerus because they have a direct correlation to the bottom line. Research conducted for “Women Matter 2,” an October 2008 McKinsey study, established a direct connection between excellence in nine leadership competencies and women in leadership positions. The study showed if an individual had high competency in these nine areas, the company’s financial performance increased. Companies in the top quarter of financial performance tended to have an operating margin of at least twice that of companies in the bottom quarter. Sixteen percent of Valerus’s workforce consists of women, all of whom make a valuable contribution to the success of Valerus.

As women represent over half of the global talent pool, it is clear that

a company’s performance will be enhanced if women are at the forefront of business, not just out of a sense of fairness, but to ensure that the very best minds, regardless of gender, collaborate to address the challenges that face business. The Valerus environment is welcoming, and this attitude propels each person to rise to his or her highest potential. This is a key reason that Valerus has twice received the honor of Best Places to Work in Houston. When an employee is encouraged to follow his or her passion and then given the platform to do so, that person will typically go the extra mile for the company and all will benefit.

Women in Oil & Gas continued from page 3

Profiles of SuccessDebbie Low, Valerus sales representative, is a model of success for women who think they can’t make it in the energy industry. Her formula includes knowledge, respon-siveness and a tireless work ethic.

Debbie became Valerus’s 99th employee when she joined the company in 2004. She was one of the first 12 sales represen-tatives on a team that has since grown to 29. Since joining Valerus, she has gener-ated in excess of $154 million in revenue to date and has consistently been one of the company’s top five revenue-generating domestic sales representatives.

Debbie began her industry career at J-W in 1985. According to Debbie, her men-tor, John Carpenter, recognized Debbie’s thirst for knowledge and invested countless hours supporting her pursuit of information. At the time, Debbie was the J-W recep-tionist. John was a district manager who believed wholeheartedly that, since Debbie was the first person people talked

to when they called in, she should know what products the company was selling.

“John believed that first impressions were very important, and I have always remembered that,” recalls Debbie. “He also taught me to take my job one step further. These were both pivotal life lessons for me.”

Debbie’s accomplishments in a male-dominated profession are the result of being able to transform obstacles and use them for her success. “I believe being a woman in the energy industry, you tend to be judged differently from the initial visit and you have to prove yourself.,” she says. “Because of this, I believe that I have to be over-prepared for each meeting. My process is to always do my homework and try to anticipate questions that I might be asked.”

Debbie also credits the service support group at Valerus for their role in helping

Debbie Low

Lyna Duong

Karen Caton

Suzanne Ogle

continued on page 7

her better serve her customers. “I put a lot of faith and confidence in them, respect their opinions and try to work with them as a team.”

Customers recognize this effort and believe that Debbie is a value-added proposition. Gary Conway, vice president of treating and construction at Petrohawk, believes that Debbie’s ability to strategize is one of her greatest assets. When asked what makes Debbie successful, Conway comments, “Besides her values, drive and determination, it is the personable way she identifies with the customer, listening to the application or problem and then providing creative, thoughtful and timely solutions.”

Gary continues, “Debbie is a bright strategist and doesn’t get locked into one way of getting something done. If there are questions, she follows up and sets real solutions on the table. In my experi-ence with her, she is constantly looking for the best way to solve your problem. Her extensive knowledge of equipment, aptitude for learning, practicality and sincere enthusiasm assures customers, and that is the reason I keep calling her for compression equipment and project management. Performance, time after time.”

Gary provides an example of these traits. “I had a pair of D-R compression units that were to be reworked for another application. These units had never been in service. Other packagers, including D-R, wanted to ‘consult’ only. Debbie led the team at Valerus with a solution- oriented approach and ‘get it done’ attitude when others ran from the challenge. In this case, we simplified the packages, which provided better operability and saved thousands of dollars.”

When asked for her strategy for success, Debbie replies, “Being responsive and available for my customers is very important in my opinion. Knowing your product is obviously important as well. I try to read as much as time allows about what is going on in the industry – from new technology to who is buying what from whom. The names change on companies all the time, but the names of the personnel stay the same.”

She adds that her best advice is to never burn a bridge because you will likely run across that person again.

Debbie is a longtime resident of Houston and has one daughter, Sydney. A working mom, she has had to juggle many responsibilities at one time. As service providers, Valerus sales

representatives and operations personnel are basically on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to our customers. Family commitments often have to be rearranged and other personal sacrifices must be made almost daily. Debbie finds that many customers today are accommodating of family responsibilities and understand that you may be answering your phone while you are taking care of something personal. Most of the time, they are willing to work with you.

Of course, she emphasizes, “My job is not eight to five. I have been on location with a customer on the Fourth of July. The flip side is that they know I will be available and will take care of their business at the earliest possible time – and that I will always follow through on what I say I will do.”

As the industry continues to evolve and more women have prominent roles in sales, engineering and other disciplines, Debbie is polled for her top tips for women. “Simple,” she smiles. “Never answer a question you don’t know the answer to; don’t be afraid to ask a question; realize your skill set of multitasking and use it to your advantage; be confident and knowledgeable about what you are selling; and, most importantly, believe in it.”

6 7

Valerus is proud to recognize 10 districts that have achieved a notable safety benchmark: 2.5 years without a single recordable or lost-time incident. We would like to commend these teams for the special care and effort they have made to preserve workplace safety, which benefits not only their specific locations, but also our entire company and customer base. We celebrate this milestone with each of the following districts, presented in alphabetical order:

Safety continued from page 1

Debbie Low continued from page 5

If a shark does not move, it cannot breathe. And it dies. Just like the shark, successful corporations must also continue to move. Dormant organizations run out of air and sink. Valerus is at heart a moving organization, dominated by an experienced and action-oriented team.

With this valuable philosophy in mind, we recently rolled out an informal internal campaign to solicit ideas for improvement from those who have the best perspective – from the trenches. The initial rollout was well received and generated a wealth of productive, morale-building and cost-saving ideas for improvement. The executive team brought the contributors to Houston for a roundtable discussion, which resulted in the adoption and implementation of many of their ideas as best practices.

“This is an opportunity for all Valerus employees to make a difference not only in their own department or division, but in our company as a whole,” said Suzanne Ogle, vice president of marketing and investor

relations for Valerus. “We’re excited about the initial response and look forward to continued participation and innovative ideas company-wide. Harnessing the power of our team is what keeps us moving and differentiates Valerus from our competitors. What I love about Valerus is the ability of the average worker to have a notable effect on a multimillion-dollar corporation.” “This is an opportunity for all Valerus employees to make a difference not only in their own department or division, but in our company as a whole.”

If you have an idea for improvement, e-mail it to ideas@valerus-co.com, or drop your suggestion into the box

Valerus Launches Ideas & Insights: Success Begins Within Initiative

Valerus recently provided two one-day training classes in Fort Worth, Texas, on the topic of gas-lift compressor safety and operations. The class consisted of one half-day of classroom training, covering installations, day-to-day operations, trouble-shooting and overall safety regarding gas-lift compression.

The remainder of each training day was spent on location at the worksite of one of our customers, XTO Energy, participating in hands-on gas-lift compressor operations training. Attendees were also given a walkthrough tour of the equipment Valerus had previously installed at the XTO facility, specifically measurement, control and noise abatement systems. The instructors for the course were Ski Pyzdrowski and BJ Ellis.

The Fort Worth training is a prime example of Valerus’s com-mitment to consistently add value to what we offer. By sharing our industry-leading expertise, we ensure our customers get the most benefit possible from our equipment and systems.

Valerus Holds Training in Conjunction with XTO

continued on page 8

A Publication from Valerus919 Milam St, Suite 1000Houston, TX 77002

PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE

PAID HOUSTON TX

PERMIT NO 1997

provided at your workplace. If your idea is chosen, it could be adopted and implemented as a Valerus best practice. Twice yearly, the company will also invite employees who submit-ted viable ideas to join the executive management team for lunch and to discuss their vision for Valerus.

Congratulations to the following employees whose ideas were recently recognized by management:

Chris Boone – VictoriaBill Bryant – KilgoreBrian Carrol – AlabamaBrandon Finley – Fort WorthR.L. Frick – Bay CityStacy Germano – HoustonLaura MacLoughlin – HoustonPam Merritt – Bay City

Chamesha Randall – HoustonTracie Rhodes – New IberiaWes Ryburn - Bryan William Smith – El RenoJim Whitworth – WoodvilleAngie Wilson – Houston

Ideas & Insights continued from page 6