OxyChem’s Melancon: Leading with hard work and dedication

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Chase Melancon was ready to get to work straight from high school.

Melancon is the process supervisor overseeing operations and production of the perchloroethylene and ethylene dichloride process unit at the OxyChem Geismar, Louisiana site.

He graduated from St. Amant High School in 2005 and started his career in industry with Turner Industrial Services as a civil carpenter and pipefitter, earning certifications in both.

By 2014, Melancon was hired by OxyChem as a process operator, working his way up to subject matter coordinator — essentially a training specialist for operations— and then as a site-wide shift supervisor before being promoted to his current position, where he manages 27 operators.

"Today, most kids in school are told that without a four-year degree, you won’t be successful. But I know what I’ve accomplished both in my professional career and my career as a public servant is because of work ethic and caring," he said. "I will never be the smartest guy in every room, but my work ethic and wanting to do good will continue to allow me to achieve whatever I set out for myself. I truly believe hard work pays off."

"Once I joined the OxyChem team, they set me up for success to take my career as far as I want to go."

Melancon’s path has allowed him to see employees differently.

"You need to have empathy for your employees to show you care not only about the job, but also about them and that they are an important part of the team," Melancon said. "Listening to other people; we should never be afraid to hear a better idea from someone else and it shouldn’t make us feel inferior."

"Successful teams are built by relying on and helping one another. No one person can do it all. Don’t be afraid to find the answers to questions you do not know."

OxyChem manufactures commodity chemicals that help elevate the quality of life across the globe, from the building blocks for everyday household goods to driving crucial industrial processes.

The Geismar chlor-alkali plant lies along the east bank of the Mississippi River and is situated on 2,200 acres in the heart of Louisiana’s chemical industry corridor. Geismar is an unincorporated community in Ascension Parish, south of Prairieville and west of Gonzales.

Since 1968, the plant has manufactured chlorine, caustic soda and chlorinated organic compounds used in a broad range of products, including drinking water treatment and other disinfection pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, paper and pulp manufacturing and home building materials.

OxyChem’s chlorinated organics are also used as chemical feedstocks and intermediates in the manufacturing of silicones, agricultural chemicals, refrigerants, disinfectants and pharmaceuticals. Other applications include metal and electronics cleaning, paint stripping, flexible foam manufacturing and catalyst regeneration.

Melancon said the plant’s safety track record is one of his favorite things about working there.

"We lead the industry with our stringent environmental and safety procedures, and I live and breathe our safety culture every day," he said. "Our goal for every neighbor is to not only know who we are and what we do, but that safety is our number one priority."

Melancon said OxyChem is a top-tier producer, both domestically and globally, of the chemicals they manufacture and market, with a reputation for prioritizing safety, environmental protection, customer service and sustainability to be a partner of choice.

"We want our neighbors to continue to think of us as the great neighbor we have been for decades," he said. "The neighbor that provides excellent job opportunities, is environmentally responsible and gives back to the community."

Melancon said a struggle that has followed him throughout his life is the presence of a debilitating stutter since he was a toddler.

"I struggled most of my adolescent life and well into adulthood managing it," he said. "Though it is a daily issue I continue to navigate, I have been fortunate that my co-workers and my constituents understand that what I have to say is more important than how my body allows me to say it."

Melancon said one workplace challenge he navigates is managing newcomers to the company. He said the transition can be challenging and it’s a fine line to walk as a supervisor.

"I am also still your ally. We are on the same team, and we only succeed together," he said.

He said he has benefitted from strong mentors throughout his career, including Russ Bourgeois, a subject matter coordinator who has been with OxyChem for more than 30 years.

"He trained me from day one. I had so much to learn, and he was patient, knowledgeable and one of the sincerest human beings you will ever meet," Melancon said.

Another role model has been Bill Dawson, an elected official in Ascension Parish.

"He taught me a lot about government, business and how to conduct yourself professionally," Melancon said.

Community and family are essential to Melancon’s life, expounding that his wife, Brooklynn, is his biggest cheerleader, alongside their three children — Kinsey, Conley and Cruz.

Melancon is an elected councilman for Ascension Parish, serving as the council chairperson and a board member of the Ascension Parish Council on Aging. He started that journey by attending parish council meetings once or twice a month.

One of the more enjoyable things he does when he isn’t at the plant is to serve as the play-by-play voice for the St. Amant High baseball team, who are five-time state champions.

"I was born and raised in this community, and it means the world to me," he said. "I want to play a part in ensuring that it continues to grow into the place where my children can grow up."

Community involvement is also important to the OxyChem employees, Melancon said. The plant is a sponsor for the Ascension Parish Back to School Youth Fest, where they supply backpacks, school uniforms and supplies for hundreds of children.

The plant also lends support to local high schools, fire departments and nonprofits to benefit underprivileged citizens.

OxyChem Geismar boasts a Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Wildlife Management Area surrounding the facility. Employees spend more than 800 hours a year helping to maintain the more than 200 wildlife habitats, including planting and maintaining butterfly fields, and building, maintaining and observing bird box sanctuaries.

Melancon said the best piece of advice he has received, which he continues to follow, is being open to new people and ideas.

"Befriend someone who has opposing views and learn something from them," he said. "No one person knows it all. Be open-minded and allow yourself to learn."

For more information, visit oxychem.com.

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