Valero Pembroke Refinery’s new Vice President and General Manager has promised to ’lead well and be an involved member of the community’ after taking charge recently.

With over 40 years experience in the oil industry, Mark Phair is well placed to lead one of the largest Refinery’s in Europe following the retirement of Ed Tomp last year.

Mr. Phair, who has been with Valero for two decades joins from the firm’s Wilmington Refinery in California which he led for 11 years.

A Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, Mark graduated with high honours from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) before gaining employment with Mobil Oil Corporation at the Beaumont Refinery in Texas; his primary roles being Planning and Economics, Operations Superintendent.

In 1991, as well as completing a masters in Business Administration from Lamar University in Beaumont, Mr Phair transferred to Mobil’s headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia to take up a role as supply economic co-ordinator/analyst.

A year later he moved to Paulsboro, New Jersey and over the next eight years at the Mobil Refinery took up positions as Process Engineering Manager, Refinery Shift Superintendent, Planning and Economics Manager and Complex Manager.

Moving to Valero’s company headquarters in 2001, Phair became the company’s Director of Business Development before becoming Technical Services Director at the St Charles Refinery in Louisiana.

Heading west to Los Angeles in 2006, he became Wilmington’s Operations Director and was later promoted to Vice President and General Manager in 2011.

An avid outdoor sports enthusiast he has completed three Ironman competitions (Tempe, Arizona), 15 marathons and is looking forward to testing some of the county’s golf courses during his time in Pembrokeshire.

Speaking about his appointment he said:

"I am thrilled to be selected as Valero’s Pembroke Refinery Manager and feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

"My goals are to lead well and be an involved member of the community and I look forward to getting to know you and the area."