02/02/2024

TCC Member Spotlight: Ted Grabowski

TCC February Member Spotlight: Ted Grabowski

 

Ted Grabowski is President of the Texas Brine Company, LLC, a privately held, Houston-based producer of brine for the U.S. chlorine industry. Grabowski is the current Chairman of the Texas Chemistry Council Board of Directors and Chairman of TCC’s Water & Waste Committee.

 

Can you share a bit about your career path and the key milestones that led you to your current position.

I started my career as an environmental engineer and eventually became Director of Environmental Affairs for Sun Oil Company in Philadelphia. In those roles, I became fascinated by how dependent our nation is on basic chemicals like ethylene, ethylene oxide, benzene, toluene, and xylene and how integral they are to our modern lifestyle and economy.

In 1994, I was given the chance to become a refinery manager for Sun in Tulsa and then became intrigued by the challenge of managing the operational and financial performance of a large enterprise.

After leaving Sun in 1998, I was recruited to become President & Chief Executive Officer of Texas Brine in Houston with responsibilities for about 10 operating locations scattered over four states. I have been in this assignment for the last 24 years.

How do you see the Texas chemical industry contributing to the state's economy and beyond?

TCC member companies employ about 60,000 direct employees throughout the state of Texas.  Economic studies indicate that the industry also creates between seven and eight times that many indirect jobs through our suppliers and contractors. 

That means that our member companies help sustain about 500,000 Texas families with jobs that offer above average salaries and above average benefits. 

These families help form the economic and social fabric of our state by paying taxes, supporting local schools, and volunteering in their communities.

It’s hard to overestimate just how important the men and women in our industry are to our local communities and the state’s economy.

How do you stay updated on the latest advancements and technologies in our industry?

Although we’re a small company, we invest considerable time, money and sweat equity in keeping abreast of emerging technology developments in our specific area. 

Perhaps the best example is the leadership roles we routinely occupy in the Solution Mining Research Institute (SMRI), an international research organization dedicated to advancing the science of solution mining and storage in underground formations.

In addition, we are very active members of the American Chemistry Council, as well as TCC, to ensure we stay up-to-date with emerging legal and regulatory developments, as well as emerging EHS technology and practices.

Are there any recent technological innovations in the industry that particularly excite you?

For us, one of the most exciting technology developments is the use of advanced seismic technology and data processing to more accurately map and understand the salt formations we develop for future brine supply and storage needs. 

Our little company has participated in two of the most complex seismic shoots in the history of the industry and we continue to learn and apply this valuable information in safely and effectively developing our country’s underground resources.

What do you believe are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the chemistry industry in Texas today?

Perhaps our biggest challenge is the need to continue and enhance our efforts to educate our local communities, officials, and political leaders on just how essential our products are to our state and country.

I think it’s virtually impossible for our country to achieve its environmental and social objectives without the innovation, science, and products from the business of chemistry. 

A related, but different, challenge is demonstrating to our stakeholders that the business of chemistry can reliably deliver the benefits of these products safely while simultaneously reducing our own environmental footprint. 

Our industry has already made considerable progress, but the challenge will be to make more progress while we deliver our products economically and reliably.

There’s no better example of meeting this challenge than our industry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our ability to safely manufacture and deliver the critical sanitary products and plastics necessary to respond to the virus demonstrates how essential our industry is and our commitment to greater societal needs.

How does our industry address sustainability and social responsibility?

Because our industry is made up of very different companies ranging from large international enterprises to small local and regional businesses, we have the advantage of trying many things to achieve similar EHS objectives. At any point in time, there are hundreds of efforts underway all designed to reach common objectives. 

That’s one reason I’m such a fan of TCC’s technical committees. These groups are composed of subject-matter experts on the front line of new and exciting methods and practices in our industry. Their ability to share real-life successes and failures gives us the opportunity to share and implement best practices regarding EHS, sustainability, and social outreach to help our state achieve its policy objectives.

Please highlight any specific projects or initiatives in which you've been involved that have had a positive impact on the community or environment.

Since Texas Brine Company is a private, family-owned enterprise, we enjoy a long history of very tangible support for the communities in which we operate. Whether it’s sponsoring local community events, participating in local scholarship programs, or supporting local museums and beach clean-ups, our little company routinely reaches out with employee involvement and contributions to help meet our local community needs.

One of the things that I’m most excited about is a goal we established for ourselves this year. We intend to create and implement specific community outreach plans at every one of our plants to take advantage of the best practices we have learned over the years, and further enhance and sustain our long history of community involvement.

Where do you see the future of the chemical industry in Texas heading?

I think our industry finds itself at an important crossroads. 

On one hand, our industry is clearly essential to our state’s and country’s ability to achieve our most important social goals. We simply can’t get to a more sustainable future without the science of chemistry.

On the other hand, our industry will also be required to demonstrate a continuing commitment to enhancing our own EHS performance in a socially responsible and sustainable way.

How we navigate these often-competing challenges will determine our ultimate success or failure. Doing that in a transparent and collaborative way will be the ultimate challenge we all face.

Are there emerging trends or developments that you believe will significantly impact the industry in the coming years?

I think three broad trends will dominate our industry’s efforts for the foreseeable future: 1) addressing the world’s concerns regarding the fate of plastics in the environment, 2) navigating the world-wide energy transition that’s already underway, and 3) doing so while continuing to remain relevant and responsible in the eyes of the public. 

All three issues will require our best efforts at innovation, operating excellence, and strategic planning. I think our industry has a long history of success in these areas and is well positioned to succeed. To do so, we may have to think differently about how we deploy our people, processes, plants, and practices.

Although the future is always uncertain, it sure will be exciting! 

What motivated you to become an active member of TCC?

For a small company like ours, the opportunity to leverage our scarce EHS resources was probably the most obvious motivation for us. Now that we have been very active in TCC for so long, I think our motivation has grown to include the opportunity to witness best practices in a wide variety of settings that can enhance our own company’s EHS performance as well.

How can being a part of TCC benefit the broader industrial community in Texas?

One of the most valuable features of membership in TCC is the opportunity for our industry members to speak with a common voice on matters of importance to our political and community leaders. One obvious example of this benefit occurs when our political leaders are evaluating new policy issues and want feedback from the regulated community on potential unanticipated impacts. By working with our legislators to achieve the state’s policy objectives in the most efficient and effective way, our industry gains valuable credibility while supporting broad social objectives.

From your perspective, how does active participation in TCC contribute to the advocacy and representation of the industry?

Everyone knows the old adage that “all politics is local”.  Although that’s true, it’s also true that all politics are based on relationships. 

I think that one of the outstanding benefits of TCC membership is the long-standing and genuine relationships that our TCC staff enjoys with many of our political leaders.

These relationships have been forged over years of collaboration on important policy matters and serve as the foundation for our current and future advocacy efforts.

How important do you think collaboration and networking through TCC are in the industry?

If you look at the roster of TCC members, it reads like a “Who’s Who” of the industry.  Virtually every significant member of the industry is represented and active in some way in the Council’s activities.

This means that any member is only one or two phone calls away from finding someone with a similar EHS, sustainability, or social outreach challenge who can become a source of advice and best practices.

Access to that kind of advice from front-line people is invaluable and allows every member to “fight above their weight” when facing similar challenges.

I know that our little company routinely benefits from participating in TCC’s standing committees and makes us more efficient and effective than if we had to go it alone.

In what ways do collaborative efforts within TCC contribute to the overall success and advancement of the chemical industry in the region?

I believe that one of the most underrated benefits of TCC membership is the fact that virtually every region of the state that hosts our industry has its own regional Texas Chemistry Alliance (TCA) organization in addition to TCC. 

These regional networks represent an opportunity for local industry leaders and professionals to collaborate on EHS challenges that are often a reflection of specific local community concerns.  

Members that are active in both TCC and their TCA regional networks enjoy the benefits of excellent state and local coverage.

In what ways has your involvement in the Texas Chemistry Council facilitated networking and relationship building within the industry?

I first became active in TCC way back in 1999 and was immediately struck by the fact that virtually every one of our company’s major customers were also active members. That means that I can visit with important customers multiple times each year in an efficient and effective way. Since we share many of the same EHS challenges, it also means we can share experiences and best practices regarding these matters. I can’t think of a better way to stay close to  customers in a more collaborative way.

What project or accomplishment are you particularly proud of in your career?

Since I’m older now and getting close to retirement, I’ve had the chance to reflect on my previous 40+ years in the refining and chemistry businesses.  Although there’s been of number important projects, perhaps the most satisfying aspect of my journey has been helping to build a diverse team of men and women that have created a successful and sustainable enterprise at Texas Brine Company.

This team has weathered a lot of storms (both literally and figuratively) and has sustained an enterprise that is 78 years young. With shared values and goals, this team works hard every day and has every reason to be optimistic about the future.

I can’t think of anything more rewarding than that.

What motivates you to excel in your work?

It’s the people I have the privilege of working with that makes me most enthusiastic about work.  Witnessing young, mid-career, and seasoned men and women achieve their personal and professional goals is what animates me. We have so many “up-by-the-bootstrap” stories in our company, that I’m convinced that fostering a purposeful and performance-driven enterprise is the most reliable way we have to help our people achieve their definition of success. In some respects, I get the privilege of witnessing the epitome of achieving the “American Dream”. 

Outside of your professional life, what are your interests or hobbies?

Thanks to the influence of my father and grandfather, I’ve enjoyed fishing from a very early age and try to go every weekend that I can.  It’s one of the reasons that I’m especially delighted to have lived in Texas for the last 24 years…it’s hard to beat our lakes and bays if you love fishing. Like the old country song says, I wasn’t born here, but I got here as fast as I could.

Is there anything about you that our members might be surprised to learn?

Several years ago, I became fascinated with the personal history of our 45 U.S. presidents.  Since then, presidential biographies and autobiographies have become the go-to gift for me from my wife and two daughters.

I think I’ve read books on about 30 of our presidents so far, and I’d like finish that “life-list” goal before I go.