[BenIndy: At last, the rumors have been confirmed. We won’t speculate as to what prompted the Valero Benicia Refinery’s exiting GM/VP to retire at 49; we will simply wish him good luck. The incoming GM/VP Lauren Bird, who has more than 37 years experience working in the oil refining industry, served as GM/VP for two other refineries and worked at the Benicia refinery when it was Exxon Benicia. This leadership transition bears careful attention, especially in light of the imminent votes on an Industrial Safety Ordinance for Benicia.]

From the Valero Benicia Refinery Community Update newsletter, sent May 31, 2024

Josh Tulino, Vice President (VP) and General Manager (GM) of the Valero Benicia Refinery has elected to retire. Josh began his career with Exxon as a process engineer at Benicia and became a Valero employee when Valero purchased the Benicia Refinery in 2000. Josh held different positions throughout the Valero Energy Corporation circuit and was promoted to VP & GM at our Memphis Refinery in 2017 and then transferred to Benicia as our VP/GM in 2020.

With Josh’s retirement, Lauren Bird will relocate to Benicia as VP/GM effective June 1, 2024. Lauren started his career at Exxon Baytown and later transferred to Exxon Benicia progressing through positions of increasing responsibilities. He joined Valero when Valero purchased the Benicia Refinery and was promoted to Director of Refinery Operations in 2002. Lauren was then promoted to VP and General Manager of Valero’s Meraux Refinery in 2012, he then relocated to Valero’s McKee Refinery as the VP and GM in 2014. We are excited that Lauren will be coming back to Benicia where he raised his family.

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There is a group of concerned citizens of Benicia who support the adoption of a Benicia Industrial Safety and Health Ordinance (BISHO). To learn more about the effort and add your support, visit www.bisho.org.

 

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Read more! As Air Quality is so essential to our health, you might want to check out these resources:

• • Benicia Valero Refinery failing to meet Bay Area Air District requirements
  • We Can’t Improve What We Don’t Measure – Oil giants like Valero are spending big to avoid sharing crucial climate data
  • Benicia Herald: ‘Refineries failing at fenceline monitoring’
  • BCAMP ACTION ALERT: Tell Our Air District That Valero Is Failing
  • Benicia Community Air Monitoring Program website
  • Smell My City  (On Apple App Store, or on Google Play Store)
  • Refinery Air Watch website
  • Please – anyone can report Air Quality issues/events to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District: General Public Information: (415) 749-4900, or Air Quality Complaints: 1-800-334-ODOR (6367)