As part of WBENC’s first ever Energy Week, members of WBENC’s Energy Industry Advisory Board (EIAB) nominated WBENC-Certified WBEs who are making a positive impact in their industry.
These women-owned businesses are all current suppliers to the industry who have demonstrated excellence in their fields and are making a positive impact on the energy industry.
Meet the WBEs they nominated – these six women-owned businesses have gone above and beyond in maintaining quality service, relationships, and innovative solutions for corporations within the energy industry. Their skillsets and industry segments vary, but they have several things in common, including the fact that five of these awesome women business owners are WBENC Energy Executive Program alumni!
V Janet Brewster | Brewster Procurement Group Inc
“Have a good business model that creates value; Attend all networking events you possibly can; Be pleasantly persistent – things don’t happen overnight; grow relationships; Network, Network, Network!”
ABOUT
Long ago, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to this great country to pursue my high school and college education. I became a citizen of the USA in 1989 and in 1999 I realized my dream of owning my own company, Brewster Procurement Group, Inc. I feel very blessed as I am truly living the American dream.
After incorporating my business, and not knowing how to market my company, I started doing research on small, WMBEs and came upon certifications available to small business owners through WBENC and other organizations. I started my business as an investment recovery firm catering to the Oil & Gas/Petrochemical Industry, but along the way, met a buyer for United Space Alliance who led me and my company into who we are today — an integrated supplier that handles tail end indirect spend, payment solutions, and supplier consolidation for our Fortune 500 clients.
HOW THEY SUPPORT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY:
Brewster’s Cost Savings Business Model consolidates and manages for our clients all suppliers they deem to not be strategic in nature. This spend is referred to as Transactional Spend, Tail End Spend, and/or Non Contract Spend. By placing this spend under Brewster’s strategic umbrella, we have the ability to control maverick spend, streamline processes, shorten our client’s supply chain, and provide true, immediate cost savings by lowering client’s administrative costs, vetting suppliers, finance operational costs, and achieve volume and reseller’s discounts.
ON TRENDS & IMPACT:
Brewster’s Cost Savings Business Model creates value and instant cost savings. I provide and bring value to my clients by saving them money, plain and simple. I can only hope that demand for our service will only increase, not just in the oil & gas and petrochemical industry of which I am so proud to call most if not all corporate members in the energy industry of WBENC my clients, but to other corporations wishing to save money and control their indirect spend. Our model is applicable to any industry wishing to provide true, immediate cost savings to their bottom line.
ON STAYING RESILIENT IN 2020:
In spite of the challenges we’ve faced with the pandemic, we have maintained the same staffing levels. Business has declined minimally but we have always been lean. One of the services we provide to our clients is “Emergency Relief,” whether from acts of God such as hurricanes, earthquakes, etc, down to a pandemic such as COVID-19. We have been able to consolidate and buy for our clients orders of PPE coming in from other countries and arrange easy payments to foreign and domestic suppliers. Although there is a slow down on the refining, drilling, and production of oil & gas, there has not been a complete shutdown in any of these areas. Our clients are looking into the future of renewable energies which will increase and expand our footprint.
HOW WBENC CERTIFICATION AS HELPED:
After starting my business 21+ years ago, I felt overwhelmed but determined to create a “value” based business model and establish meaningful business relationships to succeed. Being certified with WBENC and other organizations have provided me that important access to networking that we all need to showcase our businesses. The access to opportunities with corporations and fellow WBE colleagues, educational workshops, and networking in the local, regional, and national events have helped me be where I am today. As I look back now, this was the single most important thing I did in business. Ninety percent of Brewster’s business has come from access opportunities and relationships built through memberships in WBE regional partner organizations and other organizations.
Donna Cole | Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc.
“Be sure to exercise positive two way understood communication so you can meet expectations that can result in a mutually beneficial relationship.”
ABOUT:
Donna Fujimoto Cole has been in the chemical industry for 44 years started trading, then distribution, warehousing, packaging and manufacturing to being a supply chain manager and assisting companies with chemical back office support.
Cole Chemical was formed in 1980 at the request of Donna’s customers who appreciated her responsiveness and integrity to provide quality chemicals on time, safely, and invoiced correctly at a competitive price. We are exceptional in sourcing products in short supply.
Our niche is problem solving and ensuring that we continuously bring new value to our customers in an ever changing marketplace. We build long term relationships, by learning, sharing and connecting people with shared interests.
We pioneered reporting our dollars spent with minorities and women, giving back to community and ensuring we mentor others in business.
HOW THEY SUPPORT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY:
Cole Chemical is a a supplier of chemicals, synthetic lubricants, specialty fuels, and specialty chemicals with chemical industry experienced supply chain management services.
ON TRENDS & IMPACT:
In response to Covid, we provide the chemical raw materials that are used to make hand sanitizer and disinfectants and have helped companies who are pivoting to making hand sanitizer survive and we are helping them sell hand sanitizer and other PPE products that our customers need to keep their employees safe to operate facilities with, sneeze guards, masks, gloves, dispensers, personnel temperature, mask detection and disinfecting booths.
Cole Chemical is sourcing products and providing services to help companies meet their environmental and sustainability goals, while reducing costs through more effective products in upstream drilling and production, mid stream, and downstream.
Developing new manufacturing businesses in the USA to enhance our national security in areas that Covid has exposed vulnerability.
ON STAYING RESILIENT IN 2020:
Cole Chemical is collecting a cooperative group of small to medium size businesses who have niches to bring innovation, technology and lower costs to the Energy Industry. This is a time to look at products, services and equipment that can perform better, or can help reduce waste, labor and freight.
HOW WBENC CERTIFICATION AS HELPED:
WBENC provides a platform for women who want to own their own business who are capable of doing business with Fortune 500 companies.
Assurances in the WBENC certification process minimizes women who front for their husband’s business which is very important and thus helps all women in business be taken seriously and legitimate.
The energy industry historically has lagged behind other industries in checking the box for women’s upward mobility internally and purchases as they didn’t see consumers as important contributors to their success. I think Covid has shown that everyone counts and we need everyone in the economic equation.
Anabel Daily | Daily Instruments Corporation
“Tough times never last, but tough people do!”
– Robert H. Schuller
ABOUT:
I consider myself a transformational leader. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate their workforce without micromanaging — I trust our employees to take authority over decisions in their assigned roles. The only way to succeed in my opinion is to have a great team and to empower people to make the right decisions, and to have short-term and long-term goals.
Being a physician has taught me how to handle critical situations and to find solutions to problems. I love a sense of humor. Most importantly, to get through life, I prioritize Faith.
Daily Instruments Corporation specializes in developing and manufacturing high-performance temperature sensors for critical applications such as those found in the energy and aerospace industries.
HOW THEY SUPPORT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY:
Products: Temperature Sensors
Services: Field Engineering Services, including onsite Engineering Consultation/Troubleshooting, as well as Installation Services
ON TRENDS & IMPACT:
I have empowered our employees to expand our company’s focus and capabilities outside of our core/traditional target market. Historically the majority of our business has come from serving the downstream petroleum refining industry, but we have been actively expanding our product portfolio to address the needs of markets throughout various industries, from oil & gas to power to food & beverage.
ON STAYING RESILIENT IN 2020:
Despite the challenging Energy market, our company has continued to do what it does best: to stay focused on the customer’s needs. Our company’s customer-centric approach has given our company a clear set of objectives: do everything in our power to keep our company and our customers operational and profitable and safe throughout 2020. While we have experienced our own set of difficulties throughout this year, we have adapted to the new business environment by finding opportunities to partner with companies with whom we have historically viewed as competitors. Together we are stronger, and together we are better equipped to provide high-quality products and industry-leading solutions, as well as to balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
HOW WBENC CERTIFICATION AS HELPED:
WBENC certification has provided access to a dynamic network of supporters who have aided in opening doors and enabling us to initiate and foster meaningful relationships with key decision-makers throughout the Energy industry.
Vanessa Ingalls | Diamond T Services Inc.
“Never follow the status quo. There is always a better way…seek it and embrace it. Find yourself a niche in this industry and build on that.”
ABOUT:
I have had a well-versed career in the energy industry for the past 20 years managing companies and projects from upstream drilling services to midstream pipeline construction. Since 2014, I have acted as CEO and majority owner of DTS providing leadership and oversight to its 100+ employees. DTS is a leading provider of upstream services and equipment rentals for the oil and gas and utility industries. We excel at introducing new products and modernizing field processes that eliminate waste and redundancies to save our customers money.
Prior to running DTS, I formed Bar Star Energy Services, an oilfield equipment rental company and Parent to DTS, provided technical based management and due diligence for fossil fuel and renewable power acquisitions, military fuels engineering and design, and environmental compliance and remediation support. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering with a specialty in Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.
HOW THEY SUPPORT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY:
We specialize in providing premium equipment rentals and field support service to the oil and gas and utility industries throughout the US with offices in Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, Texas and Pennsylvania. Our areas of expertise include drilling fluid and waste stream management, upstream field services, access and rig matting, environmental containment installation, construction and oilfield equipment rentals and utility right-of-way construction.
ON TRENDS & IMPACT:
We are uniquely successful in finding areas of unforeseen value for our customer through cost saving measures and environmental best practices. For example, we have eliminated the need for drilling solids haul off to landfill while maintaining drilling fluids properties for several customers throughout the US. DTS introduced a waste mitigation system capable of processing both water-based and oil-based drill cuttings. The solution was capable of drying drill solids to exceed State and Federal environmental regulations for onsite storage. We recycled 2,600 barrels of drilling fluid and saved our customers $100,000 on average per well. Furthermore, the recycling of drilling fluid and reduction of landfill haul off by 80 trucks contributed to a significant reduction in our customers’ carbon footprint.
ON STAYING RESILIENT IN 2020:
We see a downturn as opportunity instead of a misfortune which really changes the game. This means buying when everyone is selling and hiring when everyone is laying off. We look beyond the current market conditions to find areas where we can create future value. It is a calculated risk believing that what you are loosing today you will get back 10 fold when the market returns. This viewpoint has also helped us maintain a positive work environment. A large part of our current success can be attributed to the positivity my employees bring to meetings with customers and vendors.
HOW WBENC CERTIFICATION AS HELPED:
WBENC has given my company unique access to Fortune 500 companies and well-connected WBEs that have accelerated new opportunities and helped navigate existing work.
A recent and exciting example of WBENC connections at work is our new project with Chevron that just kicked off this week. I made it my personal goal when I joined WBENC in 2015 to work for Chevron because they are one of the best at what they do. This opportunity was the resulting hard work of not just one Chevron member, but several over the span of five years. Wonderful people like David Feldman, Chris Bilton, Stephanie Beverridge, David Reiling and Bimo Hadiputro took the time to tell me about their operational needs and listen to our ideas. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with Chevron as a member of their upstream team.
Lilly Stotland | Vesco Oil Corporation
“Flexibility is the key for success in the energy industry. As a company we have adapted and adjusted our product offerings to meet changing customer needs.”
ABOUT:
Vesco Oil Corporation is an oil distributor providing lubricants, fluids and related products and services to a wide range of industries. The company operates 10 locations across the Midwest U.S.
Lilly Epstein Stotland is Co-Owner, President and CEO and serves on the Board of Directors of Vesco Oil Corporation, a third-generation family business founded in 1947. She joined the company in 2004 and under her leadership has spearheaded strategies to grow Vesco Oil through acquisitions. Prior to joining Vesco Oil, Lilly began her career as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City.
Lilly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and graduated Cum Laude from Harvard University Harvard College in 2000. She earned a Masters of Business Administration and graduated with Distinction from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in 2004.
HOW THEY SUPPORT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY:
Vesco Oil supplies branded automotive and industrial lubricants to a wide range of customers, and is a leading recycler of used oil and antifreeze. We are also a full service provider of automotive appearance products, distribute a full line of metalworking fluids, and are a leading provider of bulk windshield washer solvent and antifreeze.
ON TRENDS & IMPACT:
Over the past decade, our leadership team and I have focused on Vesco’s expansion in the Midwest through M&A activities. We have worked with our key suppliers to expand our footprint while providing a high level of service to our customers. We are committed to our business long term and have had success developing relationships with other like-minded family and privately-held businesses in our industry.
ON STAYING RESILIENT IN 2020:
2020 has been a highly unpredictable year for all companies. We have done our best to make proactive decisions to protect our company for the future.
HOW WBENC CERTIFICATION AS HELPED:
Vesco’s WBENC certification has helped us solidify our relationship with certain key customers, and as also opened the doors for us with new opportunities. We have benefitted from the opportunity to network and do business with other WBE-certified companies. WBENC provides wonderful resources to members and we have benefitted from many programs and platforms.
Dr. Dana D. Wells | Dana Wells & Associates
“Find your place in the energy industry. Share your voice. Keep moving! You have value to add to the industry, and it needs your gifts and talents!”
ABOUT:
Dr. Dana Wells is one of 50 worldwide certified GIMI® Innovation Leaders and a highly sought after business transformation strategist. For nearly a decade, she has been a trusted advisor to energy industry leaders in corporations disrupted by digital transformation, macro-environmental factors, and new growth strategies. Her secret sauce? Reducing people risks that cause the 70% failure rate of $100M operational excellence projects. Dana Wells & Associates’ vision is to be the energy industry’s first choice for digital transformation consulting services. Its mission is to help energy companies achieve faster ROI on projects, master fluctuating markets, changing customer preferences, and overdeliver shareholder value. Dr. Dana holds a Ph.D. in human capital management, an MBA, an MA in industrial/organizational psychology, and a BS in psychology. She is passionate about economic empowerment, social justice initiatives, supports Veterans transitioning to civilian life, and is a strong advocate of career planning for all ages.
HOW THEY SUPPORT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY:
Dana Wells & Associates offers business transformation and change management advisory and consulting services to energy companies and individuals adapting to market disruptions such as mergers and acquisitions, macroenvironmental factors, and new growth strategies. DW&A’s Business Transformation Accelerator™ and DW&A’s Career Transformation Accelerator™ consulting services are designed to help corporations and individuals leverage their core competencies to drive innovation and create products and services that deliver value.
ON TRENDS & IMPACT:
I am creating a trend to use intellectual capital to adapt to market disruptions to create value. Intellectual capital is composed of human capital (people), structural capital (the organizational structure and how decisions are made), and relational capital (customer, and other key stakeholder relationships) to create value. Intellectual capital is an intangible asset. The energy industry is primarily focused on physical assets to create value, but the digital economy requires a shift in how value is created.
ON STAYING RESILIENT IN 2020:
First and most important, self-care, meditation, self-evaluation, and self-reflection made me resilient. I learned how to give myself grace. Second, I continued education to sharpen my CEO acumen. Third, Dana Wells & Associates (DW&A) and I have remained visible. DW&A is a supporting sponsor of the Houston Energy Breakfast sponsored by KCA. In addition, I have been a guest speaker providing insights on how companies can use human capital in innovative ways to adapt to market disruptions such as COVID-19 and digital transformation to create value. Also, I have entered pitch competitions and received awards for my service commitments. Finally, I have volunteered my time in organizations that calling for racial and social justice. These actions have brought continuous visibility to the DW&A brand.
HOW WBENC CERTIFICATION AS HELPED:
First, the network is second to none. The tag line “Join forces. Succeed together.” That is how I have gotten through 2020. Fellow women’s business enterprises (WBEs) connected, checked on each other, bartered services as needed, and identified new product/service collaboration opportunities. Second, our corporate-sponsors offered several executive education programs to help me remain resilient and focus. The WeThrive! And Wells Fargo Traction executive education programs have made me a sharper CEO. I have a more transparent approach to creating goals based on where my company is today and where we are going in the next 1, 3, and 5 years. Finally, the WBENC pitch competitions and conferences have created opportunities to get in front of corporations and other WBEs that I may not have had a chance to meet. There are all upsides to being a certified WBE!
