upcoming speaker presentations
Explore the hot topics shaping maintenance & reliability, presented by respected industry leaders.
MARCH LUNCH & LEARN
WHEN: Thursday, March 12th | 11:30AM - 1:00OPM
WHERE: MAXGRIP - PARK TOWERS | 1333 W Loop S Ste 730, Houston, TX 77027
SPEAKER:
Christina Gomez | Senior Consultant, MaxGrip
“Preventive Maintenance Optimization Journey: A Look Behind the Scenes of a South American LNG Facility”
pRESENTATION SUMMARY:
What does it really take to optimize preventive maintenance at a complex, operating facility?
In this Lunch & Learn session, MaxGrip presents a behind-the-scenes look at a two-phase Preventive Maintenance Optimization (PMO) initiative executed at a large LNG export facility in South America. The presentation will be delivered by MaxGrip Senior Maintenance & Reliability Consultant, Cristina Gomez, who led the initiative and worked closely with site teams throughout the engagement.
The session highlights how maintenance strategies were reviewed, standardized, and optimized while maintaining uninterrupted operations. Attendees will gain insight into key deliverables, including the development of an optimized maintenance task library, SAP task list standardization, intelligent PM scheduling logic, and workload leveling.
Beyond technical outcomes, the presentation explores critical lessons learned related to change management, team alignment, data quality, and governance. This session offers practical, real-world takeaways for maintenance and reliability.
SPEAKER:
Fortune Udegbue | Data Analytics & Systems Proj. Mgr, Indorama
“Breaking Silos with Connected Worker: Delivering Reliability and Hard-Dollar Savings at Port Neches”
pRESENTATION SUMMARY:
Industrial sites are under pressure to cut maintenance spend, shrink backlogs, and do more with fewer people. At Indorama’s Port Neches Operations, we replaced fragmented workflows with a connected-worker model tightly integrated to SAP—digitizing operator rounds, mobile maintenance, kitting/staging, and EHS permits—to convert execution data into immediate action and measurable financial impact.
In 2025, the program delivered $18.8M in annualized savings against an $8.2M goal; contractor headcount dropped 40% vs. 2024; and combined overtime fell from 24% (2024) to 16% (2025) on average (with a 10% median after excluding turnaround/shutdown outliers). Non-PM backlog also improved, with open work orders declining from 3,308 (Dec 2024) to 1,499 (Dec 2025) and average age trending down from ~10.8 to 8.9 months.
This talk distills the playbook: (1) build a cross-functional value chain (Operations–Maintenance–Stores) and tie it to a clear financial narrative; (2) digitize planning/execution (mobile WOs, digital forms/instructions, AI-assisted scheduling) to remove lag; (3) shift to operator-led inspections and real-time issue capture; and (4) standardize kitting to start jobs on time. We’ll cover lessons learned, change-management moves that win adoption, and the KPIs that sustain momentum—so attendees leave with a practical path to reliability gains and cost take-out.
SPEAKER:
Sri Karthik | Executive VP, Innovapptive
“Breaking Silos with Connected Worker: Delivering Reliability and Hard-Dollar Savings at Port Neches”
pRESENTATION SUMMARY:
Industrial sites are under pressure to cut maintenance spend, shrink backlogs, and do more with fewer people. At Indorama’s Port Neches Operations, we replaced fragmented workflows with a connected-worker model tightly integrated to SAP—digitizing operator rounds, mobile maintenance, kitting/staging, and EHS permits—to convert execution data into immediate action and measurable financial impact.
In 2025, the program delivered $18.8M in annualized savings against an $8.2M goal; contractor headcount dropped 40% vs. 2024; and combined overtime fell from 24% (2024) to 16% (2025) on average (with a 10% median after excluding turnaround/shutdown outliers). Non-PM backlog also improved, with open work orders declining from 3,308 (Dec 2024) to 1,499 (Dec 2025) and average age trending down from ~10.8 to 8.9 months.
This talk distills the playbook: (1) build a cross-functional value chain (Operations–Maintenance–Stores) and tie it to a clear financial narrative; (2) digitize planning/execution (mobile WOs, digital forms/instructions, AI-assisted scheduling) to remove lag; (3) shift to operator-led inspections and real-time issue capture; and (4) standardize kitting to start jobs on time. We’ll cover lessons learned, change-management moves that win adoption, and the KPIs that sustain momentum—so attendees leave with a practical path to reliability gains and cost take-out.
MaRS 2026
Monday, May 11th - Tuesday May 12th, 2026
Discover cutting-edge technologies shaping maintenance and reliability.
Learn performance-driven strategies from industry innovators.
Network with professionals and experts driving progress in the field.
Gain actionable insights to overcome operational barriers and boost efficiency.
Explore how integration and innovation keep your business ahead of the curve.
PREVIOUS HCSMRP EVENTS
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WINTER HAPPY HOUR
Date: Thursday, February 19th, 2026
Time: 5:00–8:00 PM.
Location: Kirby Ice House (Upper Kirby) | 3333 Eastside St, Houston, TX 77098
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WINTER LUNCH & LEARN
Speaker: Dylan Ray | Eddy Current Analyst, MFL Technician, and Certified Thermographer, Turner Specialty Services
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SPEAKER: Dr. Karl Hoffower, DC, CRL | Co-Founder & Executive Director, Failure Prevention Associates, LLC
Richard Bierman | Rotating Equipment Reliability Lead, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
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summer lunch & learn
Speaker: Susan Steyn | Senior Consultant @ The Woodhouse Partnership Ltd
Speaker: Chris Topping | Engineering Manager @ Wood
Speaker: Michael Eisenbise | Downstream Principal Maintenance and Reliability Engineer (Retired) @ bp
July 2025
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SMRP MAINTENANCE & RELIABILITY SYMPOSIUM
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SPRING lunch & learn
Speaker: Eno Agbasonu, Senior Consultant | MAXGRIP
Speaker: Pat McLemore, VP of Products & Support | Bill Spitzer & Associates, Inc.
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houston LUNCH & LEARN
Speakers: Kyle DeArmon, Business Development Manager | Ward
Sudhakar Mahajanam PhD, MBA, PE, Materials and Corrosion Engineer | MISTRAS
January 2025
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Board Committee vote
November 2024
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Speaker: George Perrett , Operational Excellence Oil and Gas Sales | Peri
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Houston Lunch & Learn
Speaker: Scott D. Bouse, Senior Associate | WJE
April 2024
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Speaker: Basant Gyawali, Maintenance Consultant | Reliability Engineering
February 2024
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Houston Lunch & learn
Speaker: Zach Steffen, Director of Industrial Products | Trackonomy
November 2023
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Houston Lunch & learn
Speaker: Michael Wallace, Partner | Pinnacle
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