Q & A : Micheal Dunn
Chief Operating Officer , Williams
Micheal Dunn COO
You began your career at Williams after serving in various roles for more than a decade early in your career . Why did you decide to return ?
Williams is a great company , composed of great assets with a great customer base , but the real draw to me was the caliber of people who work here . Our employees truly love this company — its culture is unique in today ’ s energy industry . The reason I left was the fact that Williams sold the company I was working for at the time back in 2002 ; otherwise , I ’ m sure I wouldn ’ t have had a break in service . I have admired
“ Williams is a great company , composed of great assets with a great customer base , but the real draw to me was the caliber of people who work here .”
Williams since I was hired originally back in 1988 , and I have continued to follow the company as a shareholder even after I left Williams .
But my years away from Williams provided valuable experience as well . For example , I served in a leadership position for a regulated multi-state power generation company , which gave me an up-close-and-personal perspective on the pressures and challenges of many of Williams ’ customers . At Berkshire Hathaway Energy , I came to appreciate extreme capital discipline , a focus on continuous improvement and the value of a lean organization .
What are your priorities as Williams ’ first chief operating officer ?
My main priority in any role is keeping our employees safe , protecting the assets we operate , and keeping the public out of harm ’ s way as we construct and operate our facilities . Safety is simply non-negotiable in our business . I also will constantly seek ways to improve our efficiency , finding opportunities where we can improve operations to the benefit of our customers and shareholders .
What can customers expect under your leadership of Williams ’ operations ?
Customers can expect to see us improve on our project execution . While there are many factors involved in meeting a project in-service date , some outside our control , the bottom line is we are responsible for our projects . Accountability for meeting those commitments rests with each and every Williams employee .
In addition , customers will see us continue to find ways to make their business interests successful . I have been reaching out to meet as many customers as possible , to learn about their needs and business objectives first hand . Those who haven ’ t heard from me yet can expect to .
Williams consistently ranks high in customer surveys . How do you plan to build on that track record ?
Under Alan ’ s leadership , we ’ ve demonstrated our commitment to connecting the best supplies to the best markets . We will continue to listen to our customers and invest in facilities that help them grow their businesses . And , we ’ ll invest in existing facilities , employing maintenance capital to provide our customers even greater assurance of system reliability .
In your view , what ’ s the biggest challenge our industry is facing , and how is Williams addressing it ?
Our industry is facing a number of challenges , one of which is the increasing difficulty in building new projects . The opposition groups are much better organized than in the past , and the regulatory permitting processes are getting much longer without any real benefits to the overall project compliance . We ’ re making great efforts to increase our outreach programs and ensure we are reaching all stakeholders in the process . Our intent is not to amplify the noise , but to engage in constructive , civil discussion . It ’ s more important than ever for us to continue to be transparent to the public regarding our projects . Once we reach the construction phase , we must be diligent with our contractors such that they fully understand Williams ’ commitments to protecting the environment and meeting and exceeding our permit requirements .
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Q&A: Micheal Dunn
Chief Operating Officer, Williams
You began your career at Williams
after serving in various roles
for more than a decade early
in your career. Why did you
decide to return?
Williams is a great company, composed
of great assets with a great customer base,
Micheal Dunn
but the real draw to me was the caliber of
COO
people who work here. Our employees
truly love this company — its culture is
unique in today’s energy industry. The reason I left was the
fact that Williams sold the company I was working for at the
time back in 2002; otherwise, I’m sure I wouldn’t have had a
break in service. I have admired
Williams since I was hired
“Williams is a great originally back in 1988, and I
company, composed have continued to follow the
company as a shareholder even
after I left Williams.
of great assets with
a great customer
base, but the real
draw to me was the
caliber of people
who work here.”
But my years away from
Williams provided valuable
experience as well. For example,
I served in a leadership position
for a regulated multi-state power
generation company, which gave
me an up-close-and-personal
perspective on the pressures and
challenges of many of Williams’
customers. At Berkshire Hathaway Energy, I came to appreciate
extreme capital discipline, a focus on continuous improvement
and the value of a lean organization.
What are your priorities as Williams’ first chief
operating officer?
My main priority in any role is keeping our employees safe,
protecting the assets we operate, and keeping the public out of
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