San Antonio, TX – June 10, 2010
Executive Promotions:
Industrial Emergency Services, LLC is pleased to announce the following executive promotions:
- Gracia S. Rosslow has been promoted to Company President.
- Daniel Garcia has been promoted to Fire Chief and is retaining his position as Vice President.
- Robert C. Andrews, Jr. has been promoted to fill the newly-created position of Chief Executive Officer.
According to the company, the promotions reflect a new management organization that was jointly developed by the company owners and managers during an Executive Summit held in Philadelphia in September 2009. The promotions were made effective January 1 of this year and implemented within the IES executive suite over the past 5 months. Now that the management reorganization has been completed, and the executives are fully functioning in their new capacities, the company is pleased to announce the promotions at this time.
When asked to comment on the senior reorganization, IES Chief Executive Officer Robert C. Andrews, Jr., said, “I think that the Executive structure that had been in place since the company’s establishment in 1999, was no longer reflective of the way we were operating the executive suite. This new structure much better matches authority with responsibility, while providing much-deserved recognition of Ms. Rosslow’s and Chief Garcia’s excellent performance”. Mr. Andrews added, “I think that anyone who has been close to IES knows that for the past couple of years, Danny and Gracia have really been running the IES global operation on a day-to-day basis and I have been providing support to them at primarily the strategic and policy level. While the former structure, with my performing as President & Fire Chief made sense for the past ten years, this new structure is both necessary and appropriate to lead IES for the next 10 years. I have the utmost trust and respect in Gracia’s and Danny’s ability to lead IES and look forward to my new role as Chief Executive Officer”.
While being announced concurrent with the beginning of the company’s fiscal year, the recent changes to the executive suite have been under review and development for the past six months according to the company. The company used Michael Sussman of Strategic Rail Finance, a financing and organizational development consultancy based in Philadelphia, to assist with the management evaluation process and the development and facilitation of the management retreat held last fall. Mr. Andrews and Mr. Sussman had met each other earlier in the year to discuss the financing of a possible rail-related acquisition for Mr. Andrews’ holding company, The Bob Andrews Group, LLC. It was Mr. Andrews’ interaction with Mr. Sussman that led to the idea of an IES Executive Summit. The concept was proposed and then endorsed by the executive team. “The use of an external management consultant was invaluable in getting the three IES senior executives to sit down, evaluate, and structure the re-organization and its implementation”, said Gracia Rosslow, IES’ new president. Mr. Andrews added, “I think it is a tribute to Michael Sussman’s business acumen and keen mind that he was able to learn about a very complex, esoteric business, such as IES’, and be able to effectively facilitate and mentor the IES Executive Summit as proficiently as he did. Michael was quite the “unsung hero” in our re-organization process”.
Having celebrated its eleventh anniversary last March, IES remains bullish on the contract emergency services market and believes that the management re-organization will help assure that the company is poised to seize new market opportunities. The re-organization also reflects the company’s philosophy of trying to always best match its human talent with career opportunities. “Bob Andrews is a true entrepreneur and wealth-builder. His transition from President & Fire Chief to Chief Executive Officer has always been part of the IES business model”, stated Fire Chief Daniel Garcia who has also been a partner in IES for 10 years, “Now is the perfect time to execute that original plan. Additionally, last August, Chief Andrews completed 35 years in the fire service, the last 24 of those years as a career fire chief. Most of his peers would have retired with 35 years of service – instead of retiring, Chief Andrews is simply transitioning to a “mentor” or “senior advisor” status, with the new title of “Fire Chief Emeritus”. I am prepared to fill some pretty big shoes, and am looking forward to the opportunity. Personally, I will be watching with anticipation to see what Chief Andrews has in store for The Bob Andrews Group, now that he will be able to better focus on that part of his enterprise”.
According to the company, the promotions were effective January 1, 2010. Mr. Andrews and Ms. Rosslow will continue to office at company headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Fire Chief Garcia will continue to office at the company’s Baton Rouge, Louisiana office.
Additional Partner:
Industrial Emergency Services, LLC is also pleased to announce that Gracia R. Rosslow has become a partner in the firm.
Ms. Rosslow was elected as a member (partner) of the company at the Executive Summit held in Philadelphia in September of last year.
“It is the desire of every business owner that their employees act as owners. From the day Ms. Rosslow began her employment with Industrial Emergency Services, she has performed as an owner, and it was time to formally reward her performance and dedication to the company”, said Fire Chief and Company Partner, Daniel Garcia. “Both Chief Andrews and I unanimously supported her election as a partner in the firm, and enthusiastically welcome her as an owner in Industrial Emergency Services”.
“One of the major roles of the executive team of any company is to increase shareholder value for the company’s owners. On this score, Gracia Rosslow has performed remarkably well. Rewarding Gracia with an ownership share of the company was an easy decision for both Mr. Garcia and I”, said IES Chief Executive Officer Bob Andrews. “On a related note, it was Ms. Rosslow’s excellent performance as Chief Financial Officer for the past four years that made the decision to promote her to Company President such an easy and logical one” said Mr. Andrews.
“In the fire service it can often be difficult for non-uniformed personnel to be truly respected and appreciated”, added Fire Chief Daniel Garcia, “I have been especially impressed with the respect that Ms. Rosslow has earned amongst the entire IES uniformed firefighting workforce. I look forward to working with Ms. Rosslow in both her new role as President as well as a fellow company partner, to continue the success and growth of IES”.
The management reorganization and the election of Ms. Rosslow as a company owner, were two significant results of the September Executive Summit, the company reported. An additional result of the Summit was a complete recasting of authorities, duties, and responsibilities amongst the positions of Fire Chief, Company President, and Chief Executive Officer. “I have been very impressed over the past couple of years with how well Danny Garcia and Gracia Rosslow complement one another. They are certainly an impressive team”, commented company CEO, Bob Andrews. “Ms. Rosslow’s business acumen is the perfect compliment to Chief Garcia’s significant emergency response experience. And I truly believe that Chief Garcia’s fire fighting experience, especially in complex refining and petrochemical production units is without peer on an international level”, Mr. Andrews added.
About Gracia S. Rosslow
Ms. Rosslow is the president of Industrial Emergency Services, LLC. She previously held the position of Chief Financial Officer; a position she held since joining the company in 2006. She became an owner of the company in 2009.
Ms. Rosslow graduated from the University of Florida in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and graduated from Nova Southeastern University in 1990 with a Master of Arts degree in Accounting. She became a Certified Public Accountant (Florida) in 1993. Ms. Rosslow is both a Certified Government Finance Officer and a Certified Professional in Human Resources.
From 1997 to 2005 Ms. Rosslow was employed by the Houston Fire Department (TX), the fourth-largest fire department in the United States, as Deputy Director, Finance and Administration. Before serving the City of Houston, Ms. Rosslow served as the Chief Financial Officer of Apple Machine & Supply Company, Clerk/Treasurer of the St. Lucie County Fire District (Ft. Pierce, Florida), and Chief Financial Officer of Nichols Law P.L.L.C. (Houston).
About Daniel Garcia
Mr. Garcia is the Vice President & Fire Chief of Industrial Emergency Services. He held the position of Vice President & Deputy Fire Chief since joining the company in 1999. He became an owner of the company in 2000. He was awarded the Industrial Emergency Services “Eagle Award” in 2007.
Chief Garcia is a 31-year veteran of the industrial fire service. He began his career in 1978 as a safety clerk and industrial fire fighting instructor for Coastal States Refining / Tennessee Pipeline Company. He joined the Refinery Terminal Fire Company (RTFC) in 1982 as a Driver Operator and worked his way through the ranks as Captain, Division Chief and Assistant Chief. In 1997 he received a Department Commendation for his exemplary performance at a major fire in a refinery HF Acid Alkylation Unit. He left RTFC in 1999 to join Industrial Emergency Services.
Chief Garcia has a well-earned reputation within the industrial emergency response community, not only within the United States but also internationally. His industrial emergency response experience, especially with regard to emergencies within complex refining and petrochemical process operating units, is without peer. Throughout his career he has insisted upon and achieved an exemplary occupational safety and health performance from the personnel under his command. He is well respected by the myriad local, state, and federal government agencies he interacts with on a routine basis. He currently serves as the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Coordinator for St. James Parish, Louisiana.
Having responded to over 25 petroleum storage tank fires and over 400 process unit fires, Chief Garcia is a nationally recognized industrial fire fighting instructor. He is a Master Instructor at the Texas A&M University’s Industrial Fire School in College Station, Texas where he is a lead instructor for the A.P.I Petroleum Storage Tank Firefighting Course. He is also a regular instructor at the annual Williams Fire & Hazard Control fire fighting school.
About Robert C. Andrews, Jr.
Mr. Andrews is the Chief Executive Officer of Industrial Emergency Services, LLC. He also holds the title of Fire Chief Emeritus. For ten years, prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Andrews held the position of President & Fire Chief, a title he had since founding the company in 1999. He is the majority owner of the company.
Mr. Andrews is a Texas Registered Professional Engineer (fire protection branch specialty), a professional member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (USA), a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (UK), and was one of the first industrial fire chiefs to earn the prestigious Chief Fire Officer Designation in 2003. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1980 and a Master of Science Degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University in 2002. Mr. Andrews is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and received the 1990 Outstanding Research Award for his paper that discussed the feasibility of applying the Incident Command System to incidents in the refining and petrochemical industry. He is a world-renowned author and speaker having delivered industrial emergency response and preparedness presentations in France, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.
Having joined the local volunteer fire company in suburban Philadelphia on his sixteenth birthday, Mr. Andrews has been an active member of the fire service for over 35 years. His prior fire service experience includes serving with the East Whiteland Volunteer Association (PA), the College Park Volunteer Fire Department (MD), the Phoenix Fire Department (AZ), Marathon Oil Company (OH), Celanese Chemical Company (TX), the Refinery Terminal Fire Company (TX) and Industrial Emergency Services. He was one of the first Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States having received his Pennsylvania and National Registry EMT licenses in 1975. Mr. Andrews has also been a Licensed Texas Peace Officer for twenty years and currently holds Master Peace Officer and Instructor certification. He is an internationally recognized police dog trainer.
In addition to his duties with Industrial Emergency Services, Mr. Andrews is also President & CEO of the Bob Andrews Group, LLC (BAG), President & CEO of Protection Development, Incorporated (PDI), and Managing Partner of The Catalpa Falls Group, LLC (CFG). In 2009, Mr. Andrews expanded his commitment to the rail/transit consulting industry by launching a new, dedicated PDI division aimed specifically at that market. The new division is called PDI Rail Solutions. Mr. Andrews remains active in the rail industry. He is a 2008 graduate of the Railway Management Program at Michigan State University and is a member of the National Fire Protection Association’s Rail Transportation Systems Section.
About Industrial Emergency Services, LLC (IES)
Industrial Emergency Services was founded in 1999 to bring cost-effective emergency response, firefighting, and safety services to the oil, chemical, critical infrastructure and other high-hazard industries. The original mission of the company was to provide full-time, professional emergency responders at oil refineries and chemical plants, on an on-site, resident basis. While these resident programs still represent the largest source of IES revenue, the service line has continually expanded over the company’s ten-year history. IES now also provides a wide variety of safety services including audits and safety housekeeping services for plant turnarounds, preventive maintenance on all fire protection and safety systems, rescue standby services to comply with OSHA 1910.146 and a wide variety of training courses targeted to Hazardous Materials, Rescue, and Industrial Firefighting. IES also provides emergency response and training services to local governments. IES, with its core competencies as a specialist industrial emergency response company, continues to help its clients outsource this vital function.
About IES Global Services, LLC (IES Global)
IES Global Services was founded in 2004 to provide the same quality services provided by its parent company, IES, but in the international market (i.e. outside of the USA). The company was formed originally to segregate IES’ domestic (US) and international business. This move was necessary to accommodate IES receiving a significant contract from Marathon Oil Company for its operations on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (West Africa). That contract is representative of IES Global’s major product line, which provides expatriate staffing at international oil, gas, and chemical facilities. IES Global Services, LLC is wholly owned by Industrial Emergency Services, LLC.
View the PDF IES Executive Promotions 06-10-2010 online.