MICHAEL W. BALLARD
701-***-**** *******.******@*****.*** 10950 W. Union Hills Dr. Sun City, AZ 85373
OPERATIONS/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
Top-performing professional with solid work ethic and extensive experience directing complex, multibillion dollar projects for industrial clients. Broad background working with various industrial and utilities companies and overseeing retrofits/upgrades and new construction of power plants. Demonstrated strengths leading proposal teams, negotiating contracts, guiding field crews, and handling multiple concurrent projects.
Outstanding ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with owners, contractors and subcontractors, laborers, suppliers, and other associates. Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills and impeccable attention to detail. Deliver all projects on time, within budget, and above client expectations. Thorough understanding of inspection methods, sound mechanical aptitude, and dedication to quality craftsmanship, site safety, and customer satisfaction.
Expertise Includes:
Quality Control
Material Planning
Project Management
Leadership & Teambuilding
Regulatory Compliance
Profit & Loss Management
Budget Administration
Bidding & Estimation
Labor Management
Business Development
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Tesoro Refining and Marketing Corporation San Antonio, TX 2016-2017
Major Projects Construction Manager
Responsible for day to day construction operations for corporate projects at the Tesoro Refinery in Mandan, ND. This includes close attention to safety, coordination with ongoing operations in various parts of the refinery, managing to budget and schedule.
Mobilized CM Staff to the Refinery Site from an off-site location in June, 2016 inclusive of Superintendents, Coordinators, Project Controls and Scheduling, QA/QC and Document Control Staff.
Completed entire Civil Scope for the Cooling Tower Replacement Project. Currently scoping future bid packages for the remaining work associated with this project.
Mobilized Mechanical Turnaround Contractor for the FCU (Cat Cracker) Replacement and initiated key work activities that will be performed prior to the 2017 Turnaround.
Provided Constructability Oversite for Corporate Projects Team on development of EPA Mandated Gasoline Sulfur Reduction Project for completion in 2020.
Provided Construction oversight and support for Spring 2017 FCU (Cat Cracker) Replacement Turnaround.
NextEra Energy Resources Houston, TX 2013-2016
North Dakota Operations Manager
Recruited to relocate to North Dakota to establish a satellite office in Williston, ND to manage day to day operations of oil and gas assets currently in the region, and manage expansion efforts forthcoming for the next several years.
Opened satellite office and negotiated lease for expanded office with July 2014 move-in.
Managed construction completion and commissioning of NGL processing facility in Fortuna, ND.
Managed total scope of $100MM midstream expansion of existing facility and gathering systems in 2015.
Managed construction and commissioning of new 22 mile oil pipeline in Alexander, ND.
Established relationships with Landowner’s, Governmental Officials, Local Businesses, Customers, and at a corporate level to support an operational start-up, ongoing operations and major expansions.
CH2M Hill Englewood, CO 2013-2013
North American Eastern Construction Manager
Hired by design engineering firm to devise and integrate staffing plans and project execution strategy for construction of DRI steel processing facility in TX valued at $800M. Supervised 4 Site Managers and facilitated negotiations with owners’ process suppliers. Project delayed significantly by owner.
Structured construction management portion of project and formulated plan that saved owner $2M in staffing costs in the first year.
Finalized power agreement with local utility for placement and timing of power into site.
Black & Veatch Overland Park, KS 2010–2013
Construction Operations Manager
Managed multiple teams in charge of rebuilding 8 air quality control system (AQCS) scrubbers for American Electric Power (AEP) utility system throughout the Ohio Valley. Additionally directed design and construction management team that created land-based version of Aegis weapon system that was fully modularized and able to be rapidly deployed and disassembled.
Completed all scrubbers ahead of schedule and below $250M budget with zero major injuries.
Proved viability of theory behind Aegis weapon system, leading to successful assembly in NJ with second one slated for assembly in HI and a third in Romania.
Bechtel Power Corp. Lively Grove & Pekin, IL 2008–2010
Area Construction Manager – Lively Grove, IL (2009–2010)
Managed construction of AQCS systems for new power station (Prairie States Energy Center) consisting of two 850 MW coal fired units. AQCS components for each unit included: SCR, Dry Precipitator, Wet Scrubber, and Wet Precipitator. Held full operational and cost responsibilities for project tasks valued at $1B. Supervised 6 staff members and 200 skilled trades’ personnel. Oversaw workflow planning and monitored progress/performance.
Turned around project that was originally 3 months behind, finishing all tasks 4 months ahead of schedule and below budget.
Delivered substantial cost savings by employing several specialty contractors that required minimal supervision to handle key portions of project rather than hiring full-time staff members.
Established process for tracking installed quantities on daily basis to accurately measure progress.
Site Manager – Pekin, IL (2008–2009)
Senior member of development team for derivation of construction scope, estimate, and plan for $2.4B AQCS retrofit project for MidWest Generation’s Powerton Station containing four 375 MW coal fired cyclone boilers. Worked closely with all engineering disciplines during initial design phase and partnered with procurement and estimating departments throughout bidding.
Played vital role in awarding of contract to Bechtel for project execution, deriving accurate estimating unit rates for labor portion of project and assisting in identifying/obtaining qualified subcontractors.
Kansas City Power & Light Co. (KCPL) Weston, MO 2007–2008
Construction Manager – Iatan Station
Provided construction management expertise for full-service energy provider serving Kansas City metro area and parts of rural northwestern MO and eastern KS. Led complex retrofit and new construction projects, monitoring progress, directing employees and subcontractors, and ensuring completion on time and within budget.
Unit #1 ($450M): Oversaw environmental retrofit upgrade of 550 MW coal unit consisting of new SCR, wet scrubber, stack, fabric filter bag house, economizer surface area addition, over fire air and burner additions, DCS upgrade, limestone handling systems, and new submerged and dry-flight conveying systems.
Unit #2 ($1.7B): Oversaw beginning of construction of 850 MW supercritical coal unit including handling procurement of all supplies/components.
Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., Inc. Kansas City, MO 2004–2007
Construction Manager – Western Operations
Managed day-to-day functions of 4-state region encompassing variety of projects such as service, repair, maintenance, outages, and new projects with engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors and firm price scope.
Generated total sales for 2005 of $56M with projects ranging in value from $1.4K to $35M.
Oversaw completion of $72M EPC SCR project on KCPL’s 800 MW Unit #1 at LaCygne, KS power station.
Additional experience as Operations Manager for Midwest Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Kansas City, MO; Project Manager for Kiewit Industrial Co., Lenexa, KS; and numerous positions within a variety of power plants
US Navy Veteran – E-4 Hull Technician (Pipefitter); Honorable Discharge
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MBA, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO
BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Journeyman Pipefitter UA Local Union #562
AFFILIATIONS
Kansas City Building Trades Council (Past)
Boilermakers International Training Committee (Past)
St. Louis Engineers Club (Past)