NSBE - January/February 2009 - (Page 24)

Al Collins of Fluor Corporation A conduit for Success By Lynette Locke I n all thriving industries, there are conduits that bring parties together to achieve a common goal. Toward that end, many companies depend on Fluor Corporation, a Fortune 500 company that provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance (EPCM) and project management services to clients in diverse industries around the world. And within Fluor, Al Collins serves as an important conduit in the Energy and Chemicals Business Group, bringing together the right resources to successfully generate contract awards. Collins is a director of Sales in the Downstream Business Line. In this point position, he applies his more than 14 years’ experience, and his solid business and technical acumen in developing relationships with small and large accounts, to pursue complex, global projects that add significant value to the clients’ business objectives. “Everything we do as a company revolves around our ability to attract and retain the industry’s brightest engineers.” — Al Collins, Fluor Corporation “Clients lead us in what they want. We support them to make sure their projects happen successfully and safely,” he says. Collins is a key contributor to Fluor’s management team. A Clemson University graduate with a degree in construction science and management he is qualified by both his education and real-world experience to strike crucial deals for his company. His background has made him capable of communicating with both the clients and Fluor engineers and technical experts, which is why he has been a critical part of the success he attributes to the strength of Fluor’s work force. “Engineering is the critical core of our busi24 • january/february ness,” he says. “Everything we do as a company revolves around our ability to attract and retain the industry’s brightest engineers.” His job is to help ensure that Fluor maintains its global reputation for excellence. “Our goal is to have the opportunity to pursue our clients’ most important capital investment projects,” Collins says. “Once we get that opportunity, our greatest differentiator is virtually always the quality of our engineering teams.” With locations on six continents and hundreds of project sites worldwide, Fluor draws on the project and technical expertise of its engineering experts to provide suitable, cost-effective solutions to clients. Those clients are commercial, industrial and governmental and come from industries such as oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical, power, mining, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, transportation, commercial and institutional, and renewable energy. Because one of Fluor’s specialties is working with wind, clean coal, nuclear and other emerging and traditional energy technologies, it helps many clients obtain the new energy resources that are increasingly important in this time of tightening oil supplies and higher worldwide energy consumption. With such an important career and a young family, Collins has precious little spare time, but he is committed to giving back to his community through his work at the local United Way and through mentoring. “Most people who have a sense of accomplishment start with an idea and hope to positively impact the lives of others,” he says. “This is why I make community service and mentoring a priority.” Because Collins counts himself fortunate to have known numerous role models who have been instrumental in his progress, he continues to build strong relationships with others, helping them find what they need to succeed. ■ 2009 • www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - January/February 2009

NSBE - January/February 2009
Contents
Image or Action?
Bringing It Home
Your Time
Nigerian Students Celebrate
Region III Makes ‘iImpact’
Fall Regional Energy
A Walk for Education
Member Benefits from Microsoft!
Success Catches On
Grad Conference Seeks Heavyweights
Al Collins of Fluor Corporation
What the meltdown may mean for U.S. engineers
Boosting NSBE on Wall Street
“Energizing Creativity to Achieve Exponential Growth”
NSBE Golden Torch Awards
The AE Niche
Jobs in Green Industries
AE Members on the Move
NSBE for Life!
Toronto 2010: Making It Happen
NSBE Calendar
Advertisers Index

NSBE - January/February 2009