SHAWN KEKILIAN, EIT

I’m from Los Angeles, CA, and currently working in Tulsa, OK, this year as an engineer in our newly created Business Transformation unit. Why take a business role for my second rotation?

Having worked in construction during my last rotation and in field positions during my internships, I wanted to build my business and financial acumen. Over time, I realized my interest and passion for investing and the stock market have taken up more and more of my time outside of work. Taking a role at Williams’ corporate office is giving me a better understanding of how business decisions are made and how to maximize outcomes for all stakeholders involved in a project.

That said, I’m extremely proud of the work we did in Louisiana during my last rotation. We built 121 miles of 42-inch pipe that carries gas from the Haynesville Shale to the Gulf Coast. Not only did I gain valuable firsthand experience in the natural gas transmission process, I also developed a comprehensive understanding of pipeline operations, project and employee management, and customer relations. You learn a lot when the chief inspector leaves you with your own construction crew and a 1,000-page spec book in your first week! And I’m proud to say I didn’t have a single injury on any of my crews during my year as a pipeline inspector.

All this to say, I believe I’ve built a unique set of skills that set me apart from other professionals my age. I gained project management experience early in my career through both construction and business transformation; I’m an EIT who has passed the PE exam and am on track to become a licensed PE in the next few years; I’m building my business and financial acumen in my current role; I’m studying for the CFA with the goal of one day working in finance; and I’ve developed exceptional people skills that I can bring into a career in either engineering or finance.