Meet Jim Bates, a regional operations manager on the HyCO team at MATHESON. Jim joined us in 2019 as part of the HyCO team acquisition from Linde, bringing a background in managing Air Separation Unit facilities and commissioning plants. He has been in his current role for six months, previously serving as the plant manager for the Lemont, IL facility.
In his role, Jim oversees operations for six plants, with another one on the way. His key responsibilities include prioritizing safety, reducing hazards, improving compliance, and training new personnel. Jim emphasizes the importance of training new or inexperienced teammates about the hydrogen plants, as he believes they are the “future of the organization.”
Jim has been managing the Lemont, IL site since 2014 when it was still part of Linde. During those ten years, under Jim’s leadership, the plant has maintained an accident-free record while meeting reliability targets for both the company and customers.
Jim values the freedom to succeed in delivering on the safety, dependability, and profitability goals at MATHESON. He appreciates the company’s safety culture, which he also practices at home by wearing earplugs and safety glasses while cutting the lawn.
Outside of work, Jim enjoys traveling with his wife to watch his son wrestle, recently visiting Maryland for the Big Ten Championships.
During his time at MATHESON, Jim has had the opportunity to meet all kinds of people and collaborate with numerous colleagues. He finds inspiration in working with new and energetic personnel, viewing growth as a key aspect of professional development. Jim’s dedication to excellence and continuous improvement embodies the core values of MATHESON, making him an invaluable leader.
Do you want to join the MATHESON team? Learn about all our open positions:
