For Kansas City native and proud Chiefs fan Tristan Owen, engineering has always been about solving puzzles. After earning his degree in chemical engineering from the University of Arkansas, he launched his career in air separation, first as a plant engineer and later as a plant manager. Two years ago, Tristan joined MATHESON as a ROC Process Engineer in the Irving office. He was drawn by the company’s close-knit culture and the chance to broaden his expertise across multiple plants.
The smartest person in the room knows that the more they know, the less they know. Keep asking questions.
Tristan
In his role, Tristan thrives on variety. His days range from crunching numbers on efficiency projects and developing startup procedures to troubleshooting plant upsets and keeping systems stable. “It keeps me on my toes and makes me feel like a private investigator,” he remarked. What he enjoys most, though, is training new operators in the ROC, saying, “I enjoy being able to teach people what I know, and I feel like I try to make real-world correlations to everything.”
Tristan recalls a particularly memorable challenge early on, helping troubleshoot an unusual system issue that tested his problem-solving skills. “I’ll never forget that day,” he laughs. “It was tough, but it taught me a lot.” Those high-pressure problem-solving moments, combined with opportunities to collaborate across teams keep him engaged and growing at MATHESON.
Outside of work, Tristan’s hobbies change often. He’s built a motorcycle, tried his hand at archery, and most recently caught the golf bug thanks to coworkers. He also enjoys time with his girlfriend and their puppy, Millie.
His advice for new employees is simple: don’t hesitate to ask questions. “The smartest person in the room knows that the more they know, the less they know. Keep asking questions.” With that mindset, Tristan continues to bring curiosity, collaboration, and passion to everything he does at MATHESON.
Do you want to join the MATHESON team? Learn about all our open positions:
