Bay Area

American Business Women’s Association Celebrates Annual Regional Conference

The American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) held its Annual Regional Recognition Conference at TPC Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco on July 20. The event, hosted by the Cities by the Bay and Enterprising Women Networking chapters, brought together members from ABWA chapters of California, Montana, Hawaii and Arizona.

Published

10 months ago

August 17, 2024

Oakland Post

The American Businesswomen's Association (ABWA) celebrate at the Annual Regional Recognition Conference at TPC Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) held its Annual Regional Recognition Conference at TPC Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco on July 20.

The event, hosted by the Cities by the Bay and Enterprising Women Networking chapters, brought together members from ABWA chapters of California, Montana, Hawaii and Arizona.

Titled “Crown Jewels,” the program featured Dee Kirtley, who provided a warm welcome and introduced the ABWA national board members and special guests.

The organization’s mission was shared by Shameka Bolds and the history was read by Anassa Stewart. A raffle was conducted by Adrienne Jackson Wright and Jo’Vel Jones. Winners received candles, cash, jewelry, and gift cards.

Honorees included protégé Rosalyn Farmer and Shonette Jones. Person of the Year accolades went to Breanne Carioto, Shameka Bolds, Frances Cohen, Patti Ann Hokama, Marianne Calibrese, Sharon Smith, and Janet Anderson.

“This is such an honor and I’m so grateful,” said Realtor Frances Cohen.

Leveling Up Inner Circle recognitions went to Sandra Overstreet, LaRonda Smith, Velma Landers, Kerrie Underhill, Edwin Dirk, and Dee Kirtley. Elaine Redus was named the Top 10 nominee, the highest honor awarded annually to 10 businesswomen recognizing them for their career accomplishments, community involvement, and their contribution to ABWA.

Chapters that won the “Best Practices” award included Pathfinder and Windsong.

The Stephen Bufton Grant recipient LaJeanne Shelton, a UC Hastings School of Law student, received a standing ovation for her educational achievements. She was further commended for her poise and professionalism by ABWA national president, Rachelle Jamerson-Holmes.

“Her confidence and personable attitude came through when we met, said Jamerson-Holmes. “The sky is the limit for this young lady.”

ABWA’s National Board of Directors is a volunteer group that governs the organization’s bylaws and serves as trustee for the Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund (SBMEF).

District 6 Vice President Velma Landers received long applause for her leadership and natural ability to recruit new members and galvanize current members.

“I love to see people reach their goals and full potential,” said Landers. “That happens more often when we include and support each other.”

“We believe in helping each other grow personally and professionally,” said ABWA leader, Dee Kirtley.

Tables were decorated with jewels and a note bearing the words, “You are a Crown Jewel.”

The ABWA national board members include Debra Weilbacher, vice president, District 3, Dynamic Connections Chapter in Blue Springs, Missouri; Barbara Pedersen, vice president, District 5, Heart of the Piedmont Chapter in Greensboro, North Carolina; Anne O’Neill, national vice president, Harris County Charter Chapter of Cataula, Georgia; Venice Hall-Fowler, national secretary-treasurer, Women Connecting Women Chapter of Newberry, South Carolina; Sonya Lowe, vice president, District 1 of the Golden Dome Chapter in Atlanta, Georgia; Kim Stengel, vice president, District 2, Women of Vision Express Network in Kingwood, Texas; Cheryl Schmandt, vice president, District 4, Women of Magnitude Express Network in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Velma Landers, vice president, District 6,

Enterprising Women Networking Chapter in San Francisco, California.

The mission of the ABWA is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

For more information, visit: ABWA.org.

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Chevron Richmond Installs Baker Hughes Flare.IQ, Real-time Flare Monitoring, Control and Reduction System

While the sight of flaring can cause concern in the community, flares are essential safety systems that burn pollutants to prevent them from being released directly into the atmosphere. They activate during startup and shut-down of facility units or during upsets or equipment malfunctions. The typical flare stack is about 200 feet high so that vapors are well above street levels.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Image courtesy The Richmond Standard.

The Richmond Standard

Chevron Richmond recently installed flare.IQ, a real-time, automated system that will improve the facility’s flaring performance.

The technology, developed by Panametrics, a Baker Hughes business, uses sensors to monitor, reduce and control flaring in real time. It collects and assesses data on refinery processes, such as temperature, pressure, gas flow and gas composition, and adjusts accordingly to ensure flares burn more efficiently and cleanly, leading to fewer emissions.

“The cleaner the flare, the brighter the flame can look,” said Duy Nguyen, a Chevron Richmond flaring specialist. “If you see a brighter flame than usual on a flare, that actually means flare.IQ is operating as intended.”

“A key element in Baker Hughes’ emissions abatement portfolio, flare.IQ has a proven track record in optimizing flare operations and significantly reducing emissions,” said Colin Hehir, vice president of Panametrics, a Baker Hughes business. “By partnering with Chevron Richmond, one of the first operators in North America to adopt flare.IQ, we are looking forward to enhancing the plant’s flaring operations.”

The installation of flare.IQ is part of a broader and ongoing effort by Chevron Richmond to improve flare performance, particularly in response to increased events after the new, more efficient hydrogen plant was brought online in 2019.

Since then, the company has invested $25 million — and counting — into flare minimization. As part of the effort, a multidisciplinary refinery team was formed to find and implement ways to improve operational reliability and ultimately reduce flaring. Operators and other employees involved in management of flares and flare gas recovery systems undergo new training.

“It is important to me that the community knows we are working hard to lower emissions and improve our flaring performance,” Nguyen said.

Also evolving is the process by which community members are notified of flaring incidents. The Community Warning System (CWS), operated by Contra Costa County is an “all-hazard” public warning system.

Residents can opt-in to receive alerts via text, e-mail and landline. The CWS was recently expanded to enable residents to receive notifications for “Level 1” incidents, which are considered informational as they do not require any community action.

For more information related to these topics, check out the resources included on the Chevron Richmond, CAER and Contra Costa Health websites. Residents are also encouraged to follow @chevronrichmond and @RFDCAOnline on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), where additional information may be posted during an incident.