In each issue, FlexPack VOICE® hosts a question-and-answer segment with an industry leader. In this issue, we talk to Kristin Thomas- Martin, Americas polyethylene (PE) regional sales manager for ExxonMobil.
Thomas-Martin has been with ExxonMobil for 18 years and holds her position in the PE business side of the company. She studied chemical engineering at the University of Tennessee but says her background is otherwise atypical.
“I pursued a career as a professional ballet dancer before making the transition to engineering and then ultimately into this industry,” Thomas-Martin says. “Surprisingly enough, there are so many aspects of professional ballet—the grit, resilience, determination, and discipline required to excel at a high level within the artform—that very well prepared me both for university and then for the work that followed.”
She adds that engineering has been rewarding because she can successfully navigate art and science in her career.
When she is not working, she and her husband, Connor, like to be outdoors and traveling.
“And while we don’t have any human children, we have three dogs—all rescues,” she says. “And we love sports—football especially.”
She credits her father, who had a mechanical engineering background, with sparking her interest in the petrochemical industry.
FlexPack VOICE®: What would you tell someone who is thinking about a career in the industry?
Kristin Thomas-Martin: Dream big, work hard, and be your authentic self. That sounds simple— and not profound at all—but I have found it to be a recipe not only for career success but also for personal and professional fulfillment. There is so much opportunity in our industry and in the petrochemical industry overall. We need people with big ideas, the courage to challenge norms, the desire to dig in to tackle challenges, and those who are ready to celebrate both the small and big wins. Do not shy away from things because you do not think you have the right expertise or background—rather, keep an open mind and be willing to try something new. You might find you are good at a position you never even imagined.
FPV: Is there a particular experience that stands out in your career?
KTM: Having a plant manager role was one of the most rewarding—and challenging—experiences in my career. I had the opportunity to run one of our plastics manufacturing facilities in Baton Rouge (Louisiana) before taking on this sales role, and I learned an immense amount in that role not only about making plastic but also about myself personally and as a leader. I also had the chance to positively impact the employees and contractors who worked for me at the plant, to leave a mark on the site and its future vision, and to give back to the surrounding community. It was one of the deepest displays of ExxonMobil doing great things within the neighborhoods in which we operate and the part that I could play in giving back as well.
FPV: Have you had mentors?
KTM: I have been blessed with several mentors. One of the biggest contributions they have made to my development was to help me see my potential and to recognize things in me that I did not see in myself. If I think back on the different roles and positions I have held and the responsibilities that I carried, I probably never could have pictured that type of career when I was first starting. My mentors continued to foster in me a sense of authentic leadership and the concept of being comfortable leading “in my own skin.” That was extremely powerful in unlocking my passion, my capabilities, and my success thus far.
FPV: Talk about sustainability at ExxonMobil.
KTM: ExxonMobil is committed to creating sustainable solutions that improve quality of life and meet society’s evolving needs. We intend to do this in ways that help protect people, the environment, and the communities where we operate. As an example, to help meet society’s evolving needs, we have efforts focused on both enabling the societal benefits plastics provide and helping address the global issue of plastic waste. Our approach includes:
- Expanding our advanced recycling capacity to help further broaden the range of plastics that can be recycled;
- Developing plastic solutions that enable our customers to make products that society can more easily recycle; and
- Supporting improvements in plastic waste recovery, gathering, and sorting.
FPV: Generally, how do you see government regulations as they pertain to the industry?
KTM: There are significant challenges in the collection and use of plastic waste as a feedstock for recycling that need to be addressed:
- Limited access. We all know friends or family—or even ourselves—who do not have access to curbside or apartment recycling and may need to drive 30 minutes or more to find a drop-off center.
- Lack of standards and confusing consumer education. When you move, even if just moving a few neighborhoods over, your new location may have a different list and guidance for what can be put in the bin.
- Lack of curbside collection of films and flexibles. Although you can sometimes take them to your local grocery store or collection center, this type of plastic is a huge opportunity that advanced recycling is pursuing.
- Lack of sorting capability and capacity. To sort out flexibles and other types of plastics, we helped form Cyclyx and are investing in their first-of-its-kind plastic recovery facility in the Houston area, expected to start up in 2025.
The plastics value chain needs to take action to help improve plastic recycling:
- Collaborate with governments, other companies, and communities (as ExxonMobil is) to pilot scalable models to help address the plastic waste challenge and increase plastics circularity.
- Create efficient policy that ensures advanced recycling counts as recycling and supports investment in plastic waste infrastructure, collection, and sorting.
- Draft consistent standards, definitions, and education for consumers on what can be put in the recycling bin—helping to make it easier for consumers.
In addition to building out technologies like advanced recycling, as demand for plastic circularity continues to grow, effective legislation is needed to help address plastic waste, including increased investment in recycling infrastructure to help improve recycling access in all communities, so plastic waste can make it into the recycling bin in the first place, instead of ending up in landfill or incinerator.