By Jose L Martinez
Reliability Supervisor, PPM – Jesup Plant
I was born and raised in Venezuela, although I lived in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1967 to 1971. My mother’s family is originally from Italy, while my father’s side reflects my Venezuelan heritage. Growing up among these cultural influences taught me that each person’s background helps shape how they think, communicate and approach problems.
Education has always been important in my family. My father was born in 1898 and completed only the sixth grade before he had to begin working to support his family. Because he understood the value of the opportunities he did not have, he strongly encouraged his children to pursue an education. Several of my siblings went on to build careers in engineering, urban planning, veterinary medicine, education, nursing and commercial aviation.
I began college in Venezuela, but when my family moved back to the United States, my father encouraged me to complete my education here. I enrolled at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, the alma mater of one of my older brothers, and earned a degree in mechanical engineering.
After graduation, I hoped to remain in Louisiana because I loved the area, especially the food and fishing. However, the economy and job market were difficult, so I moved to Florida. I worked as a fire-sprinkler design engineer and later as a plant engineer at a cold-storage facility before joining a vibration-analysis consulting company. That position brought me to the Jesup mill in 1991.
I worked at the mill as a contractor from 1991 until approximately 2003. In 2009, I returned to RYAM as a consultant, spending three months mentoring vibration technicians. I joined the company permanently in 2011 as PPM Reliability Supervisor, responsible for the vibration-analysis department and the mill’s lubrication program. The most meaningful parts of my work are identifying developing equipment problems before they lead to failures and helping our vibration technicians strengthen their expertise. This work contributes to safety, reliability and the mill’s overall success.
Family gatherings, food and music are important parts of my heritage. Venezuelan meals often include arepas, hallacas and other traditional dishes, especially during the holidays. I particularly enjoy Venezuelan folk music, which may explain why I also enjoy American country and folk music—styles that tell stories about everyday life, family and home. My appreciation for classical music came from my father.
Hispanic Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to recognize the experiences and contributions that people from different backgrounds bring to the workplace. My upbringing taught me to treat everyone with respect, even when we disagree.
My message to my RYAM colleagues is simple: Always listen to others. When we listen, we learn about our coworkers, their experiences and what has shaped their perspectives. That understanding helps us work together and achieve greater success.
