On February 17th Michael Berly retired after 37 years in the Oil and Gas business. We are so proud to have been part of his journey. In this post, we ask Michael a few questions about his career…

How many years in this industry?
37 years in the oilfield since I took an eight-year break while I was in the army at age 30

How did you get started in this business?
My dad put me to work one week after graduation. At the time, it was best.

What was your first job?
My first job was painter sandblaster.  

What skills are you most proud of?
Most proud of my troubleshooting skills and knowledge of P&ID’s. 

 What were the greatest challenges you faced at work? How did they help you grow as an individual?
My greatest challenge was making it through numerous oilfield crunches. And my time in Africa planning shut down turn arounds.
This helped in improving my P&ID skills and my cultural knowledge of other countries. 

What advice would you have for other employees facing similar challenges?
The advice I would give is never to be afraid to ask questions, find your P&iD’s and start tracing lines.  

What were you working at when you most enjoyed work? What was the work environment like then?
I most enjoyed my Overseas work; it was fast-paced and multicultural. Some of the stories you would hear of their countries were awesome. 

What is your best work memory?
 My best memory should have been my last day of work. But wow, the weather made it truly difficult.

 Who and what will you miss most?
 I will miss Crosby, for they have probably been the best company in caring for the worker and taking care of any matter they had control of.

What was the best thing about this industry?
The industry’s best thing is finding and working with a crew that supports each other without hiding knowledge of growth.

 Can you describe your career in one word?
 “interesting”

Any comments that you want to add?
I want to thank Crosby for allowing me to work for them and always being there and taking care of their personnel. May God bless your company in growth and prosperity.
Thank you, Megan and all of Crosby, for always being there and helping to the best of your abilities. Over and beyond.