Thijs in Kilgore newspaper!

Thijs' name is mentioned in the Kilgore (!?) News Herald!


Halliburton executives offer service in Kilgore

By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

Helping Hands of Kilgore was invaded Tuesday night as 24 executives from Halliburton facilities all over the world made it their service project.


Cathy Mann, director for Corporate Affairs for Halliburton said the President's Leadership Excellence Program (PLEP) started because the company believes in developing a core of strong, innovative leaders.


An annual year-long leadership development event, the program involves a handpicked group of highpotential senior managers, directors and first-time executives from the company’s operations worldwide.  Mann said since March of 2004, Halliburton has worked with the Center for Executive Development in the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University to provide leadership and management development.


Halliburton's senior executives regularly interact with this group of employees and Texas A&M faculty provide instruction with course titles like Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship for Upper Level Managers, and Financial Decision Making, said Mann.  Each meeting brings together 24 employees from around the world for five days. To date, the class has met in Houston, Duncan, Okla. and now Kilgore. “The class is excited to be in Kilgore, experiencing firsthand the company's operations and is looking forward to their visit on a project location tomorrow,” she said.  Community involvement is an important aspect of Halliburton's leadership development, Mann said.  “Service projects with a focus on meeting basic human needs such as food, clothing and shelter are among the most popular community activities with our employees and being able to assist Helping Hands fulfills their mission in Kilgore is an important part of the group's visit here,” she said.


In addition to cleaning the facility and helping to restock and organize items, Halliburton donated fresh produce for distribution to local families in need.  Susie Prater, director for Helping Hands, said it was a very unexpected surprise when the Halliburton team also donated $270 in cash for the local organization.  “This is the first time an organization of this magnitude, with so many people, has done a service project like this at Helping Hands,” she said.


The Halliburton group included Jamey Webster, Houston; Joshua Malbrough, Louisiana; Jonathan Ortiz, Mexico; Harold Mesa, Panama; Susanna Sabbagh, Canada; Odd Jespersen, Norway; Thijs Rademaker, UAE-Dubai; Sanjeev Verma, India; Jim Vagher, The Netherlands; Desmond Kong, China; Scot Evans, Houston; Henk Kool, Houston; Nick Braley, Houston; Daniel Dorffer, Houston; Jim Longbottom, Houston; Mike Segura, Oklahoma; Ron Hyden, Houston; Isidore Akpakpan, Nigeria; Grant Roscoe, Houston; Tim Moeller, Houston; Rich Barclay, Houston; Kelly Youngblood, Houston; Lori von Heyking, Houston and Stephanie Bragg, Houston.

International day

International day at school means that everyone can come to school dressed up in their national costume.  During the day all the children get to visit the food court so they can try foods from different countries.  The 'poffertjes' were very popular and nine boxes of poffertjes mix proved to be not enough.  Martina and I will have to make more next year!  It was a lot of fun!