Our People: Engineer Howard Moore Celebrates a 50-Year Career

• Howard Moore has had a remarkable 50-year career in engineering at Marathon driven by curiosity and innovation.
• Moore emphasizes collaboration and mentorship passing on wisdom to young engineers and students.
• His impact is evident through the success of his mentees and his continuous contributions to the company.

Howard Moore has had a remarkable journey in engineering. He’s been with the same company, though under different names, since 1975. Now, over 50 years later, Moore continues to make impactful contributions at Marathon driven by an insatiable curiosity and passion for innovation. His approach has always been rooted in problem-solving and perseverance.

"I've never done anything I knew how to do, but I've never seen anything I couldn't figure out,” said Moore. “I just never accepted that there was something I could not do."

This mindset has fueled a career marked by continuous improvement and a refusal to accept the status quo. Throughout his tenure, Moore has emphasized the importance of collaboration and mentorship. He credits early influences from people like his former colleague chemist Dwayne Chapman for instilling values of diligence and historical awareness in problem-solving.

“He told me to always find out what’s happened before you in any problem you work on,” said Moore. “Don’t try to invent something without knowing what other people have done. Nine times out of 10, the problem has already been at least partially solved, and we just forgot the answer. Building on what others have done, rather than starting from scratch, facilitates higher level innovations and is the basis for our civilization.”

Today, Moore passes on that wisdom by mentoring young engineers and chemical engineering students, helping the next generation tackle tomorrow’s challenges. He’s currently mentoring three undergraduate students from the University of Kentucky and Kansas State.

His mentorship has left a lasting impression on a former colleague who has found success in her career in refining. Engineer Cristal Rodriguez was working for a catalyst vendor at Marathon’s Galveston Bay, Texas, refinery in 2015. She would prepare refining unit reviews and try to anticipate every question Moore might ask.

“Those sessions taught me how to think critically, ask the right questions, and hold myself to a high standard,” said Rodriguez. “By the end of that period, we had developed a strong relationship, and together we even began training the young engineers during the unit reviews, so they could learn and grow into experts of their own units.”

She said she didn’t realize how much those moments would shape her career.

“Howard believed in me before I fully believed in myself, and that encouragement pushed me to grow,” said Rodriguez. “The foundation he helped me build is one of the reasons I’ve been able to excel in every company I’ve worked for since. I’ll always be grateful.”

Moore’s enduring enthusiasm for engineering is evident in his daily work. He thrives on new challenges and values the collaborative environment at Marathon. His belief in engineering's power to improve the world remains steadfast, as does his commitment to shaping a better future through thoughtful innovation and mentorship.

“As a leader within the company, Howard has also been devoted to mentoring young engineers, encouraging them to strive for excellence,” said MPC Vice President Technology & Refining Services Jeff Sexton. “His impact on their careers is immeasurable. His story is a testament to the profound impact one engineer can have over a lifetime and beyond.

As Moore continues his journey, his legacy serves as a beacon of dedication, resilience and inspiration. He still finds interesting things to do at Marathon and plans to keep doing it for the foreseeable future.